A new law was passed in Bridgeport, Conn. last week requiring bail bondsmen to keep records of bonds and charge 10 percent fee on of the first $5,000 of the bond and 7 percent of the remainder. As of Oct. 1st, the bail bondsman will need to charge 35 percent of those fees down when offering payment plans with full payment to be made within 15 months.
Currently bail bondsmen are undercutting by only charging 1 to 2 percent of a bonds and at times nothing at all. This is because of the stiff competition.
Two cases in the Bridgeport area brought the bail bonds problem out in the open. One man while awaiting trial for a police chase spanning three states and allegedly stabbing and kidnapping his wife. He walked out of jail, held on $1.3 million bond, after giving his bondsman a letter stating he had money he did not have. He immediately killed his wife. Another man was bonded out one night and shot his wife to death the next day.
To make sure bondsmen are following the new laws the state has hired special auditors to review all records of the bonds they have posted. Each bondsman will pay an annual fee of $450 to help pay for the audits..
Currently bail bondsmen are undercutting by only charging 1 to 2 percent of a bonds and at times nothing at all. This is because of the stiff competition.
Two cases in the Bridgeport area brought the bail bonds problem out in the open. One man while awaiting trial for a police chase spanning three states and allegedly stabbing and kidnapping his wife. He walked out of jail, held on $1.3 million bond, after giving his bondsman a letter stating he had money he did not have. He immediately killed his wife. Another man was bonded out one night and shot his wife to death the next day.
To make sure bondsmen are following the new laws the state has hired special auditors to review all records of the bonds they have posted. Each bondsman will pay an annual fee of $450 to help pay for the audits..
