Keep Bailing

Having to find a bail bondsman for the assistance of having to bail someone out of jail is not likely to be an every day occurrence for most people.  Some may find it very intimidating and confusing since it is something they have never had to do.  In addition, they do not know what is required of them, except many tend to think that they will automatically need collateral.  This is not always the case; in this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address bail bonds and collateral.

Fact or Fiction:  All Bail Bonds Require Collateral

Fiction: Although some bail bonds companies will require you post something of value (known collateral) to ensure the defendant will appear in court or for a payment plan, other bondsmen provide no collateral bail bonds, which clearly means collateral will not be required. Usually, the need for collateral is based on Read more »

You’ve recently bailed your brother out of jail – does that mean you’re completely done with your responsibilities?   Some people who sign a bail bond contract believe that just because they’ve provided their signature and the defendant has been released, that they no longer have future responsibility beyond making sure the bail bonds agency is paid.

In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address questions relating what it means to be an “indemnitor” for a California bail bond.

Fact or Fiction:  I’m listed as the bail bond indemnitor on my brother’s bond contract. The bail bonds agency was paid in full and he’s been released from jail.  There’s nothing else I need to do, right?

Fiction.  When you sign a contract with a California bail bonds company you assume responsibility beyond just making sure the agency is paid.

When a person is released on bail that does not mean their charge has gone away. Instead, it means they’re Read more »

Paying for Bail Bonds and Financing Options

It’s no great secret that the economic waters continue to be a little rough.   Right now many people are stretching their paychecks just to make ends meet.  This is something that’s hitting people from all across the board, from all walks of life, and from all income brackets and backgrounds.  Having money stashed aside in a “just in case I need to bail someone out of jail-fund” is likely not something you have.

In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address questions regarding California bail bonds payments and financing a bail bond.

Fact or Fiction: You Have To Pay For A Bail Bond Prior To Release From Jail

Fiction:  With many bondsmen, yes, you do need to pay the full bond amount (10% of the total bail) prior to the defendant being release from jail. However, there are California bail bonds companies that offer Read more »

Many people will live their entire lives without being arrested or without being called by a friend or family member who’s asking, “help get me out of jail!”  Bail bonds, to many; are a completely foreign language.  In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address the question as to whether the cost of working with a California bail bonds company can be negotiated.

Fact or Fiction:  You can negotiate with a bail bondsman in the same way you can haggle with a car dealer.

Fiction. Sorry folks, that misconception is just that – a misconception.  Bail bond premiums are set by on a state-by-state basis. In California, that agency is the Department of Insurance.  In the state of California, bail bonds companies charge 10% of a bond’s total premium to provide the service of getting someone out of jail.

Although discounts are granted on Read more »

If you have never needed to secure bail, there are likely a number of points regarding the when, where, and how of bail bonds that remain fuzzy.   If you are actively seeking out the assistance of a California bail bondsman, you might wonder if the money you post to get your friend out of jail will be returned to you at the close of the case.  In this edition of Bail Bonds: Fact or Fiction, we address that question directly.

Fact or Fiction:  You get your money back from the bail bondsman when the case is over.

Fiction.  This misconception goes right to the heart of What Is A Bail Bond or How is Bail Different from Bail Bonds?

Simply put, bail is a security that’s paid to the court which allows a defendant to be released from jail while awaiting his or her trial date.  If a person’s bail has been set at $5,000 and a friend or family member chooses to post that amount in full with the jail or court using cash or cashier’s check, that’s certainly an option.  The court will then hold onto that money and, if a defendant fulfills all their legal and financial obligations pertaining to the case; the money will be returned to the individual who posted it when the case concludes. That process can, however, take several months or even years to resolve.  If the defendant “fails to appear” for any mandated court proceedings, the bail will be considered forfeited, meaning the court keeps the money, and a bench warrant will be issued for his or her immediate arrest.

This brings us to Bail Bonds: If you instead choose Read more »

Pop culture oftentimes depicts bail bondsmen as being tough, rough-and-tumble, tattooed men with long ponytails.  Even now, you’re likely conjuring up a mental image of a big, beefy guy sitting behind a desk, browsing the Internet for tattoo parlors and pool halls. Let’s just say Hollywood isn’t exactly hitting the nail on the head with the hammer.

Fact or Fiction:  Bail bondsmen wear leather, carry guns, and chase down bad guys.

Fiction:   Bail bondsmen are everyday people, who are licensed by the California Department of Insurance and are able to assist a defendant get out of jail before their court date. There are fathers, daughters, wives, sons, and even soccer moms that are bail bondsmen.

They are not Read more »

We just created a diagram of the California Bail Bond Process to help explain the steps involved in getting bailed out of jail. The process shows each stage, from an individual getting arrested and booked, all the way to the defendent getting bailed out:

(Click on the Bail Bond Process image to view at larger size.)

Randy Quaid has officially found himself atop Dog the Bounty Hunter’s “it-list”. Quaid, who is perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, has been on the run with his wife, Evi, since 2010 after they were found squatting in a Santa Barbara home.

The two were charged with felony residential burglary and misdemeanor entering a non-commercial building without consent.  Although the Quaids were released on bail, they fled to Canada in hopes of avoiding further legal action.

Dog’s wife, Beth, has come out guns-a-blazing in a Sept. 19 blog post, warning “we are coming to get you.”

“Every time you hear Read more »

The owner of a Modesto Bail Bonds business, Aleo John Pontillo of AJ’s Bail Bonds, was arrested and charged with suspicion of grand theft, insurance fraud and criminal conspiracy. Mr. Pontillo has a bail set at $2 million dollars.

Also arrested for suspicion of conspiracy to commit grand theft and perjury was Mark David Davis and Janelle Marie Llorens. Llorens was also charged with insurance fraud. It is not clear whether Davis and Llorens were employed by AJ’s Bail Bonds or what their connection might be to Pontillo. In 2008, AJ’s Bail Bond business was the concentration of a federal investigation.

Sergeant Anthony Bejaran, the Stanislaus County Jail sheriff’s spokesman, said Pontillo, Davis and Llorens were arrested without incident and being detained at the Stanislaus County Jail.

The arrests were sparked by a California Department of Insurance (DOI) investigation. The bail industry in California is regulated by the DOI. Dave Althausen, spokesman for the Department, said they couldn’t release any details yet, as they were “still coming in from agents in the field.”

The bail set for Davis was $500,000, and Llorens had a bail of $1 million.

FBI agents and gang task force members served a federal warrant and conducted a search at AJ’s Bail Bonds on December 23, 2008. They also searched the home of Pontillo for paperwork and files. There were no arrests made during this search.

The Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force Read more »

The national network, ExpertBail, named Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds an expert bail bonds company.

Located in Los Angeles, Greg Rynerson Bail Bonds is a family-owned and operated company consisting of licensed bail agents with many years of experience.

ExpertBail is a networking organization that acknowledges the best in this field. They distinguish their selection of bail bondsman by the companies who Read more »