Bail Bonds
Southern Bail Bonds is a fully licensed bail bondsman approved to write bail bonds for Dallas and Kaufman County jails.
- Our Dallas County license number is 258.
- Our Kaufman County license number is 014.
Welcome to Southern Bail Bonds. We understand that finding out a loved one has been arrested can be a really tough and overwhelming experience. Life doesn’t always go as planned, and sometimes we find ourselves in situations we never expected. That’s where we come in. With locations around the metroplex, we’re experts at navigating the local jail systems in Dallas and Kaufman counties, including the main Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Our goal? To reunite you with your loved one swiftly and with minimal hassle.
Stressed, anxious, confused, or worried? It’s perfectly normal. Whether it’s a small mistake or a big misunderstanding, everyone deserves a helping hand and a second chance. At Southern Bail Bonds, we’re not here to judge. We’re here to offer that helping hand with kindness and understanding to ease the weight off your shoulders.
We believe in quick, easy help to guide you through this tough time. Let us handle the complicated stuff, so you can focus on what’s most important – being there for your loved one. With our dedicated team by your side, securing a bail bond is one less thing you have to worry about.
Let’s take the first step together. Welcome to Southern Bail Bonds, where your peace of mind is our highest priority.
- Quick release from jail – usually the same day.
- Easy payment options.
- Affordable financing solutions without the need for credit checks.
- 30 years of experience.
What is a Bail Bond?
A bail bond – a promise to the court – facilitates in pre-trial release from jail by a bail bondsman who pays the full bail amount, while the accused or their associates pay a smaller fee to the bail bonds company.
A bail bond is like a promise to the court. It says that if someone is let out of jail, they will show up for all their court dates until their case is finished. This promise helps people get back to their normal lives while they wait for their trial, instead of staying in jail. A bail bond works because a bail bondsman or a bail bond company promises to pay the full bail amount if the person doesn’t come to court.
Here’s how it usually works: The bail bondsman pays the full bail so the person can be released. In return, the person (or their family or friends) pays a smaller part of the bail to the bondsman as a fee for their service. This way, the person can be free until their trial, and the court knows there’s a guarantee they’ll return. It’s a system that balances everyone’s needs – the person gets to go home, the court is protected, and the bail bondsman helps make it all happen.
Benefits of Bail Bonds
Bail bonds provide several advantages that are important for individuals who have been arrested and face jail time.
- Get out of jail fast. Bail bonds primarily enable freedom for the accused, allowing them to maintain their daily routines, continue working, and enjoy time with family while their trial is pending.
- Lower cost. Bail bonds only require a fraction of the total bail amount to be paid upfront, which is good if you don’t have immediate access to large amount of money.
- Support. A bail bondsman provides professional guidance through the often complex and intimidating bail process. Having an experienced real human being by your side ensures that defendants and their families get through these challenging times with informed support.
- It helps to lower the jail population. When a defendant is released on bond, that’s one less person the city or municipality has to pay to feed and house.
- There is someone other than the defendant who has a vested interest in that defendant showing up for court at all hearings. Many studies have been conducted on the effects of court appearance rates for defendants who went through a bail bonds company to secure their release, as opposed to those who are simply released on Personal Recognizance (PR) bonds.
Why Choose Southern Bail Bonds?
Choosing Southern Bail Bonds means placing your trust in a team renowned for its expertise, experience, reliability, and speed to navigate legal issues and the bail bond process, offering affordable services with clear pricing and flexible payment plans to ensure quick release times without hidden fees.
Expertise, Experience, Speed
At Southern Bail Bonds, our team’s knowledge and years of experience mean we really understand how bail bonds work and the legal system too. We’re here to offer you a service you can trust when things feel unsure. We know how important it is to act fast, so we focus on getting your loved one home quickly.
Case Study Highlight:
- Rapid Response: In a recent case, we facilitated the release of a client within 2 hours of receiving the call, significantly faster than the Dallas average of 6-12 hours.
- Complex Case Management: We successfully navigated a high-profile case with multiple charges, coordinating with various legal entities to secure a timely release.
Affordable
We’re here to help families when times get tough by making our services affordable. We know legal troubles can be expensive, and we want to help ease that worry, not make it worse. Our clear pricing means no hidden fees, giving families one less thing to worry about.
