Common Questions Asked About Bail Bonds Services
After a loved one is arrested, you may make the difficult decision to post bail. If you don’t have the money upfront, then odds are, you’ll use the services of a bail bondsman. More often than not, people choose to use a bail bondsman to help. When you’ve never used these services before, you may have a lot of questions before you start. Here are some of those questions answered.
Do You Get a Refund?
When you use a bail agent, you are placing a surety bond. This means that you pay a premium fee to the agent so that he or she can place bail and help your loved one get out of jail. In this case, you do not normally receive a refund for these services. You do not have to pay the full amount of the bail and hence the bondsman will keep the fees. Now, if your loved one does not get released for whatever reason, then you can typically can ask for a refund.
What Happens if the Defendant Is Arrested Again?
While you hope that your friend or family member won’t be arrested before his or her trial, it can happen. If this does happen, then you no longer have any legal obligation to ensure that your friend goes to court. Your obligation ends as soon as he or she ends up back in jail. If you choose to bail him or her out again, then it may pick up and continue. Though, often, it’s more difficult to bail someone out the second time.
Can the Defendant Leave the State?
You found an agent that provides bail bonds West Chester PA citizens trust, but now your family member or friend wants to leave the state on a trip. You may think that it’s fine, but you do have to check with the bondsman first. Go to the office and have the bonding office sign off on the trip. If the court ordered your loved one to stay in the state or county, then you’re going to need permission from both the bonding office and the court.
When you visit the bail bondsman’s office, it is crucial that you ask as many questions as possible. If you’re on the fence about posting bail, you don’t want to buy into any of the myths associated with bail bonds. Instead, it helps to have a clear idea of what it means to use a bondsman’s services to help your loved one out.