Getting a call from someone who is asking you to post bail for them is a very surprising, and often confusing, moment, particularly if you’ve never done such a thing before. You’ll probably be tempted to ask for details about the situation, but stick to just what you need to know, like location and bail amount. You’ll want to act right away to keep the person you’re bailing out from spending time in jail.

The first thing you need to know is how much money is required. Usually, standard bail amounts have been set for common crimes, and these amounts aren’t negotiable. You’ll want to obtain full information from the booking officer and ask if it is necessary to pay in cash. In most cases, checks aren’t accepted. A few states allow the use of credit or debit cards, but this is an often complicated third party process. A quick stop at an ATM is probably your best bet. After the cash is given to the booking officer, the arrestee will be released to your custody. By doing this, you are taking personal responsibility for seeing to it that he shows up for trial. Once the trial is over, your money (less some administrative charges) will be returned to you.

On the other hand, if bail is set at an amount beyond your means, you will need the services of a bail bondsman. The booking officer may be able to suggest bail bond companies in your area, or you can simply look in the local phone book for a convenient office. Once there, be prepared to answer a fairly lengthy list of questions and to part with some cash.

The usual non-refundable fee bail bond companies charge is at least 10 percent. For example, if bail is set at $5,000, you will need $500 in cash to obtain it. They will ask about your relationship to the defendant, what you know about his or her background, employment, living arrangements, and any other information about him or her that you may possess. Additionally, they will get a report from the police on the details of the arrest. If the bondsman thinks that the defendant might not show up for trial based on what they learn, they may ask for additional collateral from you. What this amounts to is that you may be asked to back the loan with property worth the full amount of the bail in addition to the ten percent fee. In other words, you may be putting your house, your car and any other property you value at risk.

Under the circumstances, it’s obviously better to take the money from your bank account than from a bail bond company, if you can afford it. Whichever way you go, be aware that the process is going to be costly. Even under a best-case scenario, court cases are expensive and after paying lawyers and court costs, the person you bailed out is probably going to be in debt and you’ll be just one of his debtors. So, unless you’re in a financial position to shell out a substantial amount of cash for an indefinite period of time, think twice before acceding to a request for bail.

In Miami, Florida, if you’re looking for an experienced bail bondsman, call on Blandon Bail Bonds. Family owned, they offer the lowest legal rates, and have bilingual agents available 24/7. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services