Questions & Answers

AIt may take a few hours to get released after the bail is posted. Some offenses have a mandatory minimum number of hours in jail. Domestic violence charges, for example, require a twelve-hour “cooling off” period. If someone is arrested overnight, the earliest a hearing can be held is 8am. Regardless, you will be stuck waiting several hours even after bail is paid..

ANo. Not if you go through a bondsman. You are paying him a percentage of the total bail to secure your release. You only get your money back if you have put up the entire amount yourself, and then you must wait for bail to be “exonerated.”

Once the bond is exonerated, the bondsman can no longer arrested the individual he bailed out. However, who ever signed as guarantor is still legally liable.

AThe amount is set by Nevada state law. NRS 697.300 says the bail bondsman in Nevada must charge 15% of the total amount for his services. Some bondsmen may agree to reduce the percentage and allow the client to make payments on the balance. On a $10,000 total bail, you owe the bail bond agency $1,500.

However, you will pay more than 15% as there are other fees tacked on by the courts when you bail allow. The same Nevada law allows a bail bondsman to charge for other services including notary fees and travel.

A bondsman can require collateral. Collateral is property that guarantees the bond.

AYes. A bondsman’s commitment to the courts is he will make sure you show up when you’re supposed to. Even if you don’t get a bench warrant or pick up new charges, the bondsman is within their rights to arrest you and take you back to jail.

Bail is a good asset:

It permits arrestees to continue their normal lives before facing the verdict

ANo. Bail is not tax-deductible because it is not a tax. Some people think that a bail is tax deductible because it is paid to the government. Bail is a guarantee that ensures a defendant will show up in court to answer for a crime for which they have been accused.

A bail bond agent requires a down payment for the bail amount. The bail agency then provides the balance of the bond to the court. The defendant is paying the agency to pay for the bail. The agency then gets a full refund of the required amount, but the defendant does not get any of that money back.