Freedom! 3 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Agreeing To Sign With A Bail Bondsman
Posted on: 9 May 2017
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It's difficult to digest that Americans are 7 times more likely to end up in jail in America than any other citizens in other countries. With that in mind, it's not a surprise that you might receive a dreaded call one day from a family member or friend looking for you to bail them out. If you can't afford to put up the entire bail amount, you can look into the possibilities of hiring a bail bondsman and signing up for a bail bond. This basically means that you pay a certain percentage of the bail amount. This amount is non-refundable. You also agree to take on all responsibilities should the defendant fail to appear in court. Before you agree for the sake of your family member or friend, here are 3 questions you should ask yourself.
The Nature of the Crime and the Potential Consequences to Follow
Before all else, you should consider the nature of the crime that the defendant is being accused of committing. Consider the type of charges and consequences that might follow if the defendant is found guilty. The more serious the crime, then the higher the bail and the more responsibilities you'll likely have to take on. If the consequences are rather severe, there's a higher likelihood that the defendant might try to skip town. This will leave you responsible with paying for the entire sum of the bail.
The Financial Stability of the Defendant Calling and the Bail Amount Versus Your Financial Situation
If you agree to sign for the bail bond, you'll be held responsible for paying the entire sum should the defendant fail to show up in court. This means that you could be potentially taking up a lot of debt. You'll also have to pay a non-refundable premium. Talk it out with the defendant first to determine who will be paying the premium. You should also consider whether the defendant has any assets that they are willing to put up collateral, as a guarantee that they won't skip town. Otherwise, you might have to put up your own assets for collateral.
Whether the Bail Bondsman Will Drive the Defendant to Court
Some terms and conditions are rather strict. You might be on the hook for paying the entire sum of the bail if the defendant was just late to court and missed their proceedings. Before you agree to take on the responsibilities, consider whether the bail bondsman is willing to drive the defendant to court on the day of their hearing, and whether the bail bondsman will follow up with the defendant in the meantime to reduce the chances of anything wrong happening.
Conclusion
Consider the type of responsibilities associated with signing the bail bond, and whether you are ready for it. A bail bondsman can slowly walk you through what to expect and the entire process. They can even help the defendant negotiate for a more reasonable bail amount if the defendant hasn't been fully processed yet.
For more information, you will want to contact Bail Bond BY Affordable Bonding.