When a friend or relative has been arrested, you must act quickly to get him, or her bailed out of jail promptly.
Rather than go into debt to pay the bail or bond amount, you can instead secure it by contacting a bail bond company.
Before you contact the bail bonds agencies in your area, you need to know how to choose the best one for your loved one’s situation.
These six simple yet critical tips can lead you to a reliable bail bondsman.
Know the Bail or Bond Type and Amount
The bail bond agent that you contact will ask you for information that you must know before you can arrange for your loved one’s bail or bond.
You must know, for example, if the arraignment judge requires the person to post a cash, surety, or property bond.
You also must know the amount for which the judge set the bail or bond.
Ask Detention Officers for Advice
If you have never before used a bail bonds service, the chances are that you have no idea of how to locate the best one in your area.
However, you can ask the detention officers at the facility where your loved one is jailed for advice.
Many detention officers work closely with bail bond agents daily to secure people’s release from jail.
Speak to Your Loved One’s Defense Attorney
You can also find out what bail bond agent to contact in your area by speaking to your loved one’s defense attorney. Defense lawyers also work closely with bail bonds companies.
The attorney can typically tell you which agencies charge the lowest rates and which ones can post bail or bond quickly to get your loved one out of jail.
Research Fees
If you or your loved one cannot pay off the bail or bond in a single payment, you need to find a bail bonds service that accepts payment plans.
You also need to research how much the fees are on top of whatever you borrow for the bail or bond amount. Most states only allow bail bondsman to charge 10 per cent in fees.
Avoid Cheap Bail Bonds
Cheap bail bonds can signal one of two things: A scam or a serious lack of experience in the bail bonds industry.
Avoid cheap bail bonds to stay away from scam artists who want to take advantage of you and your loved one.
Also, avoid them if you want to stay clear of bail bond agents who cannot deliver quality services for your loved ones.
Read Online Reviews
You can find a good bail bond agent by reading online reviews. Prior customers often leave online reviews of their bail bondsmen.
You can use these reviews to find the one that can offer the best, fastest, and most affordable services.
These six simple tips can guide you to the best bail bondsman. You can get your loved one out of jail quickly after his or her arrest.