4 Common Myths about Bail
With a large portion of the population never needing to deal with bail, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about bail bonds and how they work. When these myths aren’t addressed, they can cause rifts between bail agents and their clients. In an effort to avoid any of that unnecessary frustration, here are four common myths about bail bonds.
- Bail and bail bonds are the same thing. Even though both terms sound the same, they are distinctly different. Bail is the amount of money owed to get a person released from jail. A bail bond is an agreement between a bail agent and their client in which the bail agent agrees to post the client’s bail in return for the client paying a percentage of the bail amount to them.
- Bail bonds have to be paid in cash.This is a myth that came about due to the confusion between the differences of bail and bail bonds. Bail typically has to be paid in cash, all at once. However, this is not the case for bail bonds. Here at Bail Bonds in Tulare, we accept various types of payments, including cash, checks, credit/debit cards, Western Union money transfer, E-checks, and Wells Fargo business account deposits.
- Bail agents can negotiate the cost of the bail. This is untrue. Bail agents have no control over how much bail will cost and very little control over what the bail bond will cost. The bail amount is determined by the case judge and once they make a decision, that’s that. Bail agents are regulated by the state of California to charge 10% of the full bail price. They are allowed to only charge 8% under special circumstances.
- Bail bond fees will be returned at the end of the trial. This is yet another myth that arose due to the confusion between bail and bail bonds. At the end of a trial, if a person posted bail, that money will be returned to them. If a person used a bail bond, they don’t get their money back because it is payment for the bail agent’s service of posting bail for the client.
There is a bit of confusion surrounding bail and bail bonds, but don’t let that stop you from rescuing a friend or family member from jail. With Bail Bonds in Tulare helping you, you won’t have to worry. Our bail agents will answer all of your questions and help you get your loved one out of jail in no time.