A surety bail bondsman, or cosigner, is a person who has heavy legal responsibility. If your friend or family member has just been arrested, take the time to consider all the obligations of being a cosigner before you sign a legally binding contract to bail them out of jail. You could be liable for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars if they don’t comply with all court orders and bail conditions. Keep reading to learn what these responsibilities entail, and who to contact for reliable bail bondsmen information in your county.
Use of a surety bond
Using a bail bond is the easiest and most affordable way to get a release from prison. But when you’re faced with the decision to get a friend or family member out of jail, it’s a decision you shouldn’t take lightly. That’s because the legal liability associated with a bail bond contract is a serious undertaking, and whether or not you face the repercussions of those obligations depends on the choices of the person you rescue from jail.
Although you only pay a fraction of the total cost of your loved one’s bond premium, the bail bonds agent covers the rest. So if your loved one’s bond amount is $10,000 and the bail agent charges 10%, you’ll pay a non-refundable $1,000 fee, while the surety pays the courts the remaining $9,000. As long as the defendant appears at all scheduled court hearings and follows all court orders, the agent recovers $9,000.
But if the defendant violates any terms of the surety bond agreement or court orders, the surety does not get the money back until they can get the defendant to appear before a judge. They only have a certain amount of time to do this, and they are usually unsuccessful. If this happens, you are responsible for paying the remaining $9,000 to the landlord as the contract states. If you used the collateral to purchase a surety bond, such as for your car, boat, home, or other asset, you will have to forfeit that collateral.
to whom to sign
To avoid any liability concerns, make sure you only accept people you know intimately and who you can trust. Do not sign someone if you have not known the person for longer than a year, if they are unemployed, if they have a history of evading the law, if they have a criminal record, if they are likely to commit further crimes or insubordination court orders.
