There a several reasons to use a bondsman even if you can post all of the cash.
- Bondsmen are familiar with navigating the court system and can provide valuable information along the course of your cases.
- Bondsman mitigate (reduce) the risk that you will lose the entire bond amount if there is a problem. There are procedures that must be followed in the forfeiture of a bond that is posted by a professional surety; whereas, if you post the cash yourself it is considerably more difficult to remedy a forfeiture and you most likely will need to hire an attorney to accomplish that.
- A considerable amount of your money may be tied up for an extended amount of time. A criminal case typically lasts 6-9 months and can last much longer in some cases.
- If problems arise with the stability of the defendant a bondsman may return them to custody and relieve you of liability; this is not possible, or at best very difficult if you post the cash yourself.
- In short, when you utilize the services of a professional bondsman you are getting just that, a service. A good bondsman should be providing much more than just the financial means to secure a loved one’s release.