Fee Comparison:
- Southern Bail Bonds Fee: 10% of the bail amount, consistently below the Texas cap of 15%.
- Market Average in Dallas: Ranges from 10% to 15%.
Payment Plan Example:
- For a $5,000 bail, we offer a down payment as low as 10% ($500) with flexible monthly installments tailored to your financial situation.
Reviews
The Bail Bond Process
The bail bond process in Dallas, Texas, involves several critical steps from arrest to the return of bail money. The following table outlines each step, including average timeframes and specific legal requirements or practices in Texas, where applicable.
| Step | Description | Average Timeframe | Legal Requirements or Practices in Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrest | The individual is taken into custody on suspicion of an offense. | Immediate | Arresting officers must have probable cause. |
| Booking | Recording the individual’s details, specific charges, and collecting fingerprints or photographs. | 1-4 hours | All arrested individuals are processed at a local precinct or jail. |
| Charges | Formal articulation of the charges against the individual. | Within 24 hours of arrest | Charges are typically reviewed by a prosecutor before being formally filed. |
| Magistrate Hearing and Setting of Bail | A judge evaluates the case specifics to set bail. | Within 48 hours of arrest | Bail is determined based on factors like the offense’s gravity, the individual’s history, and flight risk. |
| Contact Bail Bondsman and Post Bail | Securing a bail bond through a bondsman to facilitate release. | Can vary, often within a few hours | Bail bondsmen in Texas must be licensed; fee is typically 10% of the bail amount. |
| Release from Custody | The individual is released from jail on bail. | Varies, often 2-8 hours after bail is posted | Release times can depend on jail processing speeds and the time of day. |
| Court Appearance and Case Resolution | The individual must appear at all scheduled court dates until the case concludes. | Varies widely, can be months to over a year | Failure to appear can result in arrest warrants and forfeiture of bail. |
| Return of Bail Money | Upon case conclusion, the bail amount is returned if posted directly to the court. | After case conclusion, can take weeks to months | Bail is returned to the person who posted it, minus any court fees or fines if applicable. |
Types of Bail Bonds for Criminal Arrests
In the Dallas metroplex area, the criminal justice system allows for various types of bail bonds, each serving different needs and circumstances. Below is a table outlining the common scenarios for each type of bond, along with Texas-specific regulations or practices.
| Type of Bail Bond | Common Scenarios | Specific Regulations or Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Bond | Used for minor offenses or when the defendant prefers to pay the full amount to ensure a refund after court appearances. | Dallas County may offer a “cash bond discount” where the full amount isn’t required upfront for certain offenses. |
| Bail Bond / Surety Bond | Common for most criminal cases, especially when the bail amount is high and the defendant cannot afford to pay in full. | Bail bondsmen in Texas must be licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance and adhere to state-regulated fee schedules, typically charging 10% of the bail amount. |
| Property Bond | Utilized when defendants have significant equity in real estate and prefer to use it as collateral instead of cash. | The property must be within Texas, and the equity must cover the full bail amount. Dallas courts require a property appraisal and proof of ownership. |
| Personal Recognizance | Often granted for low-risk cases, first-time offenses, or when the defendant has strong community ties in Dallas. | Judges may consider the defendant’s employment status, family connections, and length of residence in the community. A personal interview may be required. |
Cash Bond
Cash bonds can be viewed in two different ways. First, a judge may order a defendant’s bail bond be paid in cash only. If this is the case, then whoever pays the bond will need to pay in either cash or a cashier’s check only; no surety bond will be accepted. Secondly, even if an official says a defendant can use a surety, cash can always be used instead. The difference in using cash and using a surety (bail bonds company) to post bail is that the cosigner will receive their money back as long as the defendant adheres to the courts orders and attends all court proceedings until a decision is reached in the case. With a surety bail bond, the cosigner won’t have to pay the full amount of the bond – they only pay a small percentage, but none of that payment is refundable. The cosigner is also responsible for the full amount of the bond if the defendant fails to comply with the court’s orders.
Personal Recognizances (PR) or Own Recognizances Bail Bonds
As mentioned earlier, their are time the court will determine that a defendant meets the criteria to be released on their own recognizance. This means the defendant will receive a county sponsored bond that is just a promise to appear. No cash or surety bond is necessary. The defendant is still required to attend all court hearings and abide by any restrictions imposed by the court. If the defendant does not adhere to those rules, the PR bond can be revoked and a warrant issued to have the defendant rearrested. These bonds are also sometimes referred to as Signature Bonds.
