Teaching Kids to Be Responsible with Money

What Are Your Responsibilities When Using A Bail Bond Agent?

by Ian Wallace

If the dreaded event of getting arrested happens to you, the first thought you might have is how you can get out. Getting out of jail is not overly complicated in most cases, as most people are given the opportunity to pay bail money for their release. If you use a bail bond agent, you will spend less to get out, but you should know that you will have some responsibilities with this arrangement. Here are the main ones you might have if you use a bail bond agent's services to get out of jail.

Pay the Required Fees

One thing you are responsible for is paying the fees to the bail bond agent. The agent will pay your bail and settle your bill with the jail, but they will not do this until you pay the required fees. The fees are usually around 10% of your bail amount. It depends on your case, situation, and agent.

Go to Court

The bail bond agent agrees to pay your bail in exchange for several things. The fee is one of these things, but attending court is another. You must attend every court hearing that the court schedules for the case related to the bail. If you have other pending charges, you might have other court hearings, too. You must also attend these. You cannot skip court for any reason unless you notify your lawyer beforehand.

Avoid Certain Things

The bail bond agent might give you a list of things to avoid. If they do, you must take this list seriously and avoid doing the things on it. For example, it might state that you cannot use alcohol or drugs while you are out on bail. If this is the case, you must abide by this rule.

Call or Visit the Bail Bond Agent as Required

Finally, the bail bond agent might set some requirements in place regarding check-ins. For example, they might state that you must call them every Friday while you have an open case. In some cases, they might let a person email them instead. In severe situations, a bail bond agent might ask the person to stop by their office once a week during this time.

You can get out of jail before your trial if you pay the required bail money. If you need assistance paying it, call your local bail bond agent for information on how to proceed.

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