Question 1

What forms of payment do you accept?

Accepted Answer

David Stern Bail Bonds accepts a variety of convenient and secure  in-person payment options, including cash, credit and debit cards, cashier's checks, money orders, and wire transfers.  We also accept PayPal, Apple Pay, Cash App, Zelle, and Venmo.  You can even split payment between multiple credit or debit cards and your preferred mobile payment app.

Question 2

What are the fees and costs of posting bail for someone?

Accepted Answer

In Florida, the bail bond premium fees are set and regulated by the Florida Department of Financial Services and start at $100 for bonds set under $1,000.  For bonds $1,000 or more, the premium fee is ten percent (10%).  In other words, the bail premium fee is ten percent of each charge, with a minimum of $100 per charge.  Because these fees are state-regulated and non-negotiable, it may be necessary to use a bondsman who offers payment plans or financing options if you are unable to pay for the full premium all at once.

Question 3

Will I have to put down additional money for bond collateral?

Accepted Answer

It depends... The reason a bondsman is willing to put up the full amount of an inmate’s bail while only charging a ten percent fee is because that money is returned to the agent/agency once the defendant’s court case is resolved.  BUT, if the defendant fails to appear in court when he or she is supposed to, then the bond(s) is forfeited, and the bondsman loses his or her money.  Consequently, a bondsman is taking a financial risk and assumes liability for each bond he or she posts for an inmate.

To offset potential financial losses and guarantee the bonds of a defendant, it may be necessary to hold some type of security deposit or collateral.  To ensure that an inmate will appear in court once he or she is no longer in custody, bail agents require that bonds be guaranteed by someone or using real property. Therefore, a bond can be collateralized in a few ways, such as by using a co-signer’s signature, with fine jewelry or watches, and/or with actual monies in addition to the bond premium fee(s).  For bonds greater than $30,000, it may be necessary to put up unencumbered real estate to fully collateralize the bail bond.  Collateral is fully refundable upon completion of the case when the bonds are discharged by the court.

Question 4

How long will it take to be released after bail is posted?

Accepted Answer

Once a bond is posted, it generally takes 8 to 10 hours for the defendant to be released. This delay has nothing to do with the bail agent. It is the procedure which the jail uses to process the release of an inmate.

Question 5

I don't live in South Florida, but someone I know is in jail there. Can I bond them out through your agency?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  As long as you are qualified to take financial responsibility for any bonds posted by David Stern Bail Bonds on the defendant's behalf, then we will work with you to get out your friend or family member being detained locally.  Often, we are able to obtain the necessary signatures from our out-of-town clients through email or verbally using our Bail-by-Phone service.

Question 6

Do I get back my bail money once my case is done?

Accepted Answer

No.  When a bondsman posts a defendant's bail bond at the jail, he/she is essentially putting up the full amount of your bail bond and guaranteeing the Court that you (or your legal representation) will be physically present for all scheduled court appearances for the duration of your case.  Therefore, a bail premium fee(s) that you or your indemnitor pay to get your bond posted is earned and does not get refunded or returned once an inmate is released from jail.  In other words, a bail bond is a unique type of financial transaction like a loan or credit line, and the premium fee paid to the bail bonding agency is like the interest rate on a loan or an annual fee for a credit card.

Question 7

I co-signed on someone's bond several months ago, but now I don't think he/she will go to court. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

This is very serious and could have some very negative financial implications for you, if in fact, the defendant does NOT show up for court as he/she originally promised prior to bonding out.

The first thing you should do is call your bondsman immediately.  He or she will help you determine the gravity of the situation and develop an action plan for picking up the defendant ASAP, which will then absolve you of responsibility for his/her bonds.

Keep in mind that retrieving defendants whether or not they have missed court is a financial expenditure that you as Indemnitor must pay for.  However, the state of Florida regulates these fees as well, and you are well within your rights to request an itemized invoice from your bondsman or bail bond agency for defendant pick-ups.

It's also worthwhile to point out that it is much economical to owe a bondsman $200-$300 for defendant retrieval expenses, then to owe him/her $1000-$3000 (or more!) for a bond forfeiture when the defendant fails to appear for court.

Question 8

What if I don't have the full premium fee amount? Can I make a payment plan with David Stern Bail Bonds.

Accepted Answer

Yes.  Just because you don't have the full premium for your loved one's total bail amount right now doesn't mean that you can't get them out.  Our payment plans are interest-free and there's no credit check required.  Unlike some companies, there is no additional installment fee added to your payment amounts.  If you're got a job and can show proof of employment, then we can work with you.  Get more information by calling David Stern Bail Bonds at (954) 467-2220.

Question 9

I already have a private lawyer handling my legal affairs for me.  Will I still need a bail bondsman?

Accepted Answer

In most cases, the answer is "yes." While an attorney may appear in court for you and file legal documents on your behalf, they do not have the authority to post surety bonds for their clients in many states, including Florida. Technically, your attorney CAN go to the jail and post your full bail amount using cash. However, there's no guarantee that he or she will get back 100% of the deposited monies at the end of your case, which is why 99% of criminal defense lawyers prefer to mitigate the risks of potential financial loss and rely on a bail agent to get their client out of jail once they’ve been arrested or taken into custody.

For what it’s worth, if you DO find a lawyer who’ll both represent you in court and pay to bail you out, you should definitely keep him or her because most members of the Bar won’t…

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