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The Job of the Bounty Hunter
In the minds of most Americans, the words “bounty hunter” would conjure up an image of a cowboy from the Wild West whose single-minded focus lay on bringing back a bond skip “dead or alive”. Although “alive” is more relevant in today’s context and modern bounty hunters are trained and licensed professionals, their job profile remains essentially the same – that of capturing fugitives for a monetary reward or, if you prefer a more adventurous word, a bounty.
To understand the bounty hunter’s task in greater detail, it is necessary to understand the work of his principal, the bail bondsman. A bail bondsman writes bail bonds, legal documents that guarantee the court that the defendant will appear in court on the day of his trial to face his charge. Hence, if the defendant fails to show up for his trial (that is, turns into a “skip”), the bail bondsman is liable to pay the amount of the bail bond to the court from his own buildup fund, a fund built up by retaining part of his commission. Besides, his credibility suffers in the eyes of the underwriter as well as of the court. To avoid this, the bail bondsman often employs the services of a bounty hunter, an agent who is responsible for tracing the skip and bringing him to the bail bondsman.
Regardless of whether they are Orange County bail Bonds or Los Angeles bail bonds, a bail bondsman needs street-smart, reliable bounty hunters. Needless to say, the business attracts hordes of tough, television-watching aspirants who promise to trace and deliver a skip from any corner of the world. In truth, only a limited number of professionals with exceptional tracing skills and years of experience genuinely have the ability to perform a bounty hunter’s service with great accuracy and within the confines of the law.
Since at the time of signing the bail bond, the defendant signs away many of his rights, it gives the bounty hunter the authority to track, seize and even imprison the skip, if the need arises, anywhere across the United States of America. He is legally allowed to break and enter the skip’s house house, if needed, and may even perform the arrest of a skip on the Sabbath. The task of the bounty hunter can be likened to that of a dauntless sheriff striving to capture and subdue an escaping prisoner.
Coming to the bounty itself, it is usually in proportion to the amount of the bail bond and the difficulty and complexity involved in tracing the skip. Small bail bonds usually mean relatively diminutive bounty. However, a $50,000 bail bond can bring as much as $10,000 as finder fees for the bounty hunter. Only the most established bounty hunters would be in a position to demand a retainer fee from their principals; most bounties are paid only after the skip is found, arrested and presented in front of the bail bondsman.
Although it seems like a scene straight from America’s popular cowboy movies, the job of a bounty hunter is not as romantic in real life. Along with the chance to ride off victorious into the sunset, a lot of figurative sweat, blood and grime – great deduction skills, unglamorous days spent in following leads and performing frustrating searches and years of experience go before our hero may rightfully call even a single bounty his own. This Wild West fantasy of bounty hunting has been transformed into a tangible, legal business and bounty hunters form an integral part of America’s justice system.
About the Author
Acme Bail Bonds Online bail bond services located in Southern and Northern California. Call 800-884-1222 if you need immediate help or need information about bail bonds. At Acme Bail Bonds, we make bail simple.
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