Texas Bail Bonds

Need info on Texas Bail Bonds and the Bail Bonds process? You’ve come to the right place Southern Bail Bonds Texas is your one stop shop.

Yep, you got “THAT” phone call – a friend or loved one has been arrested and they need your help getting out of jail. NOW what are you suppose to do?!? OFF TO THE INTERNET!!! But you’re still not sure what the process is, how bail bonds work in Texas or what you should be looking for in a bail bonds company. Some questions you might have: what’s the different between hiring a bail agent and hiring an attorney, or how much is this going to cost?

Well, hopefully Southern Bail Bonds Texas can provide some answers here…so let’s get started with the basics.

WHAT IS BAIL?

First let’s explain what “Bail” is. Bail is the sum of money set by the court to secure the temporary release of a defendant as a “guarantee” that the defendant will appear in court for all required court dates until the case is settled.

WHAT TYPES OF BONDS ARE AVAILABLE?

Cash Bonds
Personal Recognizance Bonds
Surety Bonds

Now, a “Bail Bond” is an executed financial document that promises to pay the amount of the bail if the defendant does not appear in court as scheduled. Most defendants are not financially able to post their own Texas bail bonds so the defendant, the defendant’s family and or friends generally reach out to a Texas Bail Bonds agent for assistance in posting the bond.

The bail bonds agent will post the needed bail bond for a nonrefundable fee of 10 to 20 percent of the amount of the bail.

WHAT IS A CASH BOND?

A cash bond is fairly simple and straightforward. The full bail amount is paid to the court to secure the release of the defendant. As long as the defendant makes all court appearances the entire cash bond is refunded with the exception of any court costs, which is generally nominal. It is important to note that the refund will be issue to the party that paid the cash bond and not the defendant – unless the defendant actually paid the bond.

WHAT IS A SURETY BOND?

A surety bond is the most common type of bail bond. It is the same as Texas Bail Bonds and is the kind that most people think of when they hear the term “bail bond”. A surety bond is when a third party accepts liability for ensuring the accused returns to court. This third party is the surety. More often than not, the surety is a bail bonds agent. Bail bondsmen generally charge a fee that ranges from 10 to 20 percent of the bail amount. This amount is not refundable – it is the bondman’s fee for posting a bond for the full amount of the bail.

The advantage to using a bail bondsman is that most people don’t have ready access to full bail amounts By using the bail bondsman a defendant’s family and/or friends can pay the bondsman’s fee and their loved one can be released from jail. This does not mean the defendant is released from their criminal charges. It means the defendant will be released pending trial and is expected to appear for all necessary court appearances.

If the defendant fails to appear as required, the bondsman will most likely have the defendant rearrested. This may include sending bounty hunters to recover the defendant. This will also mean that the co-signers will be responsible for repaying any costs incurred to retrieve the defendant. If the co-signers are unwilling to pay then they can expect lawsuits to be filed against them and the defendant for the recovery of those fees. All bail bonds, including Texas Bail Bonds, require the defendant to appear to each and every court date unless they have been instructed by their attorney that they don’t need to appear for a particular court date.

PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE BOND

The personal recognizance bond, also known as a “PR” bond is where the court releases the defendant from jail without making them post a cash or surety bond. These types of bonds are generally reserved for legal infractions that are not serious in nature. With a PR bond, the defendant signs documents that promise he/she will appear for all court dates as required. These bonds are often associated with a pre-trial release program.

WHEN ARE BOND AMOUNTS SET?

Legally, an arrestee is required to be brought in front of a magistrate for a hearing within 48 hours of being arrested. It is at this hearing that the magistrate will notify the defendant of the charges being leveled and the amount of bail (if allowed) for each charge. Keep in mind that depending on the seriousness of the charge (like capital murder, or the defendant is a flight risk, etc.), and the individual circumstances, the magistrate may not even allow bail – or may set bail at a level high enough that it is difficult for the defendant to meet.

Stay tuned for more posts from Southern Bail Bonds on the Texas bail bonds process.

Texas Bail vs Bonds – What’s The Difference?

Southern Bail Bonds
3936 S. Polk St. #110
Dallas, TX 75224
Phone: 214-372-2500
Fax: 214-372-2510

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