When a friend or loved one is detained, you will do everything in your power to get them released. This can include bailing them. While this may appear to be a simple task, it may be challenging and costly in the long term, particularly if you make emotional decisions. So, before you pay a bond to get a friend or loved one released, here are five things you should know.
1. Bailing Somebody Out of Jail May Be Costly
There’s no getting around the fact that bailing somebody out of jail is costly. For example, if you use a bonding agency, you’ll have to incur administrative fees as well as a non-refundable charge. The cost is typically 10% of the bail amount. That implies that if your bond is $20,000, you’ll have to pay a $2,000 non-refundable charge in addition to the administrative fee.
While depositing the bail amount to the court directly saves you the bail bonds firm cost, it means your money will be held for months or years before you may get it back. In some situations, outstanding penalties and court expenses may be subtracted from posted bail amount before you get a refund. Consequently, what you receive may be significantly less, especially if your friend or loved one is later proven guilty.
If you live in Bakersfield for instance, you can look up Bakersfield bail bonds to help secure your finances as it eliminates the need to post the full bail amount to the court. You will, however, have to pay a percentage of the charge.
2. Missing Court Dates Might Have Major Ramifications
When you bail a friend out of custody, they usually have a number of court hearings to attend. If they skip one, an arrest warrant may be issued. If they can’t be located within the stated time frame, the property or money you placed as bail may be forfeited. That implies that if you used a bonding business, they will lose the entire sum to the courts and seek reimbursement from you.
3. You May Have to Suffer for Their Poor Decisions
Bailing somebody out of jail usually entails them fulfilling specific bail requirements. For example, your friend might be instructed not to contact the alleged victim. In other situations, they may also be ordered to attend drug treatment or alcohol programs, refrain from leaving the county, or interact with co-defendants. You typically must guarantee that all of these court-mandated standards are met.
If they breach any of their bail conditions, their bail may be withdrawn, and they will be sent to jail. The repercussions of breaking bond terms are not limited to the offender. They may also spill on you. If you had put up collateral, such as jewels, firearms, automobiles, homes, or other valuables, you might be required to surrender these items to the bail bondsman.
4. There Is No Assurance That You’ll Get Your Money Back
It is not uncommon to have bail set at $50,000 to get somebody out of jail. Giving away such a large sum of cash might be tricky since there is no guarantee that you’ll get back whatever you placed. Sometimes the only alternative is to deal with a bonding business to post bail using a property bond at a charge.
While this is a viable option, things might quickly become complicated if you don’t make the payment to the bonding business. If, for example, you utilized your house and failed to pay the charge to the bail bonds company, you might lose your property, even if your friend or loved attends all their court dates.
5. You Must Also Meet Some Requirements to Be a Co-Signer
To become a co-signer, all parties must satisfy specific standards, just as in any other contract. Bail bonds are no different. To become a co-signer, you must qualify and provide proof of job, financial capabilities, residence, and other factors. Laws may vary from state to state.
Closing Thoughts
Are you trying to get a friend or family member out of jail as soon as possible? Make no rash decisions. Be cautious while co-signing the bail bond! Contact us if you want to learn more about bailing a person out of jail; we have the knowledge you need to smoothly take you through the entire bailing process.
