Should You Bail Your Person Out Of Jail?
Posted on: 19 September 2018
When someone that you know gets themselves arrested, they may call you for help with bail. Is bailing out your person something that you really should do? What are the risks? How do you decide if bailing them out wouldn't be a mistake? Here, you'll find a few things that can help you decide if bail is the right move to make.
Who is the person to you?
Seriously – who is the person to you? Why should you be responsible to bail that person out? If the person needing bail isn't special to you, chances are, you aren't special to him or her and the chances of skipping bail increase greatly. If you're bailing out a person that you aren't sure how loyal they are to you, give pause before moving forward. If you know in your heart that the person will show up in court, go for it.
Can you afford to post bail?
There are different types of bail – cash bail, surety bond, property bond or ROR (released on own recognizance).
Cash Bail – The full set bail amount must be paid in full. Some courts accept checks, money orders or credit cards in place of cash.
Surety Bond – A person, not the accused, pledges to pay the bond in full if the person doesn't show up in court. This bond is supported through an insurance company in which you'd pay a fee to.
Property Bond – Property that is valued at twice the value of the bail cost can be put up as collateral.
ROR – The judge didn't require bail – the person is out of jail pending court dates.
Once you know your options, you'll have a better idea of how much money you'll need to put up to get your person out of jail. You will need to discuss the options with a local bail bondsman to learn their fees and all of the other costs associated with bailing someone out of jail.
Can you monitor the person?
Will you be able to keep track of the person you're bailing out of jail? Now that you've posted bail, it's your responsibility to make sure that he or she shows up for court when requested. Failure to appear will cost you the bail and the person will go back to jail.
It's difficult to decide if it's better to leave someone behind bars or to get them out. It can be even more difficult to decide if they're worth the financial risk. Give it some thought, talk with a bondsman, like Martinez, Raymond, and make the decision that best protects you.
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