Welcome to 2nd Chance Bail Bonds

In the state of New Hampshire bail bond agents are allowed to charge 10% of the total bond.  For example if bail is set for cash or surety of $5000 our fee would be 10% or $500.  This is our fee for writing the bond and it is NON REFUNDABLE regardless of whether the defendant appears in court. We will also collect the commissioners fee of $40.  In some cases will we also charge a $50 travel/late night fee at our discretion.  

 Depending on the criminal charges and/or the amount of the bond, Collateral may be charged.   See the page on Collateral 

   So in our example above the charges would be as follows if no collateral is charged:

           Premium (10% Fee)             500.00              Commissioner                           40.00

Total Fee                                540.00   

             We accept payment in cash, debit or credit card.  We do not accept checks.                 

             The Premium charged for a surety bond is regulated by the state of New Hampshire, and the surety company that is actually writing the bond.  Each bail bond company charges pretty much the same Premium in NH, the main difference in total fees charged by a bail bond agency is due to collateral and any misc fees.  

The premium (10% of the bail set) you pay to a bail agency is Non-refundable.  It is the fee for the agent's services for posting the bond and taking the risk that the defendant will appear at all court dates  Once the bond is accepted by the court and the defendant released from custody then the bondsman has completed their part of the contract and the fee earned.  The fee is simply a way for the bail bond agency to be in business.  So it is not refunded.     

            If you paid collateral in the form of cash, vehicle title, real estate deed, stocks, bonds etc. they will be returned to you within 45 days of the bond being exonerated by the court and the notice received by our office.  An exoneration occurs when the charges are dropped, a plea taken, or the defendant is convicted.  The case is considered closed and the bond discharged by the court.       

            If the defendant fails to appear for all court dates or fails to meet all legal obligations until the case is resolved, the collateral held may be used to cover the full amount of the bond or all expenses incurred to retrieve the defendant if they have skipped (left the state or country, to flee from the court).   

If you or a loved one is arrested you can expect certain things to happen.  The following is a general guide to help you through the process.  If you hire a bail agent such as Second Chance we will answer all your questions and help you through the process.    

1.  You or a loved one will be arrested and booked into jail.

2.  The defendant will be given the option to have a bail commissioner called, or to go to court the following weekday morning for bail to be set.  If the commissioner is called a fee of $40 will be charged and added to the amount of bail owed.  

3.  Once bail is set you have some options.  If bail is set for Cash only then the full amount of bail must be paid to the court in cash.  If bail is set as Cash or Surety then you may still pay the full amount of bail to the court in cash.  But if this is not financially possible for what ever reason a bail bond agent can be called. 

 4   If a bail agent is called, we will need the following information:               

                 Full Name of the Defendant                                                                Criminal charges filed                          

Bail amount                                                

      Where the defendant is being held    

 If collateral is needed then further information will be taken                 

The name of the person that will be co-signing the bond as the Indemnitor              

5.  The bail agent will call the jail and verify the information on charges and amount of bail set.               

6.  An appointment will be made with the jail for the bail agent and the Indemnitor to meet.       

 7.  Once at the jail the Indemnitor will fill out paperwork that is provided by the bail agent.  This takes about 30 mins.               

8.  The Premium and Collateral (if necessary) are collected at this time.                

9.  The bail agent will then have the defendant fill out paperwork, and the bail commissioner will be called.              

10.Once all the paperwork is filled out and fees collected the bond will be written.               

11.The Defendant will then be released.  The whole process can take about 2 hours at the jail.             12.Once the court case is completed and the bond has been discharged the collateral (if collected) returned the contract between all parties is fulfilled. .

If you have never had to bail someone out of jail, you may not know what a bail bond is and how the bail process works.  Keep reading to learn how they work. 

In the state of New Hampshire once you are arrested and processed into the system you will have bail set either by a judge or the bail commissioner.               

There are 3 basic types of bail and we can help you with one of them.   

Cash bail- means exactly that.  The full bail amount set must be paid in cash.  This type of bail is paid to the court and is refundable once the court case is completed.

Released on own recognizance-this means you are released with just your promise to appear before the court on the appointed dates and time.

Cash or Surety Bond- this is the type of bail that we can help you with.  A bail amount is set by the bail commissioner or the judge for example $5000 cash or Surety.  A bail bond agent (such as our company) will write out a bond for the full $5000 guaranteeing that the defendant will appear in court on the appointed days and times until the case is closed.  It is an insurance policy of sorts.

  The fees for our service is are outlined on the fees page. 

              A bail bond agent, or bondsman, is any person or corporation which will act as a surety and pledge money or property as bail for the appearance of a criminal defendant in court.  Although banks, insurance companies and other similar institutions are usually the sureties on the other types of contracts (for example, to bond a contractor who is under a contractual obligation to pay for the completion of a construction project) such entities are reluctant to put their depositors' or policyholders' funds at the kind of risk involved in posting a bail bond.  Bail bond agents, on the other hand, are usually in the business to cater to criminal defendants, often securing their customers' release in just a few hours.               

