Who Are Bail Agents?
How Does the Client Benefit From Bail?
When a client selects and hires a bail professional, that client is hiring an individual who is licensed by the State of Mississippi to perform specific duties within the criminal justice system. Education is required before anyone may work in the bail profession, and the state requires licensees to complete additional education every year to maintain their licenses.
Bail is about much more than being released from jail while a case is pending. We are financially connected to the case. If we do not do the job and the defendant fails to appear in court, we forfeit the full-face value of the bond. That financial responsibility gives us a direct interest in helping the defendant understand and fulfill every court obligation.
The client benefits from having a bail agent in many ways. We know the courts, their locations, their policies, and what each court expects from a defendant. We can explain how the defendant should dress, whether money will be needed if the defendant is found guilty, and when the family needs to hire an attorney to represent the defendant. If the defendant is running late or fails to appear, we can explain what steps are available to address the situation.
We are a knowledgeable source of important information for both the client and the defendant, and it is worth remembering that those are often two different people. The client is frequently the mother, the wife, or the employer who signed for the bond, and the defendant is the person we are responsible for producing in court. Because we were hired to help the family, the experience is very different from calling a court clerk. Court clerks have specific responsibilities and cannot guide defendants through every concern surrounding their release and court appearances. We have a direct relationship with the client and remain personally involved throughout the process.
Bail agents do not keep bankers’ hours. When clients need us, we are available — nights, weekends, and holidays. Government offices and pretrial agencies operate according to established hours, they are funded by the taxpayer, and their employees will never personally know the defendant or the family. A professional bail agent does, and a professional bail agent pays when the job is not done.
A bail agent is much more than an employee. This is a career that requires a calling of sorts. You must want to help people. You cannot mind the late-night telephone calls or getting out of bed to help another family facing an arrest. We accept responsibility when others are unavailable, and we remain involved long after the defendant walks out of jail.
A professional bail agent is a special type of person — knowledgeable, accessible, financially accountable, and committed to helping clients and defendants successfully navigate the bail and court process.
No one else in this system is willing to sign for that.
Michael D. Morrison
