Title: Bail Bonds and Bounty Hunters | Nolo
Headings: Bail Bonds and Bounty Hunters
Bail Bonds and Bounty Hunters
Bail bond agents and the bounty hunters they hire are motivated to get bail jumpers back to court.
Free Case Evaluation
"In Nolo you can trust."
— The New York Times
Bail Bond Business
Protecting the Investment
Hunting for Bounty
Bounty hunter regulation
Holding hunters accountable
Get Legal Help

Content: Also see Does anyone regulate bail bond companies?) Bail bond agents are effectively investing in their clients. For example, if a defendant's bail is $10,000, the agent may charge the defendant a nonrefundable fee of $1,000 to post a bail bond in the amount of $10,000 with the court. If the defendant fails to appear for court, the bondsperson is potentially out $9,000 ($10,000 paid to the court minus the $1,000 received from the defendant). Protecting the Investment
Because they stand to lose so much, bail bond agents typically have the authority under state law to authorize what amounts to the arrest of clients who skip bond. To avoid forfeiture of the bond to the state, the bond agent may hire a bounty hunter to find the fugitive and return him to the government within an amount of time that's been set by statute. Hunting for Bounty
Bounty hunters are people who have the authority of bond agents to arrest delinquent clients and deliver them to the appropriate authorities. They are usually paid a percentage of the bond amount. But they get paid only if they apprehend and return the fugitives. It's no surprise that they're so motivated—and often effective—at getting defendants back to court.