Are Bounty Hunters and Bail Bondsmen the Same Job?

Bail bondsmen and bounty hunters are often times confused for one another. Their duties are misunderstood, misinterpreted, and stereotyped due to television shows and movies today. If you want to know the truth about the differences between bail agents and bounty hunters, you have come to the right place! Continue reading to learn the roles and responsibilities for both bounty hunters and bail bondsmen in our local communities, towns, and cities.

Bounty Hunters

If you have heard the term, “bounty hunter” or “fugitive recovery agent” then you may already have an impression of what a bounty hunter does for a living. The downside to this is that many people misconstrue the actual responsibilities of a bounty hunter. Here are the facts; although they may differ slightly from state to state.

Bounty hunters are, in fact, referred to as fugitive recovery agents; as well as, skip tracers and bail recovery agents. This is their number one calling. They are sometimes hired in high-profile cases to investigate the whereabouts of a fugitive out on bail. The company that does the hiring is the bail bond agency. This is where the two parties work together. If a person is bonded out of jail by a bail agency, but skips their court date, a bail bondsman may hire a bounty hunter to help track down the truant. This is especially likely for high bond circumstances or cases that involve dangerous individuals. Bounty hunting is illegal in some cities and states.

Bail Bondsmen

A bail bondsman is an agent who is hired to pay the entire bond cost for a person in jail, for a non-refundable percentage of the actual bond amount. Their company acts a surety; and pledges money to pay for a person to be released from jail on the promise that they will appear for their scheduled court dates. This whole process can take as little as a few hours. Bail bonds are useful commodities and allow people to take time to make up for any mistakes or misunderstandings that led to their arrest. So long as the defendant shows for all required court hearings, the bail bond agent is satisfied and the defendant is covered according to the courts.

Hamilton County Bail Bonds

Call Uptown Bail Bonds at 317-919-2489 for bail bond services in Hamilton County, Indiana. We are licensed and bonded bail agents with good-standing relationships with the local jail staffs and courthouses. Our friendly bail bondsmen can offer a fast and secure release from the Hamilton County jail, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! Call 317-919-2489 for Hamilton County bail bonds you can trust!

Why Are Bail Bonds Non-Refundable?

The number one question all bail bondsmen get from phone calls and clients has to do with paying for bail bonds. So many people want to know if they’ll receive their money back after a trial or case has closed, or when a defendant completes probation. The quick answer is that bail bonds are not refundable, ever. Just like buying a share of stock, you cannot ask or get your money back once you have agreed to the transaction. Continue reading to learn more about why bail bonds cannot be refunded, and who you can trust for accurate and honest answers to all your bail bond questions.

Non-Refundable Bail Bonds

Although a popular circulating question, lawyers, police officers, and jail staff might not have the appropriate answer for you. It is always best to consult a licensed bail bondsman directly for accurate and updated answers to questions about bail. No matter what ends up happening in court, a defendant cannot get a refund for bail bond services. And all bail bond agencies will inform clients upfront that there are no refunds for their services.

The reason bail bonds are not refundable has to do with liability. A bail bond company is assuming all responsibility for a client, in terms of bond amount and initial court appearances. If a person fails to appear for their initial scheduled court date following their arrest, the bail bond company that provided their services will have to forfeit all of the money they “put up” for the defendant’s release from jail.

So if a person’s bond is set at $10,000, they can either pay that money in-whole to the jail to be released, OR, they can purchase a bail bond for 10-15% of that amount (Ten to fifteen percent is the standard Indiana rate for bail bonds). That 10 to 15% is non-refundable because if the defendant misses or skips their court hearing, the bail bond company does not get back the $10,000 THEY paid to have their client released from jail.

Murello’s Uptown Bail Bonds

Bail Bonds Boone County Indiana

Bail Bonds Boone County Indiana 317-919-2489

Call Uptown Bail Bonds at 317-919-2489 for prompt and professional 24 hour bail bond services in Noblesville, Indiana. We are licensed, bonded, and insured bail bondsmen with decades of experience in the indemnity industry. We offer a wide variety of bail bonds, as well as, notary services, jail pickup and drop off, inmate searches, and more! Call 317-919-2489 to get out of jail in Hamilton County, IN today.

3 Qualities to Look for in a Reliable Bail Bond Company

When you have the responsibility of getting a friend or loved one out of jail after they have been arrested, it is important to find the right resource for the job. In almost all cases, using a bail bond is the fastest, easiest, and most secure method to obtaining a person’s release from jail in local counties.

