It's a good idea to help out your friends when they're in a bind, but posting bail for someone is a big decision that shouldn't be made lightly.Take a long, hard look at the situation and your relationship with the person to see if you should post bail.You don't want to put up a lot of money for bail if you're going to lose.
Step 1: Find out why the person was arrested.
If someone calls you and wants you to post bail for them, learning why they were arrested can help you better evaluate what's happening and how likely they are to show up in court.The more serious the charges, the more likely the person will flee.If that person is convicted or tried, they will lose a lot.Even if a person is acquitted of a crime, they can still lose their job or community respect.Is the charges out of character for that particular person?If you knew the person was involved with illegal drugs, and you suspected they were going to get arrested, you wouldn't be surprised.
Step 2: Listen to their side of the story.
You're not likely to get an impartial account of what happened, and the person will often proclaim their innocence.Understanding their perspective will give you more insight into their thought processes and how likely they are not to skip bail.Think about the person's demeanor on the phone.Being arrested and being in jail can be frightening and traumatic, and the person may understandably be angry or fearful.Assessing the person's demeanor can give you an idea of how likely they are to flee once they're out of jail.If you want to get your money back, someone who is calm and accepting may be more likely to make their court dates.It's possible that the person won't tell you what happened while they're behind bars.They may be concerned that their conversation is being recorded.
Step 3: If there's anyone else they could ask, learn about it.
You need to assess the person's resources if you just ask this question.If they know someone who is closer to you than you are, they should ask you first.If someone is in jail, they usually call the first person that comes to their mind.The fact that they called you may have less to do with your relationship with them and more with their recollection of your phone number.Depending on the person's background and history, they may be ashamed to call a family member or close friend for help.They may have something to do with what they did.They may call you because they think you would be more understanding and forgive them if they had a history with drugs.You shouldn't feel obligated to bail someone out just because they called.If it makes more sense for their parents or spouse to bail them out, you can get in touch with them.
Step 4: Understand the risks that are involved.
On the other hand, if you skip bail, you risk losing your money.If you insert yourself in the situation, there may be other risks.It may not be the best idea to help someone get out of jail.If you get a call from a friend who has been arrested for domestic violence, you have to consider if that person will continue to abuse or harass their partner if they get out.Sometimes bailing someone out can be seen as taking sides, which can cause problems with other friends or family members.If the person says they don't want to call a spouse or family member and ask for bail, you should ask yourself why.
Step 5: Ask how much bail they are on.
Before you can accurately assess your financial ability to post bail for them, you need to know how much money will be needed.If you know the total amount of the bail, you can decide if you want to pay it directly to the court or through a bail bond agent.advise them to hire an attorney if they don't know how much bail they're going to get
Step 6: You should talk to a criminal defense attorney.
Before bailing someone out of jail, it is a good idea to talk to an attorney.The person could be released on their own recognizance, which would make bail unnecessary.The criminal defense attorney will have the experience to evaluate the case and understand whether the bail might be raised, which would mean you wasted your money unless you can somehow come up with the higher amount to bail them out again.If bail is required, you can usually get a lower fee from the bail agent.The person is not obligated to hire an attorney if they speak to one.You aren't necessarily looking for an attorney to represent them.It is usually free of charge for attorneys to give you initial advice on something like this.
Step 7: Information about the person can be listed.
You need to know the person's full legal name, their home address, and any places they frequent such as work or school.The bail bond agent will take care of the bail for you if you give them this information.If you don't know this basic information about the person, you should not make such a commitment.You can offer to contact someone who is in a better position to bail them out than you are, and who would be more comfortable making that commitment.
Step 8: Think about the times you've helped them.
If the person who wants you to post bail for them has helped you out in the past, you may be willing to help pay them back.You need to look at whether you helped them in the past and what happened afterwards.If the person has paid you back on time in the past, and you've let them borrow from you before, you might want to post bail for them.The person you've helped in the past doesn't need financial help.General indications that the person is reliable are what you're looking for.You are promising someone that they will attend court hearings if you bail them out.You should have a strong sense that they will do this.
Step 9: Should you trust them?
It is possible that the person has never asked for help or leaned on you.Whether you post bail for them depends on how much you trust them not to skip out on their responsibilities.This is the decision you are going to make.You're going to help the person if you trust them.This covers both your belief that they will show up for court dates and that you will be acquitted of the charges if they have sworn they are innocent.The person may not have told you they were innocent.They may have admitted that they committed the crime.The most important thing is whether you trust them to stand trial and attend court hearings.
Step 10: They may be able to pay you back.
You won't be willing to post bail for someone unless they can pay you back at some point.You should promise to help them in writing if you agree to do so.The two of you will have an agreement with the person.Your trust for that person is one of the aspects of your relationship that will come into play.It might not be worth it to take them to court if they don't pay you back, even if you signed a written contract.If the person makes a plea agreement that involves jail time, you have to consider what will happen.It will be awhile before they can make good on their promise, even if they have agreed to pay you back.
Step 11: Know the bail bond contract.
If you've never bailed someone out before, you need to know how a bail bond works.Before you decide to bail the person out, you should speak to a licensed bail bond professional.You're most likely going to use a bond agent to bail the person out.If you pay the bail directly to the court, you will have more money tied up than if you do this.Even if the charges are dropped, you won't get back the money you paid to the bond agent.The fee a bond agent charges you is usually a percentage of the total amount of bail set by the court.If your friend's bail is set at $5,000, you can either pay it to the court or a percentage of it.If you pay the court $5,000 and your friend shows up for all court hearings, you will get your money back when the case is over.If you gave $500 to a bond agent to get your friend out of jail, you wouldn't get it back.
Step 12: Take a look at your income and assets.
Before you can post bail, you have to have enough money to pay the bail bond professional.It may be months before you get your collateral back, so don't part with more than you can afford.You won't get your money back until the person's case is over and they've made all court appearances.It can take a month or two before your collateral is released.If you post a cash bond, it can be used for the person's court costs, fines, or other fees even if they don't show up for court.You wouldn't get your money back.Make sure to look over your budget.If you remove a large amount from your cash flow it will make it hard for you to pay your bills.
Step 13: What will happen if the person skips bail?
You need to make sure that the bail you post is something you're willing to lose if the person skips bail.If you pay the amount of the bail directly to the court, this will be less of a loss than if you go through a bail bond agent.It's something to keep in mind.If you decide to go that route, you should talk to the bail bond agent to make sure you understand the contract and your responsibilities should the person for whom you're posting bail decide not to show.If you pay bail directly to the court, that money may be used to cover court costs or fines after the case is closed.Even if they make their court appearances, you may never see that money again.
Step 14: Make sure to keep in touch.
If you agree to bail the person out, you need to keep in touch with them until their court date and make sure you know where they are and what they're doing.If you pay the bail directly to the court, you will be responsible for making sure the person you bail out makes court appearances.You want to keep in touch with the person until their case is over, even if you go through a bond agent.Keep an eye on what's happening with their case.If you're not willing to keep in touch with the person, you shouldn't post bail.