An arrest is typically very stressful, especially since many charges require a person to be held in jail. Luckily, many charges do not require a person to be held until their initial court date, and bail is typically set by a judge. However, depending on what the charge is, bail can be set at thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, which is an amount that few people can pay easily out of pocket. This is where bail bond companies come in as a solution to that problem. With a bail bond company, only a small percentage of the bail amount is required. Working with a bail bond company is wise, but people can still make mistakes. Avoid these common bail bond mistakes:

Working with a Bail Bond Company That Isn't Licensed

When a loved one calls you and says that they have been arrested and needs to be bailed out, it is easy to go into panic mode. But, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pay close attention to the bail bond company that you choose to work with. A person can not simply decide to set up a bail bond company — it is a highly regulated industry that requires being licensed and bail bond companies must abide by a number of rules and mandates. Before you move forward with a bail bond company, always take the time to ensure that they are licensed by the state.

Not Abiding by the Rules While Waiting to Go to Court

If someone has co-signed on a bail bond on your behalf, you need to avoid not abiding by the rules while waiting to go to court. Do not travel out of state without notifying the bail bond company and the court. Make sure that you don't get arrested and charged with anything else while out on bail. Your best bet is to live a very low-key lifestyle to help ensure that nothing goes wrong between the time you are released from jail on bail and your first court date.

Not Showing Up for Court

Once you know the date and time of your first court appearance, it is imperative that you do everything possible to be there. If you don't show up in court, you and the person who co-signed on your bail bond will be responsible for paying the entire amount of your bail back to the bail bond company. You will also face still legal consequences for not showing up to court. 

Contact a local bail bond agency to learn more.

Share