When someone you love has been arrested, it is only natural to want to do everything in your power to help them get out on bail. Even if that means that you are going to have to be a co-signer with a bail bondsman. However, before you take this leap, you will want to make sure you are protecting yourself since being a co-signer makes you ultimately responsible for the money should the defendant fail to appear in court. Ajua Bail Bonds is here to talk about some things that a co-signer can do to protect themselves when they help someone they love get out of jail on bail.
Ways to Protect Yourself as a Bail Bond Cosigner
There are things that a bail bond co-signer can do to protect themselves throughout the process.
– Understand the Agreement: Before you sign anything, make sure that the bail bondsman explains everything about the agreement that you’re signing. You will need to know and understand the terms clearly. Things like the total bail amount, payment terms, legal and financial obligations, as well as what happens if the defendant fails to appear in court.
– Defendant’s History: Another thing that you will want to be fully aware of is the defendant’s history and reliability. If they have been arrested before, did they appear in court when they were supposed to? You need to know what kind of person you’re dealing with regardless of how you feel about them.
– Collateral: Some co-signers will demand that the defendant gives them something as collateral in case they fail to appear in court and the co-signer is left with the bill. It might be jewelry, property deeds, vehicles, or other forms of collateral.
– Maintain Contact: It is important to maintain contact with the defendant throughout the process. Keep an eye on them and make sure they’re following all the rules. You may even want to go as far as to offer help with transportation and accompany them to their court date. You can encourage them to fulfill all of the legal obligations that they have as well. There are many ways that you can help to support at the same time that you keep contact with them.
– Bail Bond Company: When you’re choosing the right bail bond company to work with to help you get someone out on bail, make sure you’re choosing the right one. Make sure the fees aren’t astronomical and that they have a good reputation for being honest and easy to work with. This isn’t anything that you can’t find out in google reviews.
Bail Bond Services in Clovis, Reedley, Sanger, Selma, Atwater, Los Banos, Merced, Visalia, Porterville, Tulare, Hanford, Corcoran, Lemoore & Greater Fresno, CA
If you have someone that you love in jail and needs to get out on bail, you can reach out to Ajua Bail Bonds for the help that you need. We will help you get your loved one home where they belong. Call us today!
