What to Know Before Signing a Bail Bond Contract

Posted on: 3 October 2019

Before you decide to bail a friend out of jail, you should thoroughly think through this decision, as you will be obligated to repay the bail bond if you are the one signing the contract. While it is not impossible to get out of a bail bond after getting one, it is very difficult, and there are several things you should know if you decide you want to get out of a bail bond contract after signing one.

You will lose the fee you pay

When taking out a bail bond, there is a fee you have to pay no matter what, and this fee is considered a non-refundable fee. This fee is not always extremely high, but it can be as it is dependent upon the amount of the bail. If the bail is $100,000, for example, you should expect to pay $10,000 for this non-refundable fee. You will not receive this back no matter what, even if the court drops or dismisses the case. This is the cost of the bail bond, and you will never get the money back.

You owe the bail bond if the defendant skips town

Secondly, you should weigh this decision carefully before bailing someone out with a bail bond, as you will become the person responsible to pay it if the defendant skips town. If the bond is $100,000 like in the previous example, you will owe this amount of money. The bail bond agent you sign a contract with will be putting up this much money to get your friend out of jail. If the person skips town, the jail and court will not release the money back to the person who paid it, and this means you will be the one who owes the money if this happens.

There is really only one way out of a bail bond

The other thing to know is that there are only two ways to get out of repaying the bond. The first is to make sure the defendant follows every single requirement, including going to all court hearings. If this happens, the court will release the bail money, and this will satisfy the contract you signed.

If you are planning on signing a bail bond contract to help out a friend who is in jail, make sure you fully trust the person. To learn more or to get started with the process, contact a bail bondsman such as First Choice Bail Bonds.

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