Information About Bail

A bail/bond is money or a surety bond that is used to ensure that a person will attend all their appearances in a court case. With a bond, a person who has been arrested is able to be released from jail until their case is concluded. If paid in cash, the bail is known as a cash bond. This is posted with the court/jail. However, a surety bond needs to be posted via a surety bail bond company.

Do You Qualify for a Surety Bond?

Before you can get a surety bond, there are certain criteria that you have to meet. At the end of the day, bail bondsmen are in a business, and they can't enter into an agreement with you if it's not profitable. The most important criteria you'll need to meet to qualify for a surety bond are:

1. Having property or money that can be used as collateral: In case you fail to meet your court date, the bail bondsman will have to pay the full bond amount. This is not good for their business. Therefore, the bail bonds company usually requires some form of collateral that can be seized you don't make it to court.    
2. Be trustworthy: In cases where you're only required to pay the bail bondsman a percentage of the bail, you will have to show evidence that you can be trusted not to flee, especially if there is no property that can be used as collateral.

What Happens If You Skip Out on Bail?

The bail bondsman will be facing financial liability if you skip out on the bail. As a result, they will usually try their best to track you down. However, there are other issues that will come up if you skip out on bail. For instance, you may find it very hard to be granted bail in the future. Secondly, even if you're granted bail, you'll find it hard to get a bail bondsman who's willing to offer you a surety bond.

Why Do You Need a Cosigner to Qualify?

Cosigners bear a certain level of liability in case you don't show up to court. They're expected to ensure that you attend all your court dates and help the bondsman to track you down in case you don't make it to court. They will also be responsible for paying the expenses the bondsman incurs in their pursuit of you. The cosigner will also pay the full amount of the bond in case you can't be located.

To learn more about bail bonds, contact a bail bond agency like All Night & Day Bailbonds.

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