Bond management in eCourtDate lets your agency create, track, and update bond records tied to cases and clients. You can monitor amounts, conditions, and statuses while keeping bail agents and stakeholders informed through automated notifications.

### Overview

- **What it is:** A bond management module for creating bond records, tracking financial details and conditions, notifying bail agents, and maintaining a complete audit trail.
- **Why it matters:** Accurate bond tracking ensures compliance with court orders, reduces errors in financial recordkeeping, and keeps all parties informed about bond status changes.
- **Who uses it:** Court clerks, pretrial officers, judges, and administrators who manage bond records, process payments, and communicate with bail agents.
- **Expected outcomes:** Organized bond records linked to cases and clients, automated status notifications, attached supporting documents, and real-time visibility into bond activity.

### Prerequisites

- An active eCourtDate account with the **Bonds** permission enabled
- At least one case and client record in the system
- Bond details (type, amount, conditions, bail agent information)
- Administrator, Clerk, or Pretrial Officer role

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Access the Bonds Module

1. Click **Bonds** from the main navigation menu.
2. Review existing bond records or click **Create Bond** to add a new one.

#### Step 2: Create a Bond Record

1. Click **Create Bond** to open the bond form.
2. Search for and select the associated **Client** by name or case number.
3. Select the associated **Case** from the dropdown.
4. Select the **Bond Type** (for example, Cash, Surety, Personal Recognizance, Property).
5. Enter the **Bond Amount** in the designated field.
6. Add any conditions in the **Conditions** text area (for example, travel restrictions, check-in requirements, no-contact orders).
7. Select the **Status** (for example, Active, Posted, Forfeited, Exonerated).
8. Click **Save** to create the bond record.

#### Step 3: Assign a Bail Agent

1. Open the bond record from the **Bonds** list.
2. Click the **Bail Agent** field and search for the agent by name or company.
3. Select the bail agent from the results.
4. Click **Save** to link the agent to the bond record.
5. The bail agent receives a notification confirming the assignment.

#### Step 4: Attach Documents to a Bond

1. Open the bond record you want to update.
2. Click the **Documents** tab.
3. Click **Upload Document** and select the file from your computer (for example, bond application, power of attorney, receipt).
4. Enter a description in the **Notes** field.
5. Click **Save** to attach the document to the bond record.

#### Step 5: Update Bond Status and Send Notifications

1. Open the bond record from the **Bonds** list.
2. Select the new **Status** from the dropdown (for example, change from **Active** to **Exonerated**).
3. Add a note explaining the status change in the **Comments** field.
4. Click **Save** to update the record.
5. Click **Send Notification** to alert the bail agent, client, or attorney about the status change.

#### Step 6: Create Related Events from a Bond

1. Open the bond record and click **Create Event**.
2. Select the event type (for example, Bond Review Hearing, Payment Due Date).
3. Set the date, time, and location for the event.
4. Click **Save** to create the event linked to the bond and case.

### What to Expect

After creating a bond record, it appears on both the client and case profiles. Status changes are logged with timestamps and author information. Notifications reach bail agents and other parties within minutes. Documents are stored securely and accessible from the bond record at any time. Related events appear on the calendar and in the case timeline.

### Best Practices

- Record bond conditions in detail to ensure all parties understand supervision requirements.
- Update bond status promptly when changes occur (posting, forfeiture, exoneration) to maintain accurate records.
- Attach all supporting documents (applications, receipts, court orders) to the bond record for a complete audit trail.
- Use the **Send Notification** feature after every status change to keep bail agents informed in real time.
- Review active bonds periodically to identify records that need follow-up or status updates.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can a client have multiple bond records?**
A: Yes. A client can have multiple bonds across different cases. Each bond is tracked independently with its own amount, conditions, and status.

**Q: What bond types are available?**
A: The default bond types include Cash, Surety, Personal Recognizance, Property, and Unsecured. Your agency administrator can configure additional types in **Settings** > **Bond Types**.

**Q: How do bail agents receive notifications?**
A: Bail agents receive notifications through the contact method configured on their profile (email, SMS, or both). Navigate to the bail agent's profile to verify or update their contact preferences.

**Q: Can I generate a report of all active bonds?**
A: Yes. Use the **Bonds** list filters to narrow results by status, type, or date range. Then click **Export** to download the filtered data as a CSV or PDF report.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** A bail agent does not receive a bond status notification.
**Symptoms:** The agent reports no email or SMS after a status change.
**Solution:** Open the bond record and verify that a bail agent is assigned. Then check the agent's profile to confirm the contact information is correct and that notification preferences are enabled.

**Issue:** The bond amount displays incorrectly after editing.
**Symptoms:** The saved amount does not match what was entered.
**Solution:** Open the bond record and click **Edit**. Verify that the amount is entered as a numeric value without currency symbols or commas. Re-enter the correct amount and click **Save**.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Cases](how-to-manage-cases)
- [How to Manage Clients](how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Manage Events](how-to-manage-events)