Hearing that a friend or loved one is in jail can cause anxiousness. You may find that you will do anything to get them home as soon as possible. For some, this means cosigning on a bail bond. Before you do that, you may want to know what your responsibilities are in the contract. Ajua Bail Bonds is here to talk about some considerations you may want to make before cosigning on a bail bond.
Responsibilities of a Cosigner on a Bail Bond
1. You are agreeing to pay for the bail bonds services you are receiving. When you sign as a cosigner on a bail bond, you may pay for the entire amount upfront using a credit or debit card. Some people pay a large portion and are able to set up some sort of payment plan with the bail bond agency they are working with. When this happens, many people let the defendant pay the payments. However, if the defendant stops making those payments at any time, the responsibility to pay the remaining balance falls on the cosigner. Unfortunately, when a cosigner feels this isn’t fair and doesn’t pay this amount, it will have adverse effects on the cosigner’s credit score, not the defendant.
2. You are guaranteeing the defendant will show up for their court date. If this point is unclear, or you don’t fully understand what you are signing in this contract, now would be the time to ask a lot of questions until the terms are completely clear to the cosigner.
3. Not everyone can be a cosigner. If you are planning to cosign on a bail bond, you should know if you are eligible or not. You have to have appropriate credit, a stable income, be a citizen of the United States, and to have lived in the same geographical area for a certain amount of time to qualify.
4. When a defendant doesn’t show up for court, there may be more fees. It is important that you get the defendant to all of their court dates. If they don’t show up for any reason, the cosigner could be facing additional fees.
Bail Bond Cosigners Can Include Stipulations Before Signing
Before cosigning on a bail bond, the cosigner may want to make some stipulations as part of the agreement. These may include doctor evaluations, attending a drug program in search of professional help and more. If any of these stipulations aren’t met, the cosigner can ask the bail bond agency to cancel the bond and return the defendant to jail.
Bail Bond Services in Selma & Fresno County, Atwater & Merced County, Visalia & Tulare County, Hanford & Kings County, Madera County and the Central Valley of California
No one wants to see their loved ones spending any time in jail. If you or your loved ones find yourself in legal trouble and wind up in jail, Ajua Bail Bonds offer bail bond services that will assist you in getting home as soon as possible. We will work with eligible cosigners to get those you love back home where they belong. Call us today!
