When you or someone you know gets accused of a crime, they get sent to jail to await their trial. However, many are left wondering can you bail someone out of jail?
While yes, you can help someone post bail, it isn’t always a simple process. And if the facility that they are getting held in has different operating hours during the weekends, you might not be able to get them out as soon as you had hoped.
Can You Pay Someone’s Bail?
When someone you care for calls you from jail, they are likely asking you to pay their bail amount. And while you might feel obligated to do so, it isn’t always quite so straightforward as driving over and handing over your debit card.
There are different types of bail which a judge can assign. While someone may receive a cash bail amount, there are others that may require physical assets instead, such as vehicles, real estate, and other personal property.
If your friend or a loved one has received a cash bail amount, it must get paid in full and in the exact value. The facility is not going to provide you with change, and they won’t release them without the entire amount getting paid first.
What if I Can’t Afford It?
If neither you nor the person in jail is unable to come up with the full bail amount, your options become even more limited. At this stage, the only thing you can likely do is have them stay behind bars until their trial date or go through a bail bonds service.
A bail bond works similarly to a traditional bank loan or other borrowed agreement where the company pays the amount in full while you give them a premium. The premium is a portion of the entire amount, and you must sign a contract with the bondsman company.
The company secures their release with the understanding that they are going to appear back in court. If they fail to arrive on their date, however, the company will arrest them again by themselves, and they will require the amount paid back in full.
