The Trial

My days as a bail/bondsmen came to a head today with the trial. We sat waiting to see how things might transpire. It was interesting to a certain extent, but we were hoping it wouldn't be too interesting.

Some of the other cases made it look like justice at this level is the minimal fine in the absence of really extenuating circumstances. And that's the way it turned out.

I was enjoying certain aspects of it, but like always, wishing that things could move along a little faster. For instance, it's not something I've done before, to sit outside the courtroom and see the look of misery on people's faces for being there. That was interesting.

I saw one case resolved with a minimal sentence, simple assault, with a hundred dollars fine and continuation of the no-contact order. The two parties were in the hallway but never spoke. The woman looked sad about the whole thing. As she walked down the hallway after it was over, I summed it up, "Another love story ends."

As to getting my bond money back, I talked to the clerk and it will come to me as a check. But I might be using it to help pay the fine.

Bail Bondsman Date With History

My bail bondsman rendezvous with destiny is tomorrow. As you may recall, I was called upon, quite out of the blue, without warning or inkling, to provide a bond for some acquaintance who was hauled in to jail.

I didn't want to. I wouldn't want it to happen again. It is cash on the line, risked, and there's the possibility that more might fly out of my bank account, depending on how the system works exactly (I don't know), and whether the person shows up for her court date. There may be other complications, like if she does something untoward in court, which I'm not expecting.

The big day is tomorrow. I offered a ride to court, to make sure it all happens as it should. But she says she already has a ride. So naturally I'm hoping that the ride she has is someone dependable. The big element to that is that the ride doesn't have anything riding on this deal and I do.

Tomorrow. We shall see!

A Certified Letter - Part 2

Well, I was worried about my bail bondsman status (and possible penalty) for nothing, so far. The certified letter turned out to be unrelated to that. In fact, I heard from the person in question last night and was somewhat already assured that there was nothing in the works, known at least.

But still, I was up and it occurred to me about 8 a.m. again about the certified letter. So I hustled over to the post office, then had to stand in line behind someone with several eBay packages to process (just my luck), and finally got the letter. I saw the return address and realized immediately that it was business that was quite benign and unrelated to any personal issue. Someone had sent some checks and I'm the middleman to get them where they need to go. That's all.

But this had never happened before, and it's timing was curious, making it a realistic first guess that they could have been trying to notify me about the bond.

A Certified Letter

The other day I said I was suddenly a bail bondsman for some acquaintance. That was $100, but then when I later saw the form I signed (I'm not swearing to it but I believe this part wasn't written in at the time) there was a parenthetical part after the $100 that said $300 unsecured bond.

Today, then, I got a notice that I have a certified letter waiting at the post office. I didn't think much about it, but I suppose I should have. Because later it occurred to me that this might have something to do with that person's bond.

Coincidentally, I had a normal appointment with the acquaintance today but she wasn't there. Someone else told me where she supposedly was, but now I'm wondering, could she be in jail again? Assuming the worst, that she is in jail, that means the certified letter is going to be them telling me how much I owe, hopefully no more than $300, and that I should present myself with the cash.

I'll pick up the mail in the morning and I'm hoping it won't be that. But what else could it be? I don't get certified letters.

A Bail Bondsman

You have one of those nights where it seems like everything's normal. Then the phone rings and some acquaintance is in trouble, in jail, and chose YOU to help them get out.

That happened to me tonight. Yuckus!

The jail official told me they accepted cash. And they had a heck of a policy for making you wait out in the cold. Then telling you it'd be so long till they sprung the person, then shooting over that by 10 to 15 minutes.

It's an absurd system.

Now I have to hope this person makes the court date, or my money's down the drain. Lucky me.