I went to Ace Bail Bond on Kaheka Street and put down a $1,000 deposit for release of my husband. He wasn't able to be released from prison. I tried to get the money back, but found out they gave it to one of my husband's friends. I didn't tell him to get the money. He didn't have a receipt. I have the receipt. It's only got my name on it. But he only gave me back $900 and said the bail bonds people charged him $100 for something. Can you help me? ‘Friend’ may be problem
as much as bond firmIt sounds like your problem isn't only with the company, but with your husband's "friend."
Your case would be appropriate to take to small claims court, said Allan Gushiken, chief investigator for the state Insurance Division. You can also file a complaint with the insurance division, which oversees bail bond firms because bail is considered a form of insurance.
A spokeswoman for Ace Bail Bond said you had no recourse through her company.
"She got all her money" - via your husband's friend, said Darlene Lane, who said she was a "volunteer worker" with Ace. When asked why the money was given to someone without a receipt, Lane's explanation was that "he was with her" when the money was deposited, "he was doing all the talking," and "she told him to get the money."
When told that you complained about receiving only $900, Lane said, "We made him sign the receipt (for the full $1,000 refund) so that we know we gave him back the money." After that, "I don't know what they do with it."
As a general rule, any refunds should be given to the person named on a receipt or the person who made the deposit, Gushiken said.
The problem, he said, is that the $1,000 you put down is collateral, "which is not part of insurance. While bail is considered an insurance contract, collateral is a side item "to protect the bail bondsman. ... Collateral is not addressed in the statute, per se," Gushiken said, "but that's where we have all the problems."
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