When a loved one has been arrested, a bail bond agent will be your partner in bringing them home to comfortably await their day in court. Before you hire this professional, you should understand precisely what they do. Here’s a closer look at an agent’s role to help the process go more smoothly.

Posting the Surety

Agents either work for an agency or for themselves. In either case, they’re licensed with the government to provide sureties on behalf of defendants in the court system. Once the judge sets the bail amount for the defendant, the agent will post the surety on behalf of the person who has been charged with a crime. This is often necessary because bail tends to be a high dollar amount that most people don’t have on hand.

The agent may ask for some type of collateral to protect them if they lose the bail they posted; this could be a title to a vehicle, jewelry, or something similar of value. Once the bail is posted, the defendant is immediately released and allowed to go home.

The surety serves as an assurance that the defendant will appear in court and will follow all directions given to them by the court, such as wearing an ankle monitor if house arrest has been mandated. For their services and risk taken, the agent can ask for a percentage of the bond as payment. The percentage they are allowed to ask for is regulated by the industry.

Surrendering the Defendant

If the defendant chooses to skip bail and not appear in court when required, the bail amount will be forfeited. If this occurs, the bail bond agent has the authority to track down the defendant and bring them to the court. If they’re unable to locate the defendant, the friend or family member who co-signed for the bond may be responsible for the amount and could have to give up the collateral they provided.

The bail bond agents at Cumberland Bail Bonding are available 24/7 to help you bring your loved one home quickly in Chattanooga, TN. They’ll walk you through the process and take the time to answer all your questions about their affordable bail bonds. See all their locations on their website and call (423) 622-3733 today for a free consultation.