Why Co-Signors Need to Know How Bail Bonds Work in New Hampshire
When it comes to the process of how bail bonds work in New Hampshire, it all starts once a person is arrested for a crime. That person is charged with a crime and is taken into jail for processing into the court system. The processing can take two or three hours depending on a number of factors. However, at the end of the processing is a judge who assigns a court date and the amount of bail needed to release the defendant from jail. It is here that the bail bonds New Hampshire agent comes into play.
When the bail is set by the judge it is this amount of money which is needed to be held by the court for release of the defendant from jail until their trial date. The defendant has to choose between one of three options:
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- Stay in jail until the trial date
- Pay the full amount of bail to the court
- Hire a New Hampshire bail bonds agent
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Since trials may not begin for several weeks, if not months after the initial arrest staying in jail is not an option for most people. Likewise, the amount of bail that is set is often too high for most people to pay. So, it’s little wonder that for many people a bail bonds agent is their only reasonable choice.
The Bail Bonds System in New Hampshire Process
The bail bonds process is governed by the state, so when a defendant hires an agent they must pay a pre-set, non-refundable fee that is a percentage of the total amount of bail to the agent for their services. In return, the bail bonds agent enters into a contract with the court that the defendant will be present for their trial on time. Once the defendant arrives for the trial date, the contract between the court and the bail bond agent is completed.
However, if the defendant does not show up for the trial, the bail bond agent now owes the court the full amount of the bail until the defendant is brought to court. At this point, the agent will generally hire a bounty hunter to find and bring the defendant to the court so that they can receive their bail money back.
New Hampshire Bail Bond Charges & Fees
In New Hampshire, the one-time, non-refundable fee that defendants must pay for the services of a bail bonds agent is 10% of the total amount of the bail. For example, if the bail is set at $3,000, then the defendant must pay $300 to the agent for their services.
If the defendant does not have the 10% fee, then many bail bond agents have a loan service where they can lend the money out while using some form of appropriate collateral to cover the amount. The interest rates are set by the agent where they have some flexibility in what they can charge.
Video: How Bail Bonds Work in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Bail Bonds Information
How does bail bonds work in New Hampshire? The defendant’s bail bond amount is established by the courts or bail commissioner. A defendant or cosignor can hire a licensed New Hampshire bail bondsman to post bail. The New Hampshire bail bond is in effect until the trial is complete.
For more information about how bail bonds work in New Hampshire, please contact the New Hampshire Division of Insurance which oversees the bail bonds New Hampshire agents in the state.