What Does Co-signing a Bail Bond Mean?
Co-signing a bail bond entails signing a promissory note or an indemnity agreement which financially obligates you to pay the entire bail amount if the accused person or persons do not appear in court. After co-signing the bail bond, the accused will subsequently be released from detention during the resolution period in which his or her charges will be heard in a court of law. Two important points about co-signing:
- Upon procuring a co-signer, the detainee is guaranteed release if all requirements are met.
- A co-signer has every right and duty to assure that the accused appear at court proceedings and any other requirements requested upon by the bond.
What Does it Mean to be a Co-signer?
The process of co-signing a bail bond entails providing physical property, such as cash, cars, and other valued items as a form of collateral. By providing these tangible items, the bail bondsman is guaranteed to recover the money he or she has pledged to the court in the form of a surety bond. If for any reason the accused fails to appear in court within a specified period of time or purposefully flees, it is the co-signer's responsibility to pay the entire bond amount or surrender all property that was provided to the bail bond company as collateral.
The co-signer has the right to require stipulations before co-signing. Stipulations can take many forms, for example, requiring that the accused attend a drug treatment program or be evaluated by doctors and other health professionals. The co-signer has the right to ask the bond company to cancel the bond if the accused exhibits any behavior that is deemed uncomfortable or questionable - thus returning the accused to jail. In the instance that the accused flees, the co-signer can report the location of the accused to the bail bond company in an effort to apprehend the accused and return that person to jail.
Who Can Be a Co-signer?
No everyone is eligible to co-sign a bail bond. In order to be a co-signer, a person must be a legal citizen of the United States of America, have lived in the same geographic area for a predetermined period of time, have a reliable and stable source of income, and have sufficient credit.
What are Typical Bail Bond Fees?
The website for professional bail agents of the United States (PBUS) says that a bail bond company will receive a predetermined percentage of the bond as a fee for assuring the bond and securing the release of the detained. The bail bond company fee is usually around 10 percent of the total amount - 10 percent is the lowest amount required by law. The 10 percent fee must usually be paid with cash and is non-refundable to the co-signer.
What Happens if the Person Does Not Show Up for Court?
- If the bail bond company must hire a bounty hunter to retrieve the accused after not appearing in court or attempting to flee, those individuals who paid the bond must pay for these additional services.
- Skipping a bail, not appearing in court, or attempting to flee assures extended jail time for the accused.
- The Utah Bail Bond Company will work alongside individuals without collateral and guarantee a charge of no more than 10 percent, the minimum bail fee allowed by law!
Utah Bail Bond Company
Bad Boys Bail Bonds is a family owned and operated bail bonding company serving the entire state of Utah. We are open 24 hours a day 365 days a year to assist you with all your bail bonding needs. We are a fast, friendly, confidential and professional company that is dedicated to helping you and your loved ones in your time of need. We hope you don’t need us, but if you do we will be there. At Bad Boys we believe you are innocent until proven guilty and we treat you that way.
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