Frequently Asked Questions about Bail & Bail Bonds

Most likely you have never had to bail a loved one out of jail. For many this time can be stressful enough there is no need for it to be confusing as well. Therefore, Merino Bail Bonds has compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions in reference to the entire bail bond process. If you have a bail bond question that is not answered our licensed bail agents can provide you with information specific to your case. For immediate answers please call us at 281-812-2663 - 281-812-2663.

How Bail Works
When an individual is arrested, she/he is taken before a judge. That judge decides whether or not to assign bail. No bail is assigned when an individual has skipped out on court appearances in the past, poses a flight risk, or committed a serious crime. In most cases, however, the judge assigns bail which means that the individual can be released until trial after she pays the amount set by the judge. The judge sets the amount based on the crime, age of the individual, how likely the individual is to flee, and whether the individual is a repeat offender.

1. What is bail?
Bail is some form of security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that person appearing at all their required court proceedings.

2. What is a bail bond?
A bail bond, also called a "surety bond", is a bond posted by a Texas state licensed bail bondsman. The bail bondsman guarantees to the court payment of the full amount of the bond if the defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court appearances.

3. What is the difference between a bond amount and a bail bond premium?
The bond amount is the full amount of the bail that was set by the Harris County court. The bail bond premium is the dollar amount owed to Merino bail bonding agency for posting the bond.

4. How much do bail bonds cost?
Bail bond costs vary since each case is unique. Our bail bond agents are available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. Please call 281-812-2663 to find out about your bail bond.

5. Who is an indemnitor?
An indemnitor is an individual, usually a friend or family member of the defendant, who agrees to indemnify Merino Bail Bonds against a loss. The indemnitor co-assumes financial liability to guarantee the full bond amount if there is a bond forfeiture.

6. What is a bail bond forfeiture?
A bail bond forfeiture occurs when the defendant misses their assigned court appearance.

7. What happens if the person I bailed out fails to appear in court?
The Harris County Court will issue a re-arrest warrant for the defendant's arrest. The defendant is now considered a fugitive.

8. What is collateral?
Collateral is something of value placed with your Merino Bail Bonds agent to ensure the defendant's appearance in court. If the defendant fails to appear in court, the collateral posted could be used to pay the remaining amount of the bail. Most bail bond collateral comes in the form of real estate (based on equity), cars, jewelry or cash.

9. Does every bail bond need collateral?
No and Merino Bail Bonds rarely requires collateral on its bail bonds.

10. If I use collateral for a bail bond, when do I get it back?
Collateral will be returned once the bail bond has been exonerated and the defendant has fulfilled all their obligations.

11. How do I Pay for the bail bond?
Merino Bail Bonds offers several payment options, Pay pal online, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Cash and Money Orders.

12. What area does Merino Bail Bond serve?
Merino Bail Bonds primarily serves the Harris County (Houston) area.

13. Who regulates Merino Bail Bonds?
Merino Bail Bonds is regulated by the Harris County Bail Bond Board.

14. How is the bail amount set?
The bail dollar amount is set by a judge who uses a bail schedule which is based off your current offense and the number of prior misdemeanor and felony offenses.

15. What is a surety bond?
A surety bond (also known as a bail bond in simple terms) is a guarantee. A guarantee between three people - the defendant, the courts, and the surety (which is the Houston bondsman). The bail bond guarantees that upon release of the defendant, they guarantee to appear for all of their required court proceedings. If they do not appear at all of their court proceedings, the surety would be responsible for the full amount of the bail.

16. What is a co-signer?
A co-signer is needed on a bail bond when the defendant is in jail. The co-signer usually is a friend or family member who agrees to be financially responsible for the full amount of the bond in the event that the defendant does not appear at all of their required court dates.

17. What are Non-arrest bonds?
Non-arrest bonds are when a person has a warrant out for their arrest and is not currently incarcerated. An example of a non arrest bond could be as simple as getting a speeding ticket and forgetting to go to court. When you miss your court date, you have a warrant issued for failure to appear. A Non Arrest bond would remove that warrant and give you a new courtdate.

17. Can I get arrested for a traffic warrant?
Yes. Many people do not realize that you can get arrested for small traffic violations and for missing your court dates. You also are unable to renew your license due to traffic warrants. Traffic warrants will also show up on your background check, so if you are looking for a new job you should get all Houston traffic warrants cleared up. Traffic warrants are definitely something you want to take care of immediately.