              Bail bond agents are almost exclusively found in the United States and its former commonwealth, the Philippines. In most other countries bail is usually more modest and the practice of bounty hunting is illegal.                 

              2nd Chance Bail Bonds provides surety bonds.  Surety Bonds are when a third party (Indemnitor) agrees to be responsible for the debt or obligation of the defendant.  In the state of New Hampshire this service is provided commercially by a bail bondsman, where the agent will receive 10% of the bail amount up front and will keep that amount regardless of whether the defendant appears in court.  This is also known as surety on the bond.  The bail agent guarantees to the court that they will pay the forfeited bond if a defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court appearances, so the Indemnitor must have adequate assets to satisfy the face value of the bond.  In turn, the Bond Agency charges a premium for this service and usually requires collateral from a guarantor.  The bail agent then post a bond for the amount of the bail, to guarantee the arrestee's return to court.

The bail agent guarantees ( with a surety bond in the total amount of the bail set) to the court that they will pay the forfeited bond if the defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court  appearances, so a third party (the indemnitor) that has adequate assets to satisfy the face value of the bond co-signs for the defendant.  
              An indemnitor is usually a parent, sibling, spouse or close friend of a defendant.  The indemnitor is a co-signer for the face value of the bond guaranteeing that the defendant will appear before the court for all scheduled appearances, and comply with all legal obligations until the case is resolved.  This could take a couple of days or 2 years or more.  You will remain responsible for the face value of the bond until a judge exonerates the bond.  You do not have the power to revoke the bond.  If you no longer wish to be an indemnitor you must bring the case before the judge and show just cause. This is rarely granted.               
  Therefore it is important that much thought be done before agreeing to becoming an indemnitor.  The bail bond agent will give you paperwork to read and sign.  It is a legal binding document.  In some cases collateral must be posted in addition to the premium charged.  This could be in the form of cash, vehicle titles, stocks, bonds, retirement funds or deeds to real estate.  If the defendant does not fulfill their obligation to the court these funds can be forfeited.                 
  So you've thought about it and have decided to become an Indemnitor, now what?  You will be required to fill out information about your financial assets, and other personal information.  You will sign a promissory note.  The paperwork takes about 30 mins or so to fill out.  Sometimes longer if collateral is required.  Your bail bond agent will take you though the process step by step.  Your loved one will then be released into your custody.                
Now the waiting begins.  Please stay in contact with the defendant and remind them of upcoming court dates.  If the defendant misses a court date contact your bail agent immediately, so your options can be discussed.  

When are you no longer liable for the bond? When a judge exonerates the bond this occurs when the charges are dropped, a plea taken, or the defendant convicted.  The court will send us a form telling us that the bond has been discharged.  If you have given us collateral then it is returned to you promptly at that time.

 What happens if a defendant misses their court date? If the defendant misses their court date an electronic bench warrant (EBW) is issued for the defendants arrest.  Their name is then entered into a nation wide data base (NCIC) as a fugitive.  The defendant's bond is revoked and the bail agent is then liable for the face value of the bond.  A bounty hunter may be necessary and this will cause the indemnitor to incur further costs or lose their collateral.  So it is very important to contact your bail agent as soon as possible before these costs are incurred and assist the bail agent in everyway possible so you are not held responsible for the full face value of the bond.     

 Can you still be an indemnitor if you don't live in NH? It is possible to still be an indemnitor if you don't live in New Hampshire or can't meet a bail agent at the jail.  Just print out the Indemnitor Application and agreement forms (4 Pages), the plain talk contract, and the Privacy Notice.  These documents can be found at the top right of this page.  Fill out all the information on the forms and email or fax  them back.   

Collateral is some property or cash placed within the bondsman's legal control, which may be sold in the event the defendant does not show for the next court proceeding.  The bondsman can then sell the property to cover the amount paid to post the bail.  Essentially, collateral is a way of insuring the defendant will go back to court and complete his/her obligation to the court.                                Each bail bond company have guidelines for charging collateral set by their surety company and personal experience.  Some of the determining factors regarding collateral are as follows:               

The amount of the bond.  If the judge or bail commissioner sets a high bail, that increases the risk to the bail agent and collateral is usually charged. The higher the bail set the more collateral needed.    

What are the charges?  The more severe the crime, the higher the bail will be.  In some cases a bail bond company might be reluctant to put up a bond for certain types of criminal charges.       

The character of the person arrested is also taken into consideration.  Do they have ties to the community? Do they have a job? Do they have a prior criminal record, and history of making all court appearances?  Are they a resident of New Hampshire and the United States?  

            All of these factors are considered before making the decision to charge collateral.  Once it is decided to charge collateral the amount is set according to the amount of bail.                                What do we accept as collate?  

Cash  

Credit card  

Titles to a vehicle  

Deed to real estate  

Stocks or bonds  

401K or retirement funds