Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • A monetary guarantee for the court that a defendant will return to each and every scheduled court hearing while their case is pending.

  • There are three release options available:

    Cash Bond: To be released on cash bail, someone must post the total amount of the bail in cash with the court (cash bond is paid at the El Paso County Jail). The purpose of this is to secure his or her return to court on an appointed date and thereafter until the case is concluded. If the defendant shows up for his/her scheduled court appearances, the cash is returned to him/her, minus any court fees and fines. If s/he fails to appear, the cash bond is forfeited to the court.

    Surety Bond:     An alternative to cash bail is the posting of a surety bond (Bail Bond). This process involves a contractual undertaking guaranteed by an admitted insurance company having adequate assets to satisfy the face value of the bond. The co-signer guarantees to the court that they will pay the bond forfeiture if a defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court appearances.

    Personal Recognizance Bond (P.R.): Another method of release pending trial is through a county or law enforcement administered pre-trial release program. Usually, the staff members of these programs interview individuals in custody and make recommendations to the court regarding release of these individuals on their own recognizance (i.e., without any financial security to insure the defendant’s return).

  • > Ten percent of the bail amount on bonds above $1,500.00. Bonds below that amount are a flat fee of $150.00.

    > Warrant removals are $75.00 per traffic citation. Fee is $50.00 if arrangements are made before the Defendant is place under arrest.

  • A "premium" is the amount paid to a Bail Bonds company for the many services and financial risks assumed by the Bail Bonds Company, on behalf of the defendant. The amount of this premium is usually 10% of the amount of the bail. This is similar to payment of any premium for an insurance policy.

  • Every case is different. Sometimes a cosigner is sufficient. Many bails are of such a high amount it only makes sense that Collateral is needed.

  • Anything which you own and has significant financial value is good collateral. A house on which you pay a mortgage is considered good collateral up to the difference between its value and the amount you still owe on the mortgage. Note that except for a house, items which you have bought on credit and are making payments are not usually collateral unless you hold the title (a.k.a. pink slip). e.g. A car on which you have a loan in which the lender holds the title and you make payments is not collateral because lender has a lien on the vehicle. You may keep possession of major collateral items (e.g. House, Boat, Cars, Motor Homes) as long as the Bail Agent holds the title (a.k.a. pink slip). These items are normally valued at their current resale value, not what you originally paid for them. Personal items of high value (e.g. jewelry, fire arms, computers, cameras, stereos) cannot be used as collateral.

  • Upon completion of the court case. This happens when:
    > The charges are dropped.
    > The person is found innocent at trial.
    > The person is sentenced at trial.

    Of course, the collateral will only be returned if there is no outstanding balance due on the Premium. The Bail Bond Agent has a fiduciary (formal legal) responsibility to safeguard all collateral held in their possession.

    Collateral will be returned within 30 (thirty) days of receipt of proper disposition of all cases on file.

  • We have a sterling reputation with both our past clients and the state. We handle all of the above situations in a professional, courteous, and expedient manner. We work our best to find a way for you to be financially able to handle such an un-planned situation as needing bail usually is. We will spend the time to help you figure out collateral to fit the needs of the bond. If something happens and the person you are sure of in the beginning does not follow through and go to court, we have network of agents nation-wide that assures a quick apprehension in almost all cases.

  • The paperwork takes approximately 15 minutes. The release time after the jail receives our paperwork is generally four to six hours. Generally speaking, the busier the holding facility, the longer it takes.


  • > The Bail Agency normally calls 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 Bail Bond Recovery Agents (a.k.a. Bounty Hunters) 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 to the police or court as soon as possible. Normally, if the fugitive is returned before actual bond payment due date to the state, you can usually get your Collateral back. Also, judges tend to get more irritated the longer a fugitive stays at large.

    > If the fugitive does not surrender and cannot be found by the forfeiture date, the Bail Agency pays the entire bond amount to the court and proceeds with legal action to seize and liquidate your Collateral. By law, the Bail Agency is required to refund any value received in excess of the Bail amount, minus costs, following liquidation.

    > Because 1 Stop Bail Bonds has very experienced Bail Agents and Bail Bond Recovery Agents we have one of the best appearance rates in the industry. As a cosigner, you will be glad that we are good at what we do.

  • A forfeiture occurs if a defendant fails to appear in court as scheduled. In this event, the Co-signer is billed the full amount of the bond, court costs, and any other recovery fees

  • A bond is “exonerated” when the defendant appears in court as scheduled and the case comes to a close. This means that neither the people who supplied a signature or Collateral or the Bail Bonds company have any further financial obligation to the court in reference to the defendant’s case.

  • Our nationwide coverage can assist with all bail-related matters.

  • Yes, however, if there is any type of refund, it will be given back to the cosigner.

  • No, that money is non-refundable upon release from the bond we posted. However, if we are unable to post the bond under certain circumstances, we are able to issue the refund.

  • No, but the defendant will have 48 hours from the time of release to report back to 1 Stop bail Bonds. The co-signer does not need to come in.

  • >Defendants can go back to work, school, home, family, and continue with usual daily life.

    >Permits the unhampered preparation of a defense.

    >Serves to prevent the infliction of punishment prior to conviction.