Adams, Broomfield, and Weld County Bail Bonds

Getting arrested is confusing, embarrassing, scary, infuriating, inconvenient and expensive. Fortunately in the US we have a bail system that allows the accused to secure their release while awaiting their day in court. In some cases bail may only be a couple of hundred bucks. In other cases however, it may be $50,000 or more, depending on the charge.

In most cases where large amounts of money are involved it’s common for the accused to contact a loved one who, in turn, contacts a bail bondsman for assistance. But how is the amount of the bail determined in the first place? Do the police just pull a number out of thin air? Not exactly. In most cases the amount is predetermined and specified on what’s called a “bail schedule”.

The Constitution prohibits the imposition of unreasonable bail amounts but other than that is silent on the issue. This absence of strict federal guidance has resulted in a situation where bail bonding means different things in different states.

Recently, a growing number of jurisdictions across the country have adopted what are called “bail algorithms” which are touted as a way to ensure everyone pays a fair bail amount, but which have been roundly criticized for their lack of transparency among other things. While they haven’t appeared in Adams County, Broomfield County, Weld County or Denver just yet, their adoption here may not be far off and so it’s an issue worth exploring.

When a loved one has been arrested posting the full bail amount is often not an option. After all, 60 percent of Americans have less than $500 in cash available at any given time. So even if bail is set at a modest $1,000 it may be too much. That’s where the bail bonds agent comes in. For a modest fee the bail agent will post a bond for the full bail amount that will enable your loved one to walk free and resume a normal life while awaiting their day in court.

The majority of people who wind up needing the services of a bondsman are first time offenders who have no experience with the bail process. So they usually have a lot of questions. One of the more common questions people ask is “Can I post bail for myself or my loved one using a credit card?” In a growing number of cases the answer is “yes”. But it’s not always cut and dry and there are some impassioned voices that argue against the use of credit cards, particularly right inside the jail.

The legal system guarantees the presumption of innocence. The bail system in the US reinforces that notion by ensuring that in virtually every case a person arrested on suspicion of a crime has the opportunity enjoy freedom while awaiting their day in court. Recently though, bail bonding has come under fire by pontificators claiming that the system actually punishes the poor, when in fact it does nothing of the kind.

Most folks are under the impression that release on bail or bond means the arrested person is free to go back to their life without restrictions until they are due back in court. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Even though it would seem to undermine the presumption of innocence to put restrictions on the movement and actions of someone who has not been convicted of any crimes, most people released on bail nonetheless find their movements and/or actions restricted. Due to changes instituted by the 1984 Bail Reform Act conditions are not always as restrictive as they used to be, but they are still imposed and the person out on bail will need to adhere to them, or they’re likely to wind back in a cell awaiting their day in court rather than at home with family and friends.

Before a bail bonds agent can help your loved one you will need to provide them with certain information. The bail agent is not a private detective or a mind reader and it is not their job to track down suspects. Their job is to help people obtain their release. In order to do that they need timely, accurate information and you are the one who must supply it. Below, we’ll go over the information a bail agent needs before he can render assistance.

Bounty hunters, or “fugitive recovery agents” as they are often called these days, work for or with bail agents. They are empowered by the bondsman to track down and recover an accused criminal who has violated the terms of their release. Although controversial, they play an important role in safeguarding the public and helping the bail agent avoid being ripped off by those intent on avoiding justice.