Bail bonds, technically called a “surety bond”, is a contractual undertaking guaranteed by a state licensed bail bondsman who is backed by an insurance company. The bail agent guarantees to the court payment of the full amount of the bond if the defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court appearances. For your protection, always deal with licensed bail bond company.
In Ohio, the cost of a bail bond is ten percent of the bail. This rate is set by the state of Ohio Department of Insurance and is non-negotiable. In addition, there are state fees that vary according to charge. Typically, these range between $50 – $100. There are no taxes for a bail bond. By example, if the bail is set at $25,000, then the fee charged is $2500 plus the $50-$100 state fee.
The cost of bail bonds in Ohio is set with the Department of Insurance at ten percent of the total bail amount. We often get the questions from potential clients: “Can you do it for less?”, “Would you take five percent if I pay cash?” Any agent offering bail at less than ten percent in the State of Ohio is simply acting illegally or deceptively (bail bond scam). We will work with you to find the best situation to obtain bail in a legal manner.
No one in Ohio can legally negotiate bail premium. It is set by State statute at 10 percent.
Collateral is something of value that is used to secure a debt or ensure payment. Sometimes, a bail bond company will receive collateral in order to ensure that the defendant appears in court. Most bail bond collateral is in the form of real estate or cash. A bail bond company must return your collateral at the resolution of the case.
No there are other ways to post bond without collateral. We often negotiate no collateral bail bonds. These are called signature bonds. We find that most of our customers are eligible for a signature bond.
When the defendant’s case has been completed and all financial obligations are satisfied, collateral is returned to the individual who pledged it.
Yes, the court will take your property as bail collateral. However, because Property Bonds involve real estate and can be likened to the buying or selling of a home, the process usually takes several weeks. Equity in the property must be exceed the total bond amount.
When you bail someone out of jail, you are called the bail bonds indemnitor. You take full responsibility for the defendant to show up in court when you bail someone out of jail. Most issues with an appearance in court are easily resolved and rarely escalate beyond a simple phone call.
If the “failure-to-appear” in court was a simple mistake, then the bail bond company or an attorney can usually make arrangements for the defendant to return to court. Courts generally understand that people get sick, traffic or car problems arise and other unforeseen circumstances occur. This is most commonly the situation and is easily remedied.
We are a family business and we pride ourselves on our professionalism and we have been in business for nearly ten years. You can know to trust our company by verifying our bail bond license status by contacting the Ohio Department of Insurance.