There may come a time when you are asked to sign a bail contract for someone awaiting trial. It may be a relative, a close friend, or a spouse that you feel you have to help out with a bail bond. However, before signing this binding legal contract and posting their bail, there are some things you need to know about the types of bail bonds and the ways that it can affect you in the future. Read on and refer to the following infographic to learn more:
What Signing the Contract Means
When you agree to sign the contract on behalf of someone else, you assume full responsibility for their future actions. You cover the bail’s value set forth by the court and can cover it either through cash or by putting up collateral. If the individual makes all of their mandated court dates and the court process runs smoothly, you will receive the amount of the bail you put up back, minus the bail bondsman fee. However, complications arise once they begin to not show up for their court dates.
What Does It Mean If They Miss Their Court Dates?
The bail bond contract represents a written agreement that guarantees that the person out on bail will show up to their court appearances. You can either pay the full amount of the contract to the court or a third party bail bondsman. As long as the individual you post the bond for shows up to their mandated court appearances, you remain in good legal standing. However, should they miss any court dates, you become responsible for getting them into the courtroom. Most people who miss their court date usually have relatively mundane reasons, such as forgetting the date or car trouble as the reason behind it, and the issue can be resolved. If the missed appearance is due to more nefarious reasons, you assume responsibility for getting them in front of the judge.
In addition to helping the bail bondsman track down and get the individual back into the courts, you assume responsibility for paying the entirety of the bond. If you covered the bond in cash, then the cash payments stay with the courts or bondsman, and you will not see the money again. In cases where you put up collateral to help cover the bond, you will also lose whatever items you deemed as collateral. With that said, there is usually a grace period included to give you time to rectify the situation and get the individual back into the court system and reactivate the defaulted bond.
What It All Means
Our court system is a complex and essential entity that requires effort and many moving parts to keep running smoothly. Setting and posting bail allows the courts to establish functions to support the individuals accountable and ensure that every court date is met. Knowing the ins and outs of posting bail for someone allows you to make a more informed decision about making this commitment.
Are you in the Pittsburgh area and in need of posting fast bail? Contact Freedom Fast Bail Bonds to get the bail process started today!
