Seven Essential Things To Be Aware Of To Get A Bail Bond For A Friend Or Family Member
If you have a friend or family member who has been arrested, you probably want to do everything you can to help. It often falls upon the friends and loved ones of arrested individuals to help them secure a bail bond to get out of jail. When someone is arrested, a certain bail amount is often set by a judge. This is an amount of money the arrested individual must provide to the court to guarantee that they will show up on their court date.
Some defendants might not have enough money to cover this amount themselves. In this case, a bail bonds company can secure bail for them with a bail bond. However, it can be difficult for those who are arrested to arrange a bail bond while in jail. This is why they often need friends and family members to assist them. The following are seven essential things to be aware of to get a bail bond for a friend or family member.
The jail in which your friend or family member is located
One of the pieces of information you'll need to provide the bail bonds company is where your friend or loved one is being held. You need to find out what prison they are at so that the bail bonds company knows who they need to talk to in order to get the arrested individual released.
The crime your friend or family member is in jail for
You should also understand the circumstances surrounding the individual's arrest. The bail bonds company will want to know what charges are going to be pending against him or her.
The other people your friend or family member has to provide help
It makes sense for someone in the arrested individual's life who is fairly secure financially to assist them. If there is someone in the life of your friend or family member who is more financially secure than you are, it might be best to consult them for assistance rather than giving yourself an added financial burden that could create problems for you.
The amount the bail bond will cost
The cost of bail bonds varies by state. In many states, a bail bond usually costs around 10 percent of the bail amount. This means that if bail is set at $10,000, the bail bond fee will be $1,000. At the same time, some states have no maximum bail amount set.
The reliability of your friend or family member
You could find yourself on the hook for the entire bail amount if you sign for a bail bond and your friend or family member doesn't show up in court. This means that you want to make sure you can rely on your friend or family member to show up when they're supposed to in court before agreeing to help with a bail bond.
The funds or collateral you have available to secure the bond
If you do not have the full amount of the bail bond fee available in cash, you can use collateral to secure the bail bond. Possible possessions to use as collateral include a home or vehicle.
The date when your friend or family member needs to be in court
The bail bonds company you work with will want to know the court date for the case in question. You should also know the court date so that you can make sure that your friend or family member shows up.
Talk to a bail bonding service for more details.