Bail Bonds have a long history in the American legal system. The American legal system was mostly derived from the English legal system, and bail bonds have been around since the thirteenth century in the English legal system. As always happens in countries with free economies, enterprising people came up with a business model that involves providing this service. Bail Bonds firms have been around for centuries, but the business is largely the same. Bail bondsman like Utah's Bad Boys Bail Bonds will take a certain percentage of an accused person's bail and post the rest with the court so that the defendant is allowed to go free. While the bail bonds business didn't change for centuries, there have been several changes recently in the American legal system. To learn more about the history of bail bonds, read on.
The Beginning of Bail Bonds
Bail bonds became a legal institution when the English Parliament passed the Statute of Westminster in 1275. Prior to this, the local sheriffs either locked people up when they were accused of crimes or accepted bribes to keep people out of jail. The statute specified which crimes people would be allowed bail for and which crimes they wouldn't be allowed to post bail for. This is still the same basic system used in the United States today.
The First Bail Bonds Businesses
The first bail bonds businesses started in England shortly after the Statute of Westminster. They operated in much the same way as Bail Bonds businesses today operate. The person accused of a crime or their family could put up a percentage of the bill, and the bondsman would post the rest of the bill. This would allow the defendant to get out of jail until their trial.
Bail Bonds in the United States
Prior to the Declaration of Independence, the United States was part of England and used the English legal system. After the United States became an independent country, the legal system stayed mostly the same with some minor reforms. The first major legislation regarding bail bond in the United States was the Bail Reform Act of 1966. To learn more about this piece of legislation, see below.
The Bail Reform Act of 1966
This act is a piece of federal legislation that states someone facing trial for a crime other than murder could be released on recognizance, which means a financial bond does not need to be posted. In practice, release on recognizance is only applied for very minor crimes charged to people with no criminal record. The vast majority of people charged with crimes do have to pay a monetary bond.
The District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970
Shortly after the Bail Reform Act of 1966, the District of Columbia passed legislation that addressed the defendant's potential risk to the community, even on capital offenses. This was seen as a response to some shortcomings in the Bail Reform Act of 1966, as people out on bail for non-capital offenses were committing crimes at an alarming rate. The number of people released on recognizance greatly decreased in all jurisdictions after the District of Columbia passed this legislation.
The Bail Reform Act of 1984
The Bail Reform Act of 1984 is the most recent piece of legislation that has had a significant effect on bail bonds in modern America. The Bail Reform Act of 1984 allows a person to be detained without bail if they pose a risk to the community or are a flight risk. In practice, only people charged with very serious crimes are commonly be held without bail.
Call Bad Boys Bail Bonds in Utah Today
If you're in Utah and you need reliable and experienced bail bondsman to help you out, contact Bad Boys Bail Bonds today. We have been in operation for over a decade, and have successfully helped many people go free while they await their trial. To learn more, or to request bail, call Bad Boys Bail Bonds now at 801-895-4014 or visit our website for more info. We pride ourselves on establishing long-lasting and friendly relationships with our clients, and we can't wait to get to know you. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
