The History Of Bail Bonds
The system of posting money or property in exchange for temporary release pending a trial dates back to 13th century England. The commercial practice of offering bail bonds arose out of a need to balance the playing field among the rich, middle, and poor classes when individuals were accused of a crime.
Bondsmen will accept a percentage of the bail needed and post the rest for someone who has been charged with a crime and is awaiting trial. In the past, only those who had enough money and property to post as security were lucky enough to secure temporary release pending their trials. Entrepreneurs eventually realized that with enough capital, they could offer this security to the court in a defendant’s name after receiving a percentage of the amount as insurance. There are extra fees involved when using a commercial bond service, which is how the organization profits from this practice.
Bondsmen in the United States have been around since the country’s founding. The laws concerning bail bonds have been changed and refined over the years. These laws have mostly addressed fairness in setting amounts according to the crime that has been charged. Bondsmen have changed some specific practices according to individual state laws, but the basic concept has remained largely the same.
The business of posting bail bonds for individuals who are qualified by the court provides a much-needed service. Those who are financially unable to profer the entire amount of funds set by the court often find this service to be an invaluable one.
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