Since bail bond services are very common, you are likely to find a handfuls of companies offering bail bonds, but beware! Not all bail bondsmen are reliable or even licensed! There are certain qualities you must look for in a bail bond company to weed out all the unreliable businesses. When starting out your search, be sure to look for these top three qualities in a bail bond company before using their services to get a friend or loved one out of jail.

Experience

Extensive experience is a must when choosing a reliable bail bond company. Experience shows that a company is well-established and not a fly-by-the-night business. It also shows that they are trained and well-versed in everything there is to know within the industry. On top of longevity and knowledge, experience often gives local bail bond companies an advantage because they have long-standing relationships with the local jails and courthouses. This can aid in the speediness of a person’s release from incarceration. A well-established and respectable company should have at least ten years’ experience in the same county.

Licensing

Never use a bail bondsman or company that cannot show proof of licensing. There are crooks out there that will promise bail bond services, take your money, and never be heard of again. Also, licensing is important in order to run a legitimate bail bond business. Without proper licensing, it is not legal for bail bond companies to do business.

Customer Services

On top of bail bonds, a reliable company will offer a variety of customer services and conveniences. Services such as notary services, various bond services, emergency bail bonds, and more are a good start; while customer conveniences could include services like free jail pickup and drop-off services, complimentary inmate lookup, free jail address information, 24 hour service, and more. These extras are a great indication that a company is serious and proficient at what they do.

Hamilton County Bail Bond Services

Bail Bonds Boone County Indiana

Bail Bonds Boone County Indiana 317-919-2489

Call Uptown Bail Bonds at 317-919-2489 to get out of jail in Hamilton County, Indiana. We offer a wide variety of bail bond services, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! We are licensed and insured Indianapolis bail bondsmen with decades of experience in the indemnity industry. Call 317-919-2489 for superior Hamilton County bail bond services you can trust!

When is Bail Denied?

Most often, anyone arrested will be granted the opportunity to obtain a bail bond to get out of jail and await their court hearing at home. However, there are circumstances in which a judge might deny someone this privilege. We all would want to get ourselves or a loved one out of jail as fast as possible, and the best way to do so is to use a local bail bond agency. But if a judge denies bail, there is no use in calling a bail bondsman. Continue reading to learn some examples of when a defendant might be denied bail after being arrested for a suspected crime.

Too Many FTA’s

A defendant is almost guaranteed to have their bail rights revoked if they have a history of failing to appear for their scheduled court hearings. If a person is arrested, and then released on bond, they are granted this right under the condition that they appear for all relevant court hearings. If someone intentionally fails to show up for court, the judge will immediately issue an arrest warrant for the defendant to be detained and kept in custody once again. But this time, they will not be able to afford the cost of their bail because the judge will set it so high, or they will be denied bail altogether.

Probation and Parole

If a person is recently released from a long stint in prison, they are almost always on parole. This means they have a strict set of rules and guidelines to follow that regular law-abiding citizens do not. For example, they cannot leave the country, commit any other type of crime, or violate their parole (failing drug tests, skipping parole officer meetings, not completing community services, etc.) for a certain time period following their release. This can be anywhere from two to ten years, or more depending on the criminal history and circumstances. For those who have been arrested, released, and charged with a crime might be put on probation, which rules and regulations vary depending on the individual person and crime. Whether parole or probation, if a person is on one of these and violates in anyway, they are most likely going to be denied bail.

Illegal Immigrants

If a non-citizen of the country is arrested, they are not likely to be granted bail privileges, especially if their crime is something other than being an illegal citizen. Instead, they are likely to face deportation, extradition, or jail time in our country.

Capital Crimes

Capital crimes are so serious that most people charged with one might face the death penalty. In these cases, there is no bail allowed. Not only are they considered a danger to society, they are more prone to fleeing the country to evade capital punishment.

Murello’s Uptown Bail Bonds

Call Uptown Bail Bonds at 317-919-2489 to get out of jail in Hamilton County, Indiana. We are licensed and experienced bail bondsmen that offer a wide range of bail bond services, like probation violation bonds, immigration bonds, felony bonds, federal bonds, state bonding, and more. For a fast and speedy release from jail, call 317-919-2489 and speak with a professional Hamilton County bail bondman today.