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Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens after being arrested?

A person who is arrested by law enforcement will be taken to the El Paso County Detention Facility, i.e. “Jail,” for booking. A Magistrate Judge according to the bail schedule of El Paso County determines the amount of bail.

What is a bail bond?

A bail bond is the security required from Amigo Bail Bonds for the release of a defendant from custody. The bail bond serves as the guarantee for a defendant’s appearance in court. If the defendant fails to appear in court at all required hearings, Amigo Bail Bonds is obligated to pay the entire amount of bail set in the defendant’s case. For example, if the defendant’s bail bond is set at $5,000, that Defendant may be released upon Amigo Bail Bonds submitting a Bail Bond to the County of El Paso in the amount of $5,000.00. The cost is dependent on what the courts determine but we are here no matter the price to help you get back to your loved ones.

What is bail and how is it determined?

Typically, a bail amount is set by the local court jurisdiction following the arrest of a defendant. A judge or magistrate normally sets the amount of bail for a particular case according to a county bail schedule and the particulars of a case. Bail is issued by the court to ensure that the defendant appears for all court dates.

How long does it take to be released from jail?

Once a bail agent has been contacted, it usually takes less than an hour for the paperwork to be completed. However, release times vary from jail to jail and state to state. It could take as little as thirty minutes or as long as eight hours to be released from jail. Amigo Bail Bond’s prime location is less than a mile from the El Paso County Jail. With experienced agents on staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve you, we offer our over 30 years of experience. Our fast and expert service will ensure that your loved one will be released as soon as possible. You can be assured that our Amigo Bail Bonds agents will perform in the most efficient, effective, and expedient manner possible.

How much does a bail bond cost? What is a Co-Signor, and what will I need to sign?

Here at Amigo Bail Bonds, we guarantee that our Bail Bond fees are the lowest in El Paso. In each and every Bail Bond, we require the customer who is making arrangements for the friend or loved one to become a Co-Signor. A Co-Signer is required to sign of a promissory note, an indemnity agreement, and in some case a property lien when using cash, motor vehicles, and real estate as security or “Collateral” to guarantee that the Defendant will appear in court.

How can I obtain a bail bond for a loved one?

To post bail, you will need to make arrangements with a bail bond company. Once you have completed all the details of your arrangement, the bail agent will post the bond at the Detention Facility to secure the release of the defendant. Amigo Bail Bonds is open 24 hours and day, 7 days a week. We offer fast, courteous, and confidential service.

Collateral 

Here at Amigo Bail Bonds, Cash Collateral is used to secure or safeguard the entire amount of the Bail Bond, if the Defendant does not appear in court. Types of Cash Collateral accepted here at Amigo Bail Bonds include cash, check, money order or credit card. When using a credit card, we require a 3.5% service fee to cover charges by your credit card company for all transactions.

In accordance with The Texas State Occupations Code, Amigo Bail Bonds is required to return Cash Collateral within 30 days of receiving written evidence demonstrating that the Defendant’s criminal case(s) for which the Cash Collateral was given have been completed.

What is Collateral?

Often times you will be required to pledge collateral to guarantee the defendants appearance in court. Collateral is something used to secure the entire amount of the bond if the defendant does not appear in court. Types of collateral include: houses, land, cars, cash, or credit card deposit to secure all or a portion of the Bail Bond. Please see our more detailed description of “Collateral” at the end of this page.

When do I get my collateral back?

In all cases, collateral is returned to the defendant upon discharge or exoneration of the bail bond. 

Upon completion of the Defendant’s criminal case(s), whether innocent or guilty or if the charges were dropped the court will release the bail bond. At this point is when the Defendant and you should contact us in order to let us know the criminal case(s) are over. If you used collateral to secure the bail bond this is when you get it back.

Does the Defendant need an attorney?

Absolutely!

Here at Amigo Bail Bonds, we strongly urge you to obtain the assistance of an attorney for the Defendant at the earliest possible convenience. Do not underestimate the importance of having an attorney from the earliest point following an arrest. An enormous amount can be done about a case from the very beginning. The initial moments following an arrest can seem like only a few minutes, hours, or days, but they can and likely will be the most important moments of the entire case.

Hiring an attorney and having an attorney with you from the beginning will ease the stress of the Defendant, as well as friends and family. People who are unfamiliar with the process especially can have exaggerated ideas about what is going to happen to their loved ones and can benefit greatly from calm, rational explanations of the reality of the process by an attorney.

Once hired, an attorney will usually be able to speak with the police and court staff in short order and be in a position to obtain reliable information about the nature of the charges, and the status of the accused in “the system”. The attorney can then explain this information and its implications to the accused. If an attorney is hired soon enough in the process, the attorney might even be in a position to stop the police from interrogating the accused or even participate in any line-up.

How long is a bail bond valid?

The bail bond shall be valid until full and final disposition of the Defendant’s criminal case(s).

What happens if the person does not appear in court as promised? 

A warrant is issued for the person’s arrest and the person’s name and identification information will appear in law enforcement databases and bulletins as a fugitive from justice.

In this unlikely event, we at Amigo Bail Bonds make every attempt to contact the Defendant the person’s home, work, and other references to try to find the fugitive and convince them to appear. If these efforts are unsuccessful, the agency may then search and employ apprehension specialists (private investigators) to arrest the fugitive.

From the perspective of someone who guaranteed the appearance by posting collateral, you want to convince the fugitive to surrender himself / herself to the police or court as soon as possible. Normally, if the fugitive is returned before actual remittance to the state, you can avoid liability and get your collateral back.

If the fugitive does not surrender and cannot be found by the forfeiture date, the bail agency remits the entire bond to the court and proceeds with legal action to (seize, if necessary and) liquidate your collateral. By law, the bail agency is required to refund any value received in excess of the bail amount following liquidation.