If a close friend of yours gets arrested for a crime, he or she will have the opportunity to get released from jail by paying the bail amount set by the jail. Once this amount is paid, your friend will get released. The big question is should you help your friend by offering to pay the money? Before you rush to the jail with the cash, there are several things you should consider.
Will Your Friend Follow Court Orders?
Bail is something that allows a person to get out of jail, but it does not erase the crime. Your friend will be required to go through a court process for the crime he or she committed. When your friend's bail is paid, the amount paid will be refunded to the person who paid it if he or she appears in court. If your friend does not appear in court on the correct day and time, the court will not refund this money.
If you loan money for bail, you are taking a risk. As long as your friend follows through with the requirements, you will get the money. If not, you will lose the money you paid for the bail, and it will be up to you to try to get your friend to repay you this money.
Can You Afford It?
Bail amounts can vary. In some cases, they can be as low as $25, but in others they can cost thousands of dollars. If you do not have enough cash, there will be nothing you can personally do to help your friend. If you do have the cash, it's up to you if you want to use it.
Keep in mind, if you bail him or her out, you will most likely get the money back. You will not usually get all of it back though. When the jail refunds the bail money, they may deduct fees from the money paid.
Would It Be Easier To Hire A Bail Bondsman?
If you are not sure if you really want to bail your friend out with your own money, you could always consider talking to a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen are companies that will pay the bail for people who are arrested. They charge fees for this service, but hiring a bail bondman for this purpose is the easiest way for a person to get out of jail.
If you would like to learn more about this, contact a company that offers bail bonds today.
For a bail bonds company, contact an organization such as Absolute Bail Bonds.
