Bail Bonds: Three Things To Remember

If you've been arrested and put behind bars, the first thing on your mind is probably going to be getting out. If you're lucky, the judge will quickly set an amount which will put you back on the streets. Then it is up to you to come up with that amount. For many people, this would be very difficult if not for bail bonds companies. These companies (sometimes in the form of a single individual) put up the majority of money for a fee. If you can afford the fee, you can get out of jail. As long as you don't skip, the money will come back to the bondsman, and everything works out. Before you choose someone, however, here are three things you should keep in mind.

Financing

Some bail bonds companies treat their clients as though they were taking a loan out from a bank. If you don't have enough money to cover the fees, they may loan it to you, but there may be financing charges attached. Whether or not you feel this is ethical is immaterial. What matters is that you are fully aware of what you're getting into. If you don't want to pay financing charges, find a company that doesn't attach them to the loan. If you can't, then try any means you can to come up with the money for the fees. Also remember to compare the financing charges to other means of borrowing money. It may be cheaper to charge it on a credit card.

Patience

If you find a bail bonds company that responds and files your payment quickly, you've done everything you can do. Likewise, so has the company. Unfortunately, even under the best of circumstances, the wheels of justice can be excruciatingly slow. If you've ever wondered why an emergency room is so slow, or the DMV, keep in mind that you're generally dealing with the same system. There are more pressing concerns than your situation. Even if you moved as quickly as possible, you may have to wait a few days before finally being released. Hold your tongue and keep your patience about you. There's little to nothing your jailors can do about it.

Licensing

Don't make the mistake of going outside the system. A good bail bonds company will be fully licensed to practice their trade in your state and will probably be familiar with the various judges and the people in charge at the jail. This is the type of company you want to work with. Just making sure you're dealing with a seasoned professional will take much of the stress from the proceedings. It will also likely speed up the process, although not always.