3 Useful Tips When Purchasing A Bail Bond For Someone Locked Up
There may come a point in your life where you have to post bail for someone in jail, whether it's a loved one or friend. To get them out of jail, you may need to get a bail bond. This process will be a lot smoother when you consider these tips.
Choose a Bail Bond Type
Today, there are all sorts of bail bonds that bail bond agencies offer. It's important to know how each work so that you can decide what bond is best for your particular financial situation. Some of the more common include cash, surety, and property bonds.
Cash bonds — as their name implies — require you to pay the full amount in cash. They're ideal if you can cover the full amount of bail. If you don't, then a surety bond is a better option. This is where you pay a small percentage to a bondsman, and they'll cover the rest of the bail as long as you show up to court. With a property bond, you can use your home as collateral instead of money.
Work With a Competent Bail Bondsman
So that getting this bail bond is a stress-free process from start to finish, you need to really consider the bail bondsman you work with. After all, not all of them are created equal. Some will be much better to work with than others. To find out who's reputable and who's not, check out consumer reports.
You can find these online through legal directories and they'll let you know about the reputation of bail bondsmen. Look for a bondsman with mostly positive reviews. Also assess the fees of these bondsmen so that you end up getting the best deal on the bond.
Understand Your Contractual Obligations
When you get a bond from a bail bondsman, you'll have to sign a contract to make this agreement official. Before doing so, it's in your best interest to look over the contract in great detail. You need to know what obligations you have to meet for the bondsman to cover the bail amount.
Pay particular attention to when the person in jail has to show up to court. If they miss a court date — even just one — then you may have to cover their full amount of bail. That's the last thing you need happening during this stressful time.
Posting bail is a pretty standard procedure for those who end up in jail. Sometimes, getting a bail bond is required to do this. If it is, make sure you follow the right protocol to avoid future complications. Contact a company like ABC Bail Bonds to learn more.
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