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A Bail Bond Can Be Revoked

When someone is arrested they usually seek the services of a bail bondsman agent to get them released from jail. The price you pay for that is typically 10% of the bail amount, and most consider that a small fee in order to get their freedom back and resume normal activities. Once you pay a bondsman and are released from jail, you are free to go anywhere you'd like, when you'd like, and do what you want to do.

But hold on just a minute. There really is no guarantee of total freedom when you are released on bail. You must understand there are "terms of release" set by the court and additional requirements set by the bail agent. If the defendant fails to adhere to these terms, their bail can be revoked and they can return to jail.

This is a very costly mistake, and the defendant stands a chance of losing quite a bit if and when this happens. They could lose their freedom, the bond fee, and even the chance to be released on bail in the future.

Bail Cannot Be Revoked Because You Owe the Bondsman Money
Just because someone may be behind on the money they owe, or have not completed paying for the bail bond to the bond company, is no reason for their bond to be revoked. However, in California the bond company can legally use other means to collect the debt, such as reporting it to the credit bureaus. Bondsmen cannot revoke the bail and send the defendant back to jail.

Having Bail Revoked Can Be Very Costly For the Defendant
If a defendant's bail is revoked, they end up back in jail and the bail money is lost. According to the bail contract, the fee is earned when the defendant is released from jail.

If the bail agreement is violated and the Court or bail agent revokes the bond, the bail bond company is not responsible for refunding the bail fee. If for some reason you go back to jail and need another bail bond, you have to start over with a new contract and another bail bond fee. As you can see, this can get quite expensive.

In some situations, the Court may be hesitant about releasing a defendant on another bond. Therefore, the defendant is put into a terrible situation of still owing the bail bond fee while they sit in jail awaiting trail. Additionally, if the Court does allow another bail, it could be at a much higher fee.

Knowing and fully understanding how the bail bond process works is very beneficial to the defendant and indemnitor. Also, it is very important to understand the "terms of release" by the Court, and of the bail bond contract. Be sure to take the time and speak with your bail agent and ask questions if you don't understand. It will save you time and money in the long run.