Bond records in eCourtDate let your agency track bonds tied to clients and cases, including bond amounts, conditions, payment status, and bail agent details. Automated notifications keep all parties informed when bonds are posted, paid, or updated.

### Overview

The Bonds feature provides a centralized way to manage all bond-related activity within your agency. You can create bond records linked to specific clients and cases, track financial details and conditions, monitor payment progress, and notify bail agents or other stakeholders when bond statuses change.

- **What it does:** Creates and manages bond records with amounts, types, conditions, payment tracking, and supporting documents.
- **Why it matters:** Provides a single source of truth for bond data, reduces manual tracking errors, and ensures timely communication with bail agents, attorneys, and clients.
- **Who uses it:** Court clerks, judges, agency administrators, probation officers, and bail agents.
- **Expected outcomes:** Complete, searchable bond records tied to the relevant clients and cases, with automated notifications and an audit trail for every change.

### Prerequisites

Before you begin managing bond records, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate account with the **Admin** or **Clerk** role
- At least one client and one case record already created in the system
- Knowledge of your agency's bond types and standard conditions
- Notification templates configured for bond-related alerts under **Admin** > **Messaging** (if you plan to send automated notifications)
- Bail agent contact information on file if your agency communicates with bonding companies

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to the Bonds Section

1. Click on **Cases** in the top navigation bar.
2. Use the **Search Cases** form to locate the case associated with the bond.
3. Click the **Edit** button next to the case.
4. Select the **Bonds** tab on the case detail page.

#### Step 2: Create a New Bond Record

1. Click the **Create Bond** button in the left column.
2. Select the **Bond Type** from the dropdown. Common options include **Cash**, **Surety**, **Property**, **Personal Recognizance**, and **Unsecured**.
3. Enter the **Bond Amount** in dollars.
4. Select the **Status** from the dropdown: **Pending**, **Posted**, **Paid**, **Forfeited**, **Exonerated**, or **Revoked**.
5. Enter the **Conditions** that apply to the bond. Examples include travel restrictions, check-in requirements, no-contact orders, or curfew mandates.
6. Use the **Client** field to search for and link the client (defendant) to the bond record.
7. Enter the **Bail Agent Name** and **Bail Agent Contact** if a bonding company is involved.
8. Add any relevant notes in the **Description** field, such as the hearing date, the judge who set the bond, or special instructions.
9. Click **Create** to save the bond record.

#### Step 3: Track Bond Payments

1. From the bond detail page, locate the **Payments** section.
2. Click **Add Payment** to record a payment toward the bond.
3. Enter the **Payment Amount**, **Payment Date**, and **Payment Method** (cash, check, credit card, or electronic transfer).
4. Enter the **Payer Name** if different from the client.
5. Click **Save** to record the payment.
6. The bond detail page displays the total amount paid, remaining balance, and payment history.

#### Step 4: Attach Supporting Documents

1. From the bond detail page, locate the **Files** section.
2. Drag and drop files into the upload area, or click **Upload** to browse your computer.
3. Supported file types include PDFs, images (JPG, PNG), and other standard document formats.
4. Uploaded files appear in the list below. Click **Download** to retrieve a file or **Trash** to remove it.
5. Common documents to attach include bond applications, court orders, receipts, and bail agent agreements.

#### Step 5: Configure Automated Notifications

1. Go to **Admin** > **Messaging** in the top navigation bar.
2. Create or select a notification template for bond-related alerts (for example, "Bond Posted Notification" or "Bond Payment Received").
3. Return to the bond record and enable the **Notify on Create** or **Notify on Update** toggle.
4. Select the recipients: the client, bail agent, attorney, or assigned officer.
5. Click **Save** to apply the notification settings.

#### Step 6: Search and Filter Bond Records

1. Click on **Cases** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select the **Bonds** tab to view all bond records across your agency.
3. Use the available filters to narrow results by **Bond Type**, **Status**, **Client**, **Case Number**, **Date Range**, or **Portal**.
4. Click **Search** to display matching records.
5. Click **Edit** next to any bond to view full details or make updates.

### What to Expect

After creating a bond record, it appears immediately in the case's **Bonds** tab and the agency-wide bonds list. The record displays the bond type, amount, status, conditions, and linked client and case information. Payment entries update the balance in real time. If notifications are enabled, bail agents and other stakeholders receive alerts within minutes of status changes. All modifications are logged in the audit trail, providing a complete history of every action taken on the bond.

### Best Practices

- **Record bond conditions in detail** at the time of creation so all parties understand the requirements from the start.
- **Update bond status promptly** when payments are received, bonds are forfeited, or conditions change, to keep the record accurate.
- **Attach all supporting documents** (court orders, receipts, bail applications) directly to the bond record for easy reference during hearings.
- **Use automated notifications** to alert bail agents when bonds are posted or paid, reducing manual phone calls and emails.
- **Review outstanding bonds regularly** using the status filters to identify bonds approaching forfeiture deadlines or requiring follow-up action.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I create a bond record without linking it to a case?**
A: Every bond record must be associated with a case. If the case does not exist yet, create it first under **Cases** using the **Create Case** form, then add the bond from the case detail page.

**Q: How do I update the bond amount after the record is created?**
A: Open the bond record, update the **Bond Amount** field, and click **Save**. The change is recorded in the audit trail with a timestamp and the name of the user who made the update.

**Q: Can I track partial payments on a bond?**
A: Yes. Use the **Add Payment** feature in the **Payments** section to record each partial payment. The system automatically calculates the remaining balance based on all recorded payments.

**Q: Who receives notifications when a bond status changes?**
A: You configure the recipients when you enable notifications on the bond record. Options include the client, bail agent, attorney, and assigned officer. Each recipient must have a valid contact (phone number or email) on file.

**Q: Can I link multiple bonds to the same case?**
A: Yes. A case can have multiple bond records, which is common when there are multiple charges or defendants. Each bond is tracked independently with its own status, amount, and conditions.

**Q: How do I handle a bond forfeiture?**
A: Open the bond record, change the **Status** to **Forfeited**, and enter the forfeiture date and reason in the **Description** field. Click **Save**. If notifications are enabled, the bail agent and other stakeholders receive an alert. Attach any court orders related to the forfeiture in the **Files** section.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Bond payment does not reduce the remaining balance.
**Symptoms:** You recorded a payment but the balance shown on the bond detail page has not changed.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the payment was saved successfully by checking the **Payments** section for the entry.
2. Confirm the payment amount was entered correctly (numeric value, no special characters).
3. Refresh the page to see the updated balance.
4. If the payment does not appear, re-enter it and click **Save** again.
5. If the issue persists, check your role permissions under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Roles**.

**Issue:** Bail agent does not receive bond notification.
**Symptoms:** The bail agent reports they did not receive an alert when the bond was posted or updated.
**Solution:**

1. Confirm the **Notify on Create** or **Notify on Update** toggle is enabled on the bond record.
2. Verify the bail agent's contact information (email or phone number) is entered correctly.
3. Check the notification template is active under **Admin** > **Messaging**.
4. Review the **Messages** page to see if the notification was queued or encountered a delivery error.
5. Ask the bail agent to check spam or junk mail folders.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Cases](/how-to-manage-cases)
- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Issue and Track Warrants](/how-to-issue-and-track-warrants)
- [How to Track Violations and Case Compliance](/how-to-track-violations-and-case-compliance)
- [How to Manage Files](/how-to-manage-files)