And as usual, things have been exceedingly slow. I’ve started to adapt. I’m opening a second business at the end of the year which will likely keep me busy yet still allow the flexibility of posting the once a month bond. In the past six weeks, I’ve had two new clients. One was a $100 deal and the other was a $1200 or so bond. I make enough to keep afloat, but I seem to always be just one more client away from making a profit. Oh well.
In the past two days, I’ve been called to bond hearings by attorneys, only to have both defendants get out on their own recognizance. There is a catch-22 with limiting myself only to attorney referrals. The quality of defendant is much higher and risk of skip is much lower. But the judges know that and set bonds accordingly. Still, I’m pretty happy with how things are going and it seems like I get about one client a month.
I’m having a slightly harder time convincing attorneys to call me, though. I wonder if they feel like they have to pay me something if I go to the bond hearing and then don’t get the bond? Yesterday I turned down $500 and today I turned down $100 from attorneys/defendant’s families. I explain that I’m not allowed to accept any money unless I actually perform the service, but they just don’t seem to grasp that and clearly look like they think I’m nuts.
One attorney even said that he has paid other bondsmen in the past for their time. I just shrugged and told him that my understanding of the rules is that I can’t accept the money. I appreciate the gesture, but just consider it part of the service. Call it a free consultation if you will.
-bbc
Good for you in keeping it honest! Here in California, we can charge for services and time and we have also had clients that pay us to sit in court just to be ready if they get a viable bond.
However, we cannot give attorney referrals. Attorneys have asked us to do that, but it’s illegal. Many bondsmen get attorney referrals by giving referrals as well. It’s really hard on those of us who won’t play that game.
Comment by Tonya Page — November 30, 2010 @ 5:40 pm