Bail bonds have been around for a long time. There is evidence that defendants made bail payments since 2700 B.C. Some clay tablets discovered in modern-day Iraq show the details of bail payments.
People in Europe didn’t have a formal criminal justice system during the Dark and the Middle Ages because there were no courts. There were court hearings, but each courtroom worked independently, and there was no formal code of law. An “eye for an eye” rule was the fundamental rule used for punishing criminals in the courts.
Here’s an interesting dive into the bail bonds history:
1. A Formal Court System
By the beginning of the 8th century, a formal court system came with more civilized punishments. However, convicts kept fleeing the area, so they didn’t have to pay any money back. This led to the introduction of the surety system to keep the accused from leaving town. It helped the escaping defendant find someone willing to pay for the possible punishment.
The system didn’t work very well since only the upper class and nobles had wealthy acquaintances to give them surety. During the 13th century, the middle and lower-class people realized that the surety system should also benefit them.
2. The Magna Carta
It became common for a bondsman to put up property or money in exchange for a person released from prison for a short time. The Magna Carta signed in 1215 improved the justice system, setting transparent rules and guidelines about sureties and bail.
3. Developments in England
In the early 18th century in England, the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 and the Bill of Rights of 1689 made the bail bond system even better by making it illegal for judges to set too high a bail to keep people from being unfairly imprisoned for minor crimes. These same actions significantly impacted how bail bonds operated in the early United States.
4. Colonial America And The Modern Bail Bond System
During the colonial times in America, the person who gave the accused a surety was like their guardian. The guardian would pay the whole bail amount if the convict ran away.
Pete McDonough was the founder of the modern bail bond system. Pete and his brother Tom set up the first bail bonds agency in San Francisco in 1898. Since then, the bail bonds system has been around for a long. Leaders from all over the world now acknowledge that it’s essential for defendants to live their lives and not suffer in prison unfairly.
Are you excited about experiencing the benefits of the modern bail bonds system? DeLaughter Bail Bonds provides top-notch bail bond services that are available 24-7 for their clients. Our licensed bail bonds agents can provide immediate support for defendants in jail.
Contact us to benefit from our affordable bail bonds services in Hamilton County, Indiana.