Bail When a person is arrested on probable cause of having committed a criminal offense, he or she is incarcerated and booked into a detention facility.
Misdemeanor Bail is determined by a pre-set bail schedule or magistrate prior to arraignment. A bail agent is contacted, and he or she arranges to post the defendant’s bail, whereupon the defendant is released.
The bail agent charges a premium. If the defendant fails to appear, the court declares the bond forfeited and the bail agent, has the opportunity to recover the absconded defendant, or must pay the forfeiture, which constitutes the full amount of the bond.
Surety Bail Bonds
A private system of bail, free of taxpayers support. Privately licensed bail agents post bonds with the court, guaranteeing a defendant’s appearance. Surety Bonds is the most effective bail system.
Cash Bond
To be released on cash bail, an individual must post with the court the total amount of the bail, in cash, to secure his or her return to court on an appointed date, and thereafter until the case is concluded.
Full cash bonds provide a powerful incentive for defendants to appear at trial. If the defendant shows up for his/her scheduled court appearances, and is found guilty, the cash may be applied to any fines, and costs that are imposed upon the defendant, before any money is returned. If s/he fails to appear, the cash bond is forfeited to the court.
How much will it cost to use a Bail Bondsman?
The standard rate registered with the Idaho Dept. of Insurance is 10%. There is a posting fee of $35 per charge and most jails charge a "sheriffs fee". This fee varies per county but, is generally $10 per charge. Ada County and Canyon County has a $25.00 Jail Fee per Charge:
Example, cost of bond: $1,000 bond, the cost (Premium) is $100 plus $35 plus $10 totaling $145. Premium is Non refundable and Jail fees are Non refundable.
For same bond amount in Ada County (Boise)
or in Canyon County (Caldwell) the cost would be $160.00 Since Canyon County and Ada County Jail fee's are $25.00 per Charge
Bail agents & their job
The job of a bail agent is varied and somewhat complex. The primary responsibility of a bail agent is to coordinate release for the arrested person until their court appearance. This permits the arrested individual to assist more easily in their defense, to return to work, and to continue with daily living. Upon the arrested person's release, the bail agent should explain the full details of the bonding process. This explanation may be required by the licensing agency.
The bail agent should also verify that the charged individual attends the necessary court proceedings. If the arrested individual fails to appear, the bond agent should help locate and return him or her for trial. The bond agent should be present at court, when necessary, to provide information on the bail bond. Bail bond agents should also be familiar with the laws and holding procedures of any property provided for collateral and return said property promptly when the bond is exonerated by court. A bail agent in your area can provide additional details about what his or her job responsibilities involve.