BY | May 2, 2023

Sometimes things go wrong, and mistakes are made, and sometimes those mistakes can have serious consequences, which is exactly the case if you do something illegal, but it’s also the case if you forfeit a bail bond - in both situations, there’s a lot to do to put things right, but the good news is that it’s definitely possible to fix things. You just need to know what to do and make sure you comply with everything that’s asked of you, and that’s certainly something we at Alana’s Bail Bonds can help with. 

If you or a loved one has a bail bond revoked for any reason, understanding the answer to how do I reinstate a bail bond is vital, and the faster it can be done, the better. With that in mind, keep reading to learn more about what you need to do and why, so that if you’re ever in this kind of situation, you can think clearly and calmly and move forward so that you can keep yourself on track as much as possible. 

Understand The Basics Of Bail Bonds 

It’s a good idea to understand the basics of bail bonds before you can have a good insight into how to use them and, of course, how to reinstate them. Although many people have heard of bail and bail bonds, they might not know all the ins and outs, so we’ll take a look at that to begin with, ensuring you have all the information you need to help you take the next steps in the process, whatever that might mean for you. 

When someone is arrested, it might be that they’re granted bail, which means they’ll be released from custody after they’ve paid a certain amount of money (whatever the bail amount is that the court feels is appropriate - that will depend on the crime, how serious it was, and what flight risk the defendant might be seen as). In essence, bail bonds act as a guarantee to the court that the defendant will turn up for their scheduled hearings and that they won’t disappear with a warrant hanging over them. 

A bail bondsman or bail agent is potentially a big part of this process. If you can’t afford to pay the bond that’s set (it could be very high), a bail bondsman can pay it for you for a fee (the fee is usually a percentage of the bail amount). The court gets its guarantee, you get out of jail, and everyone’s in a better position to make a good case. Now you have a better understanding of the bail bonds process, let’s look at how to reinstate a bail bond. 

Contact Your Bail Bondsman 

The first thing to do if you want to answer the question of how do I reinstate a bail bond after one has been revoked is to contact your bail bondsman. As with most things in life, open and honest communication is absolutely vital, and the more you can be truthful about the reasons behind why your bail bond was revoked in the first place, the more help you’ll be able to receive. Don’t hold back and answer all the questions your bail bondsman asks you because they’ll be able to work out what steps to take next and how to help you in the right way - if they don’t have all the information, that’s just not going to be possible. 

As well as the reasons for needing to reinstate a bail bond, you’ll also need to have a lot of important information to hand, including your case number, court dates, and any other useful information relating to the bond - the more you can give your bail bondsman, the easier (and quicker) the process will be. 

Finding a reputable bail bondsman is crucial from the start, and you’ll need to look for a bail bond company with a good reputation, positive reviews, and a track record of good work and reliability. A trustworthy bondsman can help in so many ways, so it’s worth taking at least a little time (bearing in mind that things will be time-sensitive at this point) to assess who’s going to help you the most. 

Determine The Reason For Bond Forfeiture

Before you can learn how do I reinstate a bail bond, you need to know why it was revoked in the first place. Essentially, a bail bond will be revoked if a defendant doesn’t turn up to a court hearing when they’re meant to. However, there could be many different reasons why you weren’t able to attend, some of which won’t be your fault, so it’s vital to explain exactly what happened. 

Once the reason for the forfeiture has been determined, you can then take the next steps to rectify the situation. If the failure to appear wasn’t your fault and you didn’t intend to go against the conditions of your bond, you’ll need to provide evidence, like a medical letter or bill, for example. Being as honest as possible with your bail bondsman really will make things easier, and it will help them plead your case. 

Address The Issue Promptly 

Time is of the essence when you’re dealing with a revoked bail bond, and it’s vital to get started as soon as possible once you know there’s a problem. If you can do that, the consequences can be much less serious, and you’ll minimize any issues as far as possible. Once you’ve explained everything to your bail bondsman, work closely with them to come up with a plan for reinstating your bond, especially if there’s a bench warrant out for you. 

A bench warrant means you’ll be arrested because of your failure to come to court and going against the terms of your bail, so the sooner you can address the issues, the better. 

Comply With Court Requirements 

Reinstating a bail bond often involves complying with specific court requirements, which could include going to court to address the bond forfeiture, providing good (valid) reasons for why you didn’t comply, and ensuring your commitment to complying in the future. 

Working closely with a lawyer is a good idea at this point, as they’ll have experience in dealing with a situation just like yours - it happens all the time for all kinds of reasons, good and bad. With your information and agreement to be good in the future, and their expertise, they’ll ensure that all the right steps are taken to reinstate your bail bond. 

Remember, though, that any failure to comply with the terms of the court going forward can have much more serious consequences if you’ve already had a bail bond forfeited, so it’s crucial you stick to the rules going forward. 

Pay Any Outstanding Fees

Finally, you’ll need to pay any outstanding fees associated with the bail bond - your bail bondsman will be owed money because of your failure to comply, in other words. This will generally include the fees for the initial bond as well as any other costs they incurred during the reinstatement process. If you’re unable to pay, your bail bondsman may not be able to help you in the future, so it’s wise to do what you can to pay your bill.