How Bail Bond Agents and Bail Bond Clerks Compare

If you have been arrested securing your release on bail as soon as possible is of paramount importance. One way to facilitate that process is to understand the players involved and their roles so that you don’t waste time talking to the wrong person about something that’s potentially important. One area where people often get confused is understanding the difference between the bail bond agent and the bail bond clerk. First off, is there a difference? And if there is, what is the difference, and does it really matter as far as your situation is concerned? Those are the questions we’re going to answer, so keep reading.

Bail Bond Agents Vs Bail Bond Clerks

Knowing the titles and responsibilities of the people involved in your potential release from jail is important in order to avoid confusion and save time. Some of the terms you’ll hear after being arrested are interchangeable. For instance, arrest and incarceration both indicate the same thing. Bonding companies and bail bond agencies also refer to the same thing. However, a bail bond agent and a bail bond clerk are two different people with different responsibilities.

After being arrested you may choose to call a bonding bail agency to arrange for a bond. Depending on the agency the person picking up the phone may be a bail agent or a bail clerk. Here is how they differ:

The Bail Agent

The bail agent is often referred to as the "bondsman". The agent is licensed by the state to produce and facilitate bail bond agreements. In many cases, the bail agent is the owner of the bail company, although plenty of agents in Denver County are employees working for and with the company’s owner. The bail agent who takes your case has a license number assigned by the state that is used in all official communications with the court regarding your case.

If, for whatever reason, you fail to appear in court on the appointed date to face the charges against you the bail agent becomes responsible for the full bail amount and will lose the bond they posted. That bail agent will then come after you or your co-signer in order to recoup the lost bond amount. If a car or other asset was used as collateral you can expect the bail agent to force the liquidation of that asset in order to satisfy the debt.

The Bail Clerk

The bail clerk by comparison is any staff member of the bond company that is not licensed by the state to facilitate bail bonds. Bail clerks typically handle the more mundane jobs at the bonding company office such as answering phones, filing paperwork, forwarding messages, and answering questions people have when someone they know has been arrested.

Many bail companies, including Tayler Made Bail Bonds, offer 24-hour bail bonds. The bail clerk is often indispensable when it comes to keeping the bail company office up and running 24 hours a day as the bail agent has to sleep sometime and also needs time to have a personal life.

If you call a bail bond agency in the wee hours of the morning there's a better than even chance you will speak to the bail clerk. They will be able to answer most of your questions but they won't be able to secure a bail bond for you. For that, they will need to contact the bonding agent and have them return to the office to process your bond.

Facilitating the Process for Everyone Involved

People going through the bail experience for the first time often have a million questions regarding the process and the paperwork involved. Rather than spend all their time answering questions the agent will assign a clerk to assist with the paperwork, answer questions and address any concerns. The clerk’s job is to facilitate the bail bonding process for everyone involved by making the client feel at ease and freeing the bail agent from being stuck on the phone all day. If the agent wasn’t able to delegate some responsibilities to their clerks they’d never have time to make court appearances or visit jails to speak with clients.

Does That Mean You’ll Never Talk to an Agent?

The agent is the person who will be arranging your bail bond, ensuring any proposed collateral is valid and making sure the bond is processed in the right way. So there will be times when you will need to speak directly to them. The agent is also the one who will explain your payment options and arrange for monthly payments if that’s how you want to go. Finally, the agent is the one who will have to provide a signature on any court documents related to your bond.

Contact Tayler Made

For affordable bail bonds 24 hours a day contact the team at Tayler Made Bail Bonds. We’ll make sure you are released as quickly and with as little fuss as possible.