Part of being there for a friend might take you places you never anticipated. Many people are called upon by friends in need from time to time and one major need is that of getting out of jail. It's not just painful to envision a friend in jail. Those who remain incarcerated while awaiting trial are unable to fully take part in planning their defense. To find what you need to know when bailing out a friend, read on.
It's Not Necessarily Just About the Money
Bailing someone out of jail places a responsibility on you that you should know about before you act. In most cases, bail is too high for most people to pay. Fortunately, bail bonding companies are there to assist you in bailing out your friend for a fraction of the cost. Better still, your friend may repay you for the bail premium or fee you had to pay the bail bonding company. But because of the way bail works, you may still be responsible if you signed the bail bonding agreement.
How Bonding Companies Work
If your friend is being charged $15,000 in bail, it's not necessary to pay that amount to get them released from jail. Working with a bail bonding company, you will pay a percentage of the full bail instead. The actual percentage you pay varies from place to place but is always a lot cheaper than the full amount. The money you pay a bonding agent is known as a premium. In return for paying the premium, the bonding company works with the jail by agreeing to pay them the full amount of the bail if certain conditions are not met.
What to Know About Bail Conditions
Your friend must return for their court dates and meet other conditions or their bail could be revoked and they could be arrested and jailed again. If they fail to appear and the bail is revoked, you might be responsible for paying the full amount of the bail to the bonding company. Other bail conditions to be aware of include not being arrested again, staying away from alleged victims, not carrying weapons, and more.
Doing Your Part to Prevent Problems
Keep a close watch on your friend while they are out on bail and remind them of upcoming court dates. If they need a ride to court and some support during the process, be there both as a friend and as someone with a lot to lose if they fail to cooperate with bail conditions.
To learn more about getting a friend out of jail using a bail bond, speak to a bonding company near you. You can also contact a bail bond company like Raymond Martinez Attorney at Law.