Bail Bonds Secured By Property
As the name suggests, these are bonds that are backed by some sort of security – generally in the form of property. The property itself can take several different forms. Examples of property used to secure bail bonds includes real estate (commercial property, houses or vacant land), vehicles (auto or recreational – boats, RVs, motorcycles, etc.), jewelry or just about anything else that holds a value equal or greater to the amount of the face value of the bond. If real estate is being used, generally some sort of deed transfer will need to take place to transfer the ownership of the property or to place a lien on the property. For other types of property, the owners may be required to bring the property to a location where it will be securely stored until the case is over.
Bail Bonds or Surety Bonds
This type of bond is what most people think of when they hear the words “bail bonds”. Bail bonds are bonds obtained through a bail bonds or surety company such as Southern Bail Bonds; surety in this case is synonymous with a bail bondsman. Most people prefer to use a bail bonds company simply because it allows them to have their loved one released from jail without having to come up with the full amount of the bond.
While some may have the full bond amount available, they may not want to fork over that type of cash, or their personal financial situation may make it a bad time to drain their bank accounts. Or the cosigner may just flat not have that sort of cash sitting around. Either way, using a bondsman is generally the preferred method of posting bail. The cosigner pays a small percentage of the bond amount to the bondsman, who in turn will post the bond.
The cosigner is then responsible for ensuring the defendant appears at all count dates until a decision is reached in the case. If the defendant does not appear and the cosigner is not able to locate them, then the cosigner will be responsible for paying the full amount of the bond. The fees paid to the bondsman are not refundable – the bondsman earns the fee by posting the bond and ensuring the defendant is released.
Depending on the severity of the charges and/or the defendant’s criminal background, the bondsman may request collateral in addition to the regular fee. If the cosigner does not agree with the collateral request, don’t be surprised if the bondsman declines to process the bond.
Cost of Using a Bail Bond Service
The cost of using a bail bond service around Dallas involves understanding the fees charged by bail bondsmen and the types of collateral that can be used to secure a bond. Below is a detailed table that outlines these costs and requirements.
Hidden Bail Bonds Fees
Some shady bail bondsman charge hidden fees. DO NOT PAY THEM. If they tell you they are required, they are lying. At Southern Bail Bonds, we only charge you the bail percentage, and nothing else.
| Component | Description | Details for DFW Area |
|---|---|---|
| Bail Bondsman Fees | The fee charged by the bail bondsman, typically a percentage of the total bail amount. | Average Fee Percentage: 10% to 15% of the total bail amount. State-Mandated Caps: Texas law caps the maximum fee a bail bondsman can charge at 15% of the bail amount or $50, whichever is higher. Dallas follows these state guidelines. |
| Collateral Requirements | Assets provided by the defendant or a cosigner to secure the bail bond, which may be forfeited if the defendant fails to appear in court. | Commonly Accepted Collateral in Dallas:
Dallas-Specific Practices: Dallas bail bondsmen may require an appraisal for high-value items or real estate used as collateral. Additionally, a clear title or proof of ownership is necessary for vehicles and property. |
| Hidden Fees | Some bail bondsman charge other fees which they don’t tell you about up front. Southern Bail Bonds DOES NOT CHARGE THESE FEES. |
|
Regulation of Bail Bondsman
Chapter 1704 of the Texas Occupations Code is a set of rules for how bail bond companies operate in Texas, especially in places that have a special group (called a bail bond board) watching over them. Here’s what it generally says, in simple terms:
- Who Can Run a Bail Bond Business: It talks about who is allowed to start and run a bail bond company, making sure they’re qualified and do things the right way.
- Rules They Must Follow: It sets out the specific rules these companies have to follow to make sure they treat people fairly and keep everything above board.
- Fees: While it doesn’t say exactly how much bail bond companies can charge, it allows for setting up a system to make sure the fees are fair and not too high. Typically, companies charge between 10% to 15% of the total bail amount as their fee.
- Keeping an Eye on Them: In counties with a bail bond board, this chapter makes sure there’s a group of people keeping watch over bail bond businesses, making sure they’re doing things right.
Chapter 1704 is like a rulebook for bail bond companies in Texas, aimed at making sure they operate fairly, treat people right, and charge reasonable fees.
