Getting a Bail Bond

So, you are sitting in jail and want to go home until your court hearing. What do you do now? How do you go about arranging bail? Who do you call and what needs to be done? These are all questions that must be answered if you intend to post bail and possibly go home and wait until your trial. Hopefully, this article will shed some light on the bail bond process and let you know what to expect if you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation.You Contact a Bail Bond CompanyThe first step is to contact a company that can post your bail. Chances are you will not have the amount of money that is required by the court for bail so you will have to get the rest from a credible bail bondsman. Since you are sitting in jail, your lawyer, family member or friend will do this for you. First contact is generally done by phone.Bail Bond Company Feels Out Your SituationOf course the bondsman will want to know all of your personal details. What are the charges? Do you have a job? Do you have any assets? Basically, the bail bond company is trying to determine if you are a flight risk. Are you worthy of getting your bond paid. You might be required to put up collateral.You Pay the Bail Bond CompanyIf both the bail bondsman and you feel like this is a good fit, then you will have to sign paperwork and pay for their services. Generally the amount that is paid is around ten percent of the bail amount set by the court. This amount is not an amount that is set by the bailsman. This amount is set by the state. Although, this is usually an amount that is more than the average person can pay, many times the bail company might have different payment plans to choose from.The Paperwork is SignedWhen you purchase a bail bond, you will be required to sign a few forms such as the Bail Bond Agreement and a Notice to the Indemnitor. The first form basically is an agreement between the bail company and person paying the fees saying that they are both responsible for making sure that the defendant will show up for court. The last form is signed by the bail signer that indicates that they know that they are responsible for getting the defendant to court.Bail is PostedOnce the paperwork is signed and the fees are paid, your bail will be posted in a matter of a few hours. The bailsman will bring the money to wherever you are being detained and you will be released until your court date.Usually this works out without a hitch. You put up 10% of the bail amount. The bail bond company put up the remaining. If you show up in court as agreed, everyone will be happy. The court will give back the bail money to the bail company. The bail bond company will keep the 10% that you put up for bail as money for services rendered. The court is happy. The bail company is paid and you get out of jail.