Unlicensed, Baltimore-Based Bail Bond Companies Perpetuate Economic Inequality Along Racial Lines
The system of money bail in Maryland has led to the routine pretrial detention of criminal defendants — whom the law presumes to be innocent — solely because they cannot afford to pay the cost of pretrial liberty. For other defendants, their loved one’s contract with bail bond companies to secure their release, resulting in a cycle of inescapable debt. As a standard industry practice, bail bond companies charge a premium, a fee amounting to 10 percent of the total bail. These premiums are non-refundable, even if a criminal defendant appears in court or is not found to be guilty. As a result, family members and friends who sign bail contracts must pay the entire costs of the bail premium. To collect the premiums, bail bond companies often harass and file debt collection lawsuits against each co-signer. Because the vast majority of co-signers cannot afford attorneys to represent them in collections suits, judgments are […]











