Getting arrested is an event that happens to many people, yet it can be a huge inconvenience to the person arrested and their friends and family. If you have a friend who gets arrested, they might call you to ask for some help. If you are considering helping your friend, you might have questions about it and reservations. Before you agree to help, you might want to consider the following four things. Knowing these things will help you determine how to proceed.
1. The Basic Details Relating to the Arrest
Helping someone get out of jail normally begins with a phone call. The person who gets arrested decides who to call for help. If this person calls you, it is likely because they think you will help them get out of jail. When you receive this call, you will need to find out several things before you can decide if you want to help. You will also need to know some information to start working on the bail process.
The first thing to find out is the jail's location. When you receive the call, you will probably receive a message stating which jail it is. You should also find out the charges the person has against them and the cost of the cash bail. You can ask them for their inmate number, too, as this can be a helpful thing to know when assisting with the bail process.
2. The Options You Can Choose to Bail Them Out
The jail will not release the person until they have the okay to release them, and people in jail can get out with several methods. In some cases, the court will approve an ROR — a release on one's own recognizance. An ROR lets a person out of jail without paying any money. Instead, the person agrees to follow the court's rules. While this happens in some cases, it is not the most common method for getting released.
You can also get out of jail by paying bail. Bail is something you can pay with cash or through the assistance of a bail bond agent. You can ask the jail for the bail amount. If you are comfortable paying it, you can pay the money to get your friend released. If you are not comfortable paying it, you can hire a bail bond agent to pay the bail money.
3. The Risks You Take When Bailing Someone Out
Before bailing the person out, you might want to consider the risks you take when bailing them out. If you sign a bail bond agreement with an agent, you will be responsible to pay the agent the full bail cost if your friend does not show up to court. This is the main risk you take, and you should think about it carefully before proceeding.
4. The Responsibilities of the Defendant After Getting Out of Jail with Bail
You should also ask the bail bond agent about the defendant's responsibilities. When the jail lets the person out after paying the bail money, the defendant is not completely free. Instead, they must attend their court hearings. They might also have to attend probation meetings. They will likely have many responsibilities to follow and complete after being released, and you might need to ensure that they do these things.
Are you ready to help someone get out of jail? If so, do you understand the risks? Do you understand the steps to achieve this goal? If you need help with this event, please call a local bail bond agent as soon as possible. They can provide further instructions and help to you.
