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Archive for the ‘Bail Bond Tips’ Category

The Internet and Bail Bonds

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

Online Bail Bonds The internet has changed nearly every industry in the world. We’re now reliant on computers in most industries, and the same is true with bail bonds. The great thing about the internet and bail bonds is that the internet has been able to increase the scope of some bail bond agencies.  It has given them a chance to offer their services in a wider area and also attract more customers. The internet has also revolutionized the way the bail bonds industry sees customer service. Whereas a number of years ago most agencies could get away with the odd customer complaint because there was no way for that customer to reach lots of people, every customer is now incredibly valuable to a bail bond agency’s reputation. If there is just one bad review on the internet, that review is soon syndicated to a number of different websites and can ruin a whole business if it becomes prominent.

This is why the bail bonds industry is now so heavily focused on making sure that the customers are happy. Any agency or bondsman that wasn’t offering a good service has been driven out of the industry, and any newcomers hoping to make a quick buck don’t stand a chance. The industry is now far more efficient and offers people are much more reliable level of service.

As in every industry, that doesn’t necessarily mean that there aren’t still people trying to take advantage of you. The internet has definitely allowed “scammers” to reach more people, so you still have to be weary about who you do business with, but it’s not a major issue in the bail bonds industry. It’s always amazing that some people are so negative about our industry, when in actuality it’s one of the most scam-free industries around.  All bail bond agencies are stickily regulated by the Department of Insurance in most states.

You can find dozens of agencies to choose from with the click of a button, and that has meant a great deal of extra competition. This means better customer service, and more experienced companies to deal with. It’s no longer the case that an agency can just throw up a website and get business.  They have to work hard to create a good website and build their reputation online, which means better quality of information for the customer.

The industry used to be quite asymmetric, with most of the information in the hands of the bondsman. This meant they had an unfair advantage over their customers, but that has all changed now. These days, someone can find a great deal about the bail bonds industry and the process in a matter of minutes.  Customers  have more information available to them when they talk to an agency.

The use of the internet has also made bail bond agencies more efficient. Large teams of people can now work with each other at breakneck speed.  This is great for customers on the receiving end. Overall, the internet has been a huge help to the industry, and it’s hard to see why anyone would be negative about the impact it has had.

How to Get to Court on Time

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

It might seem a little silly to give advice on how to get to court on time, but enough people miss their court dates that it seems sometimes necessary to do so. Remember that getting to court on time is unlike any other appointment that you have. If you miss your court date, you’re looking at serious legal consequences. If you happen to be out of jail on a bail bond, the consequences are going to be complicated by the fact that you will have a serious issue with the company that issued your bail bond if you fail to appear. Here are some tips.

Plan to Be Early

There’s an old saying that to be on time is to be early. Do not plan to make it to court 10 or 15 minutes before you are to appear before the judge. Be there an hour early. This might seem like an inconvenience but, in reality, there are times when the court is isn’t quite as busy and where you might actually be able to get out earlier if you show up earlier, simply because of a light day at the court.  The larger jails, such as Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, take longer to get to your assigned court room.

Call Ahead and Learn the Security

Everybody is well aware of the fact that you can’t bring weaponry into court. There are some other items, however, that may be banned. You should figure out what these are well in advance of your court date. The reason for doing so is that, for example, if you took the bus to court and you happened to have a cell phone on you, you might not be able to bring that into the courthouse and you might not have anywhere to store it. The guards are not going to take responsibility for it for you.

By knowing what you have to bring and what you cannot bring, you can avoid any delays that may actually make you late for your appearance before the judge.

Have Your Paperwork

If there is any paperwork that you need to bring to court, lay it all out on the table the night before and make sure it’s all there. You don’t need to be scrambling for documents when you’re trying to get to court on time.

Multiple Rides

If you don’t have a vehicle of your own, arrange for a ride. If you don’t have any friends who are reliable, set aside the money to take a cab to court so that you can be sure to be there on time.

How Long Does it Take to Post Bail

Tuesday, September 17th, 2013
Bail Bonds Jacksonville

Ryan Wells -
Lic #: P105790

When you’re working with a bail bondsman, remember that they cannot speed up the legal system. They’ll be ready to go—provided you have the right paperwork and information for them—once the defendant is eligible to be bailed, but you’ll have to remember that there are some circumstances that can make this take a long time. Here are some things to consider.

Jail Occupancy

If the person you’re trying to bail out happened to be arrested when the jail is very busy, it may take a long time before they’re even booked. People do tend to disappear into a sort of limbo for a while when they’re being processed, so it may take three or four hours before you have all the information you need to bail them out. Be patient about this. The jail will usually be fairly accurate when they give you an estimate of how long it will be, so you don’t need to call them every 10 minutes and make everything take even longer.

Busy Nights at the Bond Office

There are busy nights at bail bondsman offices, as well. There may have been some sort of an incident that resulted in a lot of people being arrested—a protest, for example—and there may be a lot of people who are having their bail bonds processed at the same time that you’re trying to get someone out of jail. The bail bonds companies are usually very fast at processing, however, and they’ll be able to offer that speed day or night, so this isn’t usually the problem.

Other Circumstances

If you’re bailing someone out that you thought you knew very well, keep in mind that there may be circumstances that you’re not aware of. For instance, that person may have a lengthy record and that may mean that it could take some time to process them. They may not be eligible for bail at all if they’ve committed a serious crime or have a lot of past instances of committing crimes.

Posting bail can take several hours.  The Tallahassee, Gainesville, Stuart, and Fort Myers bail bond process have been the quickest.  It also may turn out that it costs a lot more than you thought, if the person arrested has a checkered past. If either is the case, talk to the bail bonds company about what you can get done while you’re waiting. There is a lot of paperwork involved, and getting that done as soon as possible will speed up the entire affair.

Immigration Bonds May Help Family Members

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013
Immigration Bonds

Joe Brennan
Immigration Specialist

If you have a family member that has ended up with an immigration problem, you may be able to help them with a bond. Immigration bonds are bonds that allow the individual to get out of jail under certain circumstances. Whether or not one of these bonds can be used will be dependent upon the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, but getting a bond for someone who has been thrown in jail may be a viable option.

Options

Getting a disposition of the authorities, someone who is an illegal immigrant and who has been arrested may have a couple of different options. The first would be a delivery bond. This is a bond that allows the immigrant in question to get out of jail, pending their immigration hearings. This functions in much the same way as bail would function for a citizen, allowing the person to be out of jail, to take care of everything they need to take care of regarding their case and to remain free, as long as they show up for their hearings as required.

A voluntary departure bond may also be an option. This involves paying Immigration and Customs Enforcement the full cash price of the bond. This amount is refundable, contingent upon the person actually leaving the country and will only be refunded when that person has been established to have left the nation.

As is the case with any other type of bond, violating the conditions of these types of bonds means that the person will be re-arrested. The idea behind these bonds is to allow the person to get their legal matters in line so that they can attend their immigration hearings fully prepared for the situation or, if the illegal immigrant would prefer, simply to leave the nation and to leave the whole mess behind them, as well.

Bondsmen

Bail bondsman may provide these types of bonds in a form called a surety bond. Under these agreements, the illegal immigrant need not come up with the entire amount required for the bond, but can oftentimes get the bond for 15% of the total amount required. In some cases, the fee required may be as high as 20% of the total amount required for the bond, but bail bondsman oftentimes take collateral if the family cannot come up with that full amount.  Our Jacksonville bail bonds office has all the required items needed to complete your immigration bond,

If a loved one with an immigration problem ends up in jail, immigration bonds may be the best options.