18. What types of bail bonds does Merino Bail Bonds handle?
Merino Bail Bonds is based in Harris County - Houston Texas and handles all types of bonds, both big and small including Harris County Houston felony and misdemeanor bonds, non arrest bonds for traffic, bad check or criminal warrants that are issued by the city of Houston, city of Humble, and Justice of the Peace and surrounding Harris County municipal courts.

Contact us for our 24-hour, fast, mobile bail bond service anywhere in the Greater Houston Area (Alief, Bellaire, Baytown, Crosby, Deer Park, Fort Bend, Friendswood, Galena Park, Harris County, Hedwig Village, Houston, HPD, Humble, Jersey Village, Katy, Klein, La Porte, Lakeview, Memorial Villages, Missouri City, Mont Belview, New Caney, Pasadena, Pearland, Seabrook, South Houston, Spring Branch, Spring TX, Spring Valley, Tomball, Webster, West University)

19. How do I get started?
To start the bail bonds process, you can call Merino Bail Bonds at 281-812-2663 - we are able to do most bonds by phone, face, and even online.

20. What are your payment options?
We accept all forms of payment including cash, credit cards, money orders, checks, and payment plans are available for those who qualify.

21. What makes Merino Houston Bail Bonds different?
Our fast and friendly staff are easy to work with and understand the importance of getting your loved one out fast. We cater to our clients with a mobile bail bonds service, online applications and online payments. We try really hard not to cause more stress than what you have incurred with your current situation. We are available 24 hours a day and our doors are always open for you and your family!

Felony Bond: A felony offense is higher than a misdemeanor offense and are handled by the district courts. Examples of felony offenses are murder, aggravated robbery, arson, burglary, sexual assault, theft, forgery, third conviction DWI and kidnapping. If you are arrested for committing a felony when you see the judge he/she will set a bond amount based off a bail schedule. Once you are given a bail amount you can then have a bondsman write you a bail bond. When you submit the bail bond to the jail the inmate is released.  
 
Misdemeanor Bond: A misdemeanor offense is lower than a felony offense and are handled by the county courts. Examples of misdemeanor cases are assault and battery, vandalism, shoplifting, trespassing, prostitution, disorderly conduct, reckless driving, and first or second drunk driving offenses. If you are arrested for committing a misdemeanor when you see the judge he/she will set a bond amount based off a bail schedule. Once you are given a bail amount you can then have a bondsman write you a bail bond. When you submit the bail bond to the jail the inmate is released.  

If you were to ask someone what does a bail bondman do, that person would probably reply, "they let criminals out of jail." The same could be said of attorneys. However, it is the bondsman who usually gets the bad reputation. The bail bond industry has struggled with this negative image since the industries inception. It doesn't help that the movies have portrayed bail agents and bail bondsmen as sleazy men after your money threatening to get violent when things go wrong. This perception couldn't be further from the truth.

What is a bail bondsman, and what do they do?
A Harris County bail bondsman, also commonly referred to as a bail bond agent, is a individual acting independently who presents a surety bond to the Harris County court which in turn grants the release of a defendant that would otherwise be held in Harris County jail until their appointed trial.

When it comes to bail bond laws they all vary from county to county. The bail bond laws for Houston, Texas are made by the Harris County Bail Bond Board. Harris County Bondman must follow the law as stated in the Texas Occupation Code, Chapter 1704.

Harris County Bondman are able to provide bail bonds services by contractual agreements that are pre-arranged with the Harris County courts in Houston, Texas. Per these agreements, the bail bondsman is permitted to make a "blanket" bond to the court, which is considerably less than the amount of bail originally set. In effect, the bail bondsman is making a guarantee that the defendant will return to the court as required or be held responsible for making restitution to the court for the full amount of the original bail.

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There are several advantages to using a bail bondsmen to get someone out fast from Harris County jail. For one thing bail bondsman know the process and paperwork necessary to get the defendant out as fast as possible. This means that the defendant can usually be released within a few hours of presenting the bond to the court. In addition, using the services of a bail bondsman saves the defendant or his or her family from having to post the entire bail in cash on their own.
Bail bondsman fees are usually a small percentage of the amount of bail set. In most areas this is typically 10 percent. The bail bondsman fees are not returned to the client when the defendant reappears in court.

You do not have to be in jail to use a bail bondsman. Often times you can get a warrant for simply missing your court date on a traffic violations. These type of bonds are called non-arrest bonds. The bail bondsman can post a bail bond for your warrant. Once a bail bond is posted you will receive a new court date for your original traffic violation.

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