The majority of the people who use a bail bond service for the first time are unaware of what they’re getting into. They understand that someone is being held and that bail has been set, but they also understand that they don’t have the funds to pay for it. They don’t know what exactly bondsman does, what documents are signed, how long it takes to get released and what responsibilities are imposed on the defendant once he walks out. That confusion costs time. And in Aurora, it’s time that makes the difference between a one-night stay and a three night stay in custody. This is what you can look forward to from start to finish.
Step 1: The Call What the Bondsman Needs From You
As soon as you contact an Aurora bail bond service, the clock begins. Without certain information, the bondsman can do nothing and the quicker you have that information prepared, the quicker the process goes!
The bondsman must have the full legal name of the arrested party, their date of birth and the booking number if it is available to post bond at the Aurora Detention Center. With these details confirmed, the bondsman goes through the paperwork and arranges to work with the facility staff to get the release.
Even if the bail amount has not been determined, a bondsman can confirm the facility, check on booking status, and prepare paperwork to ensure it is all ready when a judge determines the amount.
Step 2: Booking What Is Happening on the Other End
As you are making calls, the defendant is being booked at the Aurora City Jail at 15001 E. Alameda Parkway in Aurora, CO 80012. Most Aurora arrests are first taken here.
When officers make an arrest, they gather personal data and take photographs and fingerprints, run a background check and document the charges. The booking process usually takes 2-6 hours. If booking is done, bail will be set per the standard bail schedule, or by the judge at the first appearance hearing. This is because, if you call before booking is complete, the bondsman cannot post bond until it is 100% complete and ready for booking.
Step 3: Understanding the Three Bond Types in Aurora
Not all Aurora arrests involve a bondsman to set a surety bond. Bail bonds in Aurora can be in one of three forms: personal recognizance, cash bond, and professional surety bond with a licensed bondsman.
Personal Recognizance Bond
At a PR bond the defendant signs a document that says he or she will attend all future court dates without paying money. A judge’s order must be obtained. These are usually awarded to defendants who are not considered to be a risk and who have not failed to appear.
Cash Bond
The money is paid in full cash, money order, cashier’s check or by credit card directly to the court. All money is held in the court’s possession until the case is settled and a refund is sent via check within 3 to 4 weeks after the case is settled with a deduction for any fines or costs that may be owed.
Surety Bond Through a Bondsman
This is the most common choice among families. The bondsman pays the entire bail amount for the defendant in exchange for a non-refundable premium that is equal to 10-15 percent of the total bail amount as established by Colorado state law.
Step 4: The Paperwork What You Are Actually Signing
This is the step most co-signers rush through and regret later. The bail bond agreement is a contractual agreement that is binding in nature. You should know what you’re signing before you sign it.
What the Agreement Covers
- The total premium amount and payment schedule if a plan is in place
- Any collateral being pledged to secure the bond
- The co-signer’s financial liability if the defendant misses a court date
- The bondsman’s legal authority to apprehend the defendant if they fail to appear
- All court appearance obligations the defendant must meet
A valid Aurora bondsman will explain all of the terminology to you before requesting your signature. A reputable bondsman answers all questions in a way that is easily understood, sets expectations clearly and ensures that the family understands before they complete paperwork. If a bond company is pressuring you to sign without telling you what, don’t do it.
Step 5: The Premium and Payment Plans
Every licensed bondsman in Aurora charges a 10 to 15 percent premium for the bail bond amount, which is set by Colorado law. This premium is not refundable. Does not return even if not guilty, case dismissed, or plea deal.
What differs among bondsmen is how the premium is structured for payment. Most Aurora bondsmen offer payment plans for those who cannot afford the entire premium in a lump sum and require low down payments and installment payments. The City of Aurora also charges a $10 bond fee that cannot be refunded and is paid when an appearance bond is posted. Before signing anything, request an itemization of the total cost, including premium, fees and other costs.
Step 6: Release How Long It Actually Takes
Bond is posted. Now what? This is the area many families were not ready for release is not instant.
The Aurora City Jail has a turn out time of 2-4 hours after the bond is posted. The timeframe of that window will vary based on how many processing volumes the facility has at the time, whether or not there are any bond conditions that GPS needs to set-up for or a pre-trial supervision enrollment that needs to be completed before the inmate’s release, and whether or not all of the paperwork is completed correctly on the bond’s man side.
Arrests are slower on the weekends and holidays. A bond that is posted on a Saturday night during a facility that is operating at very high volume may cause the release time to exceed the normal 2-4 hour period. When you know this ahead of time, you will not be panicking if it doesn’t happen right after the bond posting.
Step 7: Bond Conditions What the Defendant Must Do After Release
Release is not the end of the process. It is the beginning of the defendant’s obligations and violating any of them sends them straight back to custody.
Common Bond Conditions in Aurora
- Mandatory appearances at all scheduled court dates, missing one triggers an immediate bench warrant and bond forfeiture
- Pretrial supervision check-ins with Arapahoe County Pretrial Services on a court-mandated schedule
- Travel restrictions, leaving Colorado or Arapahoe County without prior court approval violates bond conditions
- No-contact orders in domestic violence, harassment, or stalking cases any contact through any channel constitutes a violation
- GPS monitoring or SCRAM alcohol monitoring in cases involving DUI or repeat offenses
The bondsman’s financial liability ends when the case concludes but only if the defendant has appeared at every required court date. If the defendant misses a hearing, the bondsman has the legal authority to locate and surrender them to custody to avoid bond forfeiture.
Step 8: What Happens If the Defendant Misses Court
This is what no one wants and everyone must know before the bond is posted.
There is an immediate bench warrant issued for missing a court date in Aurora. The court starts proceedings to collect the bond. Colorado law allows the bondsman a 91-day statute of limitations to find the defendant and get him or her back into custody before the entire bond is lost. During that window, any collateral used to secure the bond is directly at risk.
If the defendant is not found and returned within that time period, the co-signer (the person who signed the bond agreement) is liable for the entire amount of the bail. That is not a technicality buried in the contract. It’s the main monetary responsibility of co-signing a bail bond.
Conclusion
Once you understand what each step involves, there shouldn’t be any problem when you use bail bond service in Aurora. The lack of clarity on what the bondsman will need, what the paperwork means, what the release timeline will look like and the obligations of the defendant after release create confusion for families, which takes up time and money. You’ve now got the skin on it.
Whether your loved one is released quickly and cleanly or the process is lengthy and stressful is down to who you call when someone you care about is in custody in Aurora. Fast & Easy Bail Bonds is open 24 hours a day, up front on all fees prior to signing, and ready to post bond as soon as a judge sets a bond amount; no more spending an additional night in a cell waiting for paperwork that should have been completed.