When the worst happens and a loved one is arrested, you may not know what to do next. If you’ve never bailed anyone out of jail before, you may not even know what all information you need. Here is the information you will need to collect to get your loved one out of jail:
1. First, you will need their personal information like name, address, phone number, and if possible, their SSI or driver’s license number so you can locate them in the court system.
2. Then you will need to find out where they are being held. If you do not know or your loved one did not tell you over the phone, you can find this information by looking them up on the county court’s website or calling the arresting police station or county court.
3. Next, find out your loved one’s booking status. If they are just detained, you may not need to bail them out and will have to wait to see if there are charges brought against them. It is only after they have been charged, jailed, and arraigned in court that you will be able to get them out.
4. After the arraignment, you will need to determine their bail amount. The judge will set this amount in court and it will vary depending on the specifics of the charges against your loved one.
5. If bail is necessary, collect your financial information so you can determine what financial resources you have available to pay their bail.
6. Finally, contact a bail bondsman. Bail is usually set at a very high rate that most people cannot afford. Fortunately, courts will allow you to pay a percentage of the bail upfront with the contingency you will pay the rest if your loved one does not show up to court. A bail bondsman can help guide you through the bail process and come up with a variety of payment options.
If there is any information you cannot find or are missing, we can help. We will work with you from arrest to trial date, so that you fully understand the bail process. So if this is your first time bailing someone out of jail, don’t worry because we’re here to help! Contact us today to learn more about our services and get your loved one out of jail as quickly as possible!
