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A request from someone to post bail is startling and confusing, especially if you’ve never done it before. While your first instinct may be to ask questions and get details, refrain and ask only what you need to know, such as the location and the amount of the bail. When someone has been arrested and doesn’t want to spend time in jail, time is of the essence.

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.

Most bail bond companies charge a non-refundable fee of at least 10%, so that if bail is set at $5,000 for example, you will need $500 in cash to obtain it. They will ask about your relationship to the defendant, what you know about his background, employment, living arrangements, and any other personal information you might have. Of course, they will also get a report from the police on the details of the arrest. Then, on the strength of what they learn about the arrested person, if the bondsmen believe that the defendant might not show up for trial, they can request extra collateral from you in the form of real or personal property. This means you may be asked to back the loan with property worth the full amount of the bail in addition to the ten percent fee, meaning you may be putting your house, your car and any other valued property at risk.

With this in mind, it’s obviously better to take the money from your bank account than from a bail bond company — if you can afford it, of course. Whichever method you opt for, you should be aware that the process won’t be cheap. Even the most open-and-shut court proceedings are costly. After paying lawyers and court fees, the person you bailed out will probably be in debt, and you’ll just be one of the people to whom he or she owes money. You’ll want to carefully consider whether you should post bail for anyone unless you’re able to comfortably shell out a substantial amount of cash for an indefinite period of time.

If you’re searching for an experienced bail bondsman in the Miami, Florida area, call on Blandon Bail Bonds. Their family owned operation offers the lowest legal rates, and provides bilingual agents available to assist you 24/7. They specialize in South Florida but can place bail bonds nationwide. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services