Once a person is arrested, they must be booked. This process may take as little as forty-five minutes to several hours. Once a judge sets the amount of the bond, the person, also known as the defendant, may post bail and be released until an arraignment hearing date is set. A bond is designed to guarantee said defendant’s appearance in court. The bonding company guarantees to the court that they will pay the total amount of the bond should the defendant fail to appear in court.
When posting a bond with a bonding company, a cosigner or indemnitor is required. A cosigner or indemnitor, which is often a friend or relative, will sign a contract with the bonding company ensuring financial responsibility should the said defendant fail to appear for all court dates. This obligation does not end until the court has exonerated the bonding company from the case.
Should the defendant fail to appear in court, the cosigner or indemnitor will need to turn the defendant into the bonding company to be surrendered or get the case reset. If the defendant absconds, the cosigner or indemnitor must pay the full amount of the bond. The bonding company will then forward the amount to the courts.
Once the cosigner or indemnitor has signed a contract with the bail bonding company, the bail agent will prepare the necessary paperwork for the defendant’s release. You may co-sign by email, fax or in person at our office. Once the paperwork has taken place in the jail, the defendant is then released.