One of the most nerve-racking phone calls you can get is from somebody that has been locked up in jail, using their only call to get in touch with you to get released on bail. More times than not, it is at night, waking the person up on the receiving end of the phone. This call is often very quick, but what do you do in this situation? Here is a small guide to help you understand the steps to take when somebody calls you asking you to post bail.
Table of Contents
Assess The Individual Calling
If you are going to post bail for a person that you haven’t ever met before, you need to be able to trust them completely. They must show up to their court dates; if they don’t, you both lose. Don’t be afraid to pass and not post bail if the individual seems like they may skip town once they are released. You will be left with a massive fine if they do skip out.
Some people may seem like they will show up to court, but they don’t always do it. You should only post bail for close friends and family, people that don’t want to cause any additional harm to you or themselves.
Get in Touch With a Bail Agent
If you decide to post bail for a friend or family member, contact a professional Utah County bail bonds agent or a bail bond agent in your state or county. The agent will then walk you through the entire bail process so that you can understand your duties as the person posting bail for the defendant. You will also be informed of any fees and be provided with a timeline of events regarding bail. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions, and also make sure you are getting a trustworthy bail bonds agent.
Pay Necessary Fees
In order for you to execute the bail bond, you must pay the bail bond agent a certain fee. That fee is based on what bail for the defendant was set at, but it is usually about 10-15 percent of the total bail. If the defendant can’t pay the 10-15 percent, they can ask somebody for help. The defendant must also include something as collateral to ensure they will show up to court, like a house or something with more or the same value as the total bail. So that if the defendant doesn’t show up to court, the bail agent can use that to pay the bail off.
Ensure Defendant Appears To all Their Court Dates
As soon as the defendant is released, it is up to you to ensure they appear on all their court dates. If they miss out on any court appearances, you will become entirely accountable and have to pay the entire bail amount. Sometimes those bail amounts can be excruciatingly large amounts of money, so be careful about whom you post bail for. Although some can be large amounts of money, there are also some that can be very small amounts.
Conclusion
Posting bail can sometimes be a difficult decision due to the finances involved. Sometimes we can’t help our family or friend post bail because we are late on rent and scraping by paycheck to paycheck. That is ok, you can ask your friends if they can help, which might do the trick. If you talk to your bail bonds agent, I’m sure there is another way they will work with you and come up with the 10-15 percent of the total bail so that your family or whomever it is can be released from jail ASAP.
