A bail bond agent is a person working for a bail bond company who goes to the jail where an inmate is housed and bails the inmate out. A bail bond is a form of loan or surety. A surety or guaranty, in finance, is a promise by one party (the guarantor) to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. The person or company that provides this promise, is also known as a surety or guarantor.

This bail bond is a pledge of money by someone that the defendant will appear in justice court. This allows the inmate/defendant to exit jail and continue on with his or her life. Bail bond agents are native to the United States as most other nations have outlawed the practice of bail.

A bail bond agent can work independently or for a company. A large bail bond operation will typically have an agent assigned to one or more jails in a given geographic region. The bail bond agent is either paid an hourly rate or gets a cut of the bond amount.

In some cases a bail bond agent is paid with liens against property such as an automobile or mortgage. In cases were a defendant leaves the courts jurisdiction or “skips bail” and bail recovery agent (bounty hunter) is dispatched to apprehend the fugitive.

It is the job of a bail bond agent to ensure defendants appear in court. The jail/court effectively relinquishes its control over an inmate to a bail bond agent and the bail bond company is held accountable on the total cost of the bail if the defendant violates the bail agreement. A good bail bond agent will ensure you know your court date, provide some basic legal advice, and will be kind and understanding to your situation.

SALT LAKE CITY — Odds are, posting bail for a loved one awaiting trial in your local county jail wasn’t on your Christmas list this year.

But owners and managers of local bail bond companies say business often peaks the week before Christmas. They’re generally busier then than New Year’s Eve, Labor Day or summer holidays when law enforcement typically conduct saturation patrols to pick up drunken drivers.

The statewide DUI blitz conducted over this past New Year’s Eve, for instance, resulted in 72 arrests, Utah Highway Patrol authorities said. A complete count will be released Tuesday, officials said.

Clint McQueen, co-owner of Liberty Bail Bonds, said DUI enforcement blitzes can lead to an uptick in business but it is often because the people arrested also have outstanding warrants or face other charges related to the drunken driving arrest.

“A DUI is only bondable for $1,500 so the jails don’t hold them very long,” McQueen said of first-time offenders. “There’s just not enough room in the jail for them.”

In Salt Lake County, many people arrested in drunken driving sweeps are referred to Pre-Trial Services, which can offer release, supervision and tracking of eligible defendants after they are booked into jail. Those people never require the services of a bail bonds company, McQueen said.

McQueen said his service is busiest prior to Thanksgiving, Christmas “and believe it or not, Mother’s Day.”

“We get a lot of calls from mothers who want to get their son out of jail so they can spend the day together or from sons that say ‘I want to be with my mom on her day.’”

Oddly, many people bailed out close to holidays are people facing domestic violence charges, he said.

“I see a lot of guilt on the part of parents for their child. People will say ‘I wasn’t the best parent. Maybe if I do this, it will help them,’” McQueen said. “Maybe they shouldn’t be bonding their child out because it’s really not teaching them anything.”

Larry Nowak of Bad Boys Bail Bonds said, he, too, has higher demand for his services during the winter holidays.

“In the beginning of December, families usually leave their family member in jail,” he said. ”The closer to Christmas, everyone starts feeling bad if they’re not home for Christmas.”

Nowak said business picks up, too, as people are arrested for retail theft and other offenses aimed at obtaining cash to buy holiday presents.

Nowak said his business goes as the capacity of local jails go. Bad Boys Bail Bonds has agents statewide and business was brisk on New Year’s Eve in Uintah and Cache counties, he said. In Cache County, for instance, a woman arrested for an alleged drunken driving offense had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit and backed her car into a UHP trooper’s vehicle after she was pulled over for suspected drunken driving.

Nowak said saturation patrols over holiday weekends are well publicized so many revelers plan accordingly. Either they selected a designated driver, ride taxis or avail themselves to car tows when they’ve had too much to drink.

“You really don’t get the business out of it that you think you would,” Nowak said.

courtesy: Deseret News

Most bondsman in our industry are honest small business owners, no different than other mom and pop run business in your neighborhood. In fact, we’ve made friends with several bondsman in the industry and through national organizations like the Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS).

Still yet, we’ve heard instances of good people getting stuck with bad bondsman. Numerous customers come to us after using other bail bonds companies with stories like these:

This has to be the absolute WORST and most unprofessional bail bonds in history. A guy named *** answers the phone and only takes msgs and is EXTREMELY RUDE. Before you even explain anything he asks for your number and says he’ll have someone call you back. No one ever returns any phone calls no matter how many msgs you leave. Then ** who’s either away from his desk or at court is quick to tell you to call back at a later time, which when you do call back no one will be available. I have been waiting for my fiance to be bailed out for almost a month and still no response. they give you the sense that you’re annoying them when they cant even do their job properly or even efficiently. People don’t pay hundreds and thousands of dollars to see their loved ones sit around and wait for weeks in jail. After filling out 18 plus pages of paperwork nothing has been done in over 3 weeks. Its about to be a month in 2 days. If I don’t get a FULL refund I’m reporting and suing them for the BS they put us through.

There are a few things you can do in this scenario. Ensure the bail bondsman you are talking with is setup properly through the state board of insurance, they have a valid business license, and are allowed to post bail bonds in the city and county you are doing business in. Also don’t be afraid to shop around until you feel comfortable and be sure to read online reviews on places like Google Local, City Search, and other local review websites.

Don’t get stuck with a bad bail bondsman, use Emergency Bail Bondsman.

When a person is arrested if they can be bailed out on the alleged crime then the bail amount is set by local courts. In some cases the defendant can qualify for pretrial release, but in many cases they most post bail. The total cost of the bail and therefor how much they or their family and friends must pay a bail bondsman is based on many mitigating and aggravating circumstances. Some of which are:

1. The type of crime. Was this the persons first crime? Was this a violent crime? Did the crime result in property damage or endanger anyones life? The alleged crime is one of the more important factors in determining the cost of a bail bond.
2. What is the probability the defendant will attempt to flee and turn fugitive. For minor crimes this is small, for major ones the probability grows.
3. The defendants assets. A rich person accused of a crime may decide to just pack up and take off to another country. Especially one without extradition. For most of us fleeing like that is not an option and the bail amount takes this into account.

Why do we have bail bonds in the first place? Our constitution gives U.S. citizens the right to post bail in a sense though it more specifically prohibits excessive bail.

You’ve received that late night call before or maybe you’re the one who’s had to make it once or twice yourself. After being picked up by the police you’ve been taken to the county jail. The Salt Lake County Jail like many other jails is a cold and uncomfortable place. The only thing that interrupts the hum of  the florescent lights is the occasional cell door opening and closing.  When you’re in any jail, the most important things is to post your bail and get out.

Emergency Bail Bondsman can help you find a licensed bail bondsman in Salt Lake City, Utah. We can also help out in a number of other areas including:

• Bail Bonds in Farmington for Davis County Jail
• Bail Bonds in Ogden for Weber County Jail
• Bail Bonds in Spanish Fork for Utah County Jail
• Bail Bonds in Salt Lake City for Salt Lake County Jail

Use the following hints next time you need a bail bondsman:

• Ask the bail bondsman you are speaking with if they are licensed in their State. Even ask to see such documentation when you meet with them.
• The bail bond company should have a valid business license.
• Be sure to get a receipt of the transaction and a copy of any contract you sign.
• Ask the bondsman exactly what must be done so the person you are bailing out does not violate the bond.