A friend or loved one gets arrested and you get a call asking you to bail them out of jail. It can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to do.
First, find out where the person is being held. You can usually get that information by calling the agency.
Know the Charges
Sitting in jail while awaiting your court date can interfere with your ability to work, sleep and focus on your case. The good news is that most people arrested in low-level crimes (usually misdemeanors) can get out of jail if they pay a set amount of money to the court or a bail bonds company.
After an arrest, the person will be brought to a local police station for “booking.” This process involves recording fingerprints and photos, running a background check and checking for outstanding warrants. Then, the judge will determine bail.
Once the judge sets bail, you can pay that amount to the jail and they’ll release your friend or loved one. However, it’s important to know that it can take hours for a jail to actually release someone once they’ve been bailed out. In some cases, the judge may consider the defendant a flight risk and deny their bail. Factors such as employment status, family in the area and previous convictions may play into this decision.
Learn the Person’s Booking Status
Knowing how to bail someone out of jail is a life skill that many people don’t think about until they need it. If you’ve heard that a loved one has been arrested the first thing to do is figure out where they are being held.
Most people will be held in the county where they were arrested. However, if the jail is full they may be moved to another county you can find out this information by searching online for the county’s inmate locator.
The website will usually list the names of all inmates. This will help you find the person you’re looking for quickly. Then, you can determine if they are eligible to be released on their own recognizance or if the court will set bail. You can also learn how much bail is expected to be if it has been set. You can use cash, property or a professional bonding company to post bail for the person.
Arrange a Ride for the Person
It’s important to figure out the person’s booking status and what their bail amount is. Some places will accept a signature bond, in which many friends and family members sign on to verify that they’ll cover the full bail amount if the accused doesn’t show up for their court dates. The exact process varies by jurisdiction so you should always call ahead to learn what type of bond is acceptable in your area.
Once you know the person’s bail amount, it’s time to consider bailing them out. Bail bondsmen charge a percentage of the bail amount to help you out, but they’re only liable for the full bail amount if the person fails to show up for their court date.
You can also try to work with a local church or non-profit organization to raise money for the bail amount. Many of these organizations are familiar with the jail system and can raise funds quickly to get a loved one released.
Post Bail
Bail is an agreement between a defendant and the court. The judge sets the amount in exchange for a guarantee that the defendant will appear in court at every scheduled time until their case is resolved.
The most common way to post bail is by depositing cash with the clerk at the courthouse or jail. However, many people don’t have the amount of money needed to do so. Fortunately, it’s possible to use valuable personal property to post bail instead. Find out how much to bail someone out of jail for their temporary release.
During the defendant’s arraignment, the judge will consider a number of different factors to decide whether or not they should be required to pay bail. These may include the severity of the charges, the defendant’s history of missing previous court dates, their possible flight risk and the likelihood of conviction.
Once you’ve paid the bail amount, your friend or family member will be released from jail until their next court date. Make sure that they follow all of the terms of their bail, such as wearing an ankle bracelet and not consuming alcohol or drugs.