Reference:
Risks and Consequences
Using a bail bond service comes with the risk of losing valuables or facing legal trouble for missing court dates, stressing the importance of adhering to court rules and the bail agreement.
Using a bail bond service can help someone stay out of jail until their trial. However, there are some risks to think about. One big worry is losing something valuable (like a house or car) that was used to guarantee the bail bond. This can happen if the person doesn’t show up for their court dates, leading to the valuable item being taken away. Not showing up in court can also cause more legal problems, making things even more complicated.
Also, if the bail was paid in full upfront and the person doesn’t follow the court’s rules, getting that money back could be at risk. This is why it’s really important to understand and follow all the rules of the bail bond agreement and the court to avoid any negative consequences.
Loss of Collateral
Losing your collateral is a big risk when using a bail bond, which happens if the person doesn’t show up for their court dates. Anything used as security for the bond, like houses, cars, or jewelry, can be taken away by the bail bondsman. That’s why it’s really important to make sure to follow the court’s schedule and stick to the bail agreement’s rules closely.
Example from Dallas Courts:
- In 2020, a Dallas court case saw the forfeiture of a $50,000 property bond after the defendant failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. The property, pledged as collateral, was seized to cover the bail amount.
Failure to Appear
Not showing up for court can lead to big problems. It not only risks losing the bail money or any property put up for the bond but can also get the person into more legal trouble. Missing a court date can make things much worse, possibly leading to arrest warrants and more charges, making the legal situation even more complicated. Dallas Court Statistics:
- Dallas County reported a 15% failure to appear rate in 2019, leading to numerous instances of bail forfeiture and additional warrants issued for defendants’ arrests.
Recovery of the Bail Amount
Getting the bail money back can be really tough if the person doesn’t follow the court’s rules. If someone pays the bail themselves and then doesn’t do what the court says, they could lose a lot of money. This is because the court might keep the bail to cover any fines or fees. That’s why it’s super important to make sure to go to all court dates and follow any instructions from the court to avoid losing money and facing more legal problems.
Real-Life Example:
- A family in Dallas faced financial hardship after their $10,000 cash bail was retained by the court due to the defendant’s non-compliance with court orders. The loss emphasized the importance of understanding the bail agreement’s terms and conditions.
Contact Southern Bail Bonds Now!
We work hard to ensure a speedy and stress-free release. Remember, time is of the essence. Take that critical step towards securing your or your loved one’s release.
Pick up the phone now and dial Southern Bail Bonds. Our dedicated and compassionate team is ready to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Immediate 24/7 Availability
- Fast Release
- Easy Approvals, No Credit Checks
- Flexible Payment Plans
- Bilingual Service
- Free Warrant Checks and Bail Information
Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure is a set of laws that guide how criminal justice is carried out in Texas. It includes all the rules from when someone is arrested to when their case ends. This code explains how bail works, including when someone can get bail, their rights, and what bail bond companies need to do. It also sets the standards for how bail bond services operate legally. Understanding this code is important for lawyers, people facing charges, and bail bond companies to properly work within the legal system..
Legal Definition of Bail
The Legal Definition of Bail, as outlined in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, is a security given by the accused that he will appear and answer before the proper court the accusation brought against him, and includes a bail bond or a personal bond. This definition is encapsulated in Article 17.01 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Relevant Section:
- Article 17.01 – “Definition of ‘Bail'”
Legal Definition of Bail Bonds
The Legal Definition of Bail Bonds refers to a bail bond, which is a written undertaking entered into by the defendant and his sureties for the appearance of the principal thereon before the proper court or magistrate to answer a criminal accusation; provided, however, that the defendant on a bail bond may deposit money in lieu of having sureties signing the bond. This is detailed in Article 17.04 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Relevant Sections:
- Article 17.04 – “Bail Bond”
- Article 17.08 – “Requisites of a Bail Bond,” which outlines the conditions and requirements that a bail bond must meet according to Texas law.
Reference to the official Texas code.
Southern Bail Bonds always suggests that defendants, cosigners or anyone who has questions related to a criminal case should consult with a qualified attorney of their choice to ensure they are receiving proper legal advice. Southern Bail Bonds is not a legal firm, nor do we employ legal personnel. Nothing on this page or this website should be considered legal advice.