Bail On Bondsmen
There are several types of bonds. A bail bondsman can only post a surety bond. When you pay a bondsman, they take the money - somewhere between 10%-20% of the bond amount, along with security collateral worth at least twice as much as the bond - get someone out of jail, and offer no other services.
A lawyer can help you secure a personal or cash deposit bond. With these types of bonds all or part of the money you pay, in many cases, can go directly toward your legal fees. If you spend $2,000 on a bondsman, then hire a lawyer, that money is just gone. If you pay $2,000 on a cash deposit bond, when that money is refunded at the close of your case, that’s $2,000 you get to apply to your fees.
The only reason to hire a bail bondsman is if the person who was arrested won’t be hiring an attorney, or will be receiving a court-appointed lawyer.
In all other cases, we’re a better deal. This is why:
1. We can get cases dismissed before the charges are filed. After a person is arrested, the arresting officer files a probable cause affidavit. This is his description of the events that led to the arrest. We’re trained to recognize when these don’t add up, and we can bring this to a judge before anyone’s been charged with a crime. We get a number of cases each month dismissed without charges filed. In practical terms, this means that a felony case that might have cost several thousand dollars to defend can be taken care of - and out of your life - in a few day’s time for a fraction of the cost.
2. We can gather evidence before anything changes. When we show up to the scene of an accident that resulted in criminal charges, we can take photographs before the police begin their investigation. Any number of environmental factors - like rain - can wash away evidence. Someone who’s been wrongly accused of assault who has the black eye and bruises to show that they were the victim, not the perpetrator, needs to have those things documented before they heal. It does you a world of good when the only person who has decent evidence in your case is your own attorney.
A bondsman is a band-aid. A really expensive band-aid. Calling a lawyer to get you out of jail is like going to the doctor.