Getting a call from a family member or close friend who has been arrested and is in jail can be alarming and stressful. If you want to bail them out, you may be confused about the process and not know what to do. Continue reading to learn more about the process of bailing someone out of jail:
Wait for the Bond Hearing
After a person is arrested and the arrest is processed, he or she will appear in front of a judge and bond (the amount of money that must be paid in order to be released from jail) will be set. Bond amounts typically depend on what type of criminal offense a person was charged with and past criminal history. There is no chart to consult to predict the exact bond that will be required to bail your friend or family member out of jail-- you will have to wait to hear what the judge says at the bond hearing.
Paying Bond
After bond is set and you know the amount, there is usually the option to pay it with cash, check, or credit card. When the payment has been processed, your loved one will be able to leave jail, but must appear in court or the bond amount will be forfeited and you won't get your money back.
Contacting a Bail Bond Company
While bond can easily be posted with cash, check, or credit card, bond amounts can be high depending on the charge and it is not uncommon for people not to have enough money on hand to pay bond in full. If you are in this situation, you can contact a bail bond company.
When you work with a bail bond company, you are responsible for paying the company a small percentage of the total bond amount, and they will put up the rest of the cash in order to get your loved one released from jail. It is important to note that the money you pay the bond company is typically non-refundable, and serves as payment for their services.
Going to Court
Whether you pay bond in full or use a bail bond company, it is essential that your loved one shows up for every single court hearing. Failure to appear in court can result in the loss of the bond money paid; if you paid in full that money will be gone forever, and if you used a bail bond company you will be held responsible to pay them back for the amount they paid to get your loved one released from jail.
For more information, contact bail bond companies like All Night & Day Bailbonds.
