Coins and legal gavel with paper Bail Bond message

Getting arrested doesn’t always have to mean sitting in jail until the sentencing hearing. By posting bail, you or your incarcerated loved one can wait at home until the court date, and further jail time may be avoided altogether if an innocent verdict is rendered or the charges are dropped. One of the easiest ways to post bail to get out of jail is with a bail bond and learning some of the important facts about how bail bonds work will help you decide if this option is right for you.

Bond Types

There are different types of bail bonds, and you may only be eligible to apply for a certain bond. A surety bond is a common type of bail bond that’s given by a bail agency and will only cost you a percentage of the bail amount so that you won’t have to pay the entire bail in full out of your own pocket. Cash bail may be a good option if you have the funds to cover the bail amount. You can also try offering your property up for collateral with a property bond or applying for a federal bond if a federal offense was allegedly committed.

Speed and Ease of Application

You’ll want to get the bail bond quickly to reduce jail time as much as possible. The best agencies that issue bail bonds have straightforward application processes and can offer the money for the bail almost immediately after an application has been approved. You can gauge the application process and the time it takes to get the money better by reading online reviews of a particular bail agency.

The Person’s Reliability

If you’re trying to get a bail bond for someone else, you should make sure that the person has a reputation for being reliable so that you won’t have to worry as much about them skipping bail. You both could find yourselves in trouble if the other person doesn’t show up to court on their hearing date. You’ll likely have a much more difficult time getting your money back if you secured the bail bond for the person and paid the bail agent fee with the expectation of repayment.

Whether you need to secure bail for yourself or someone else, you can make better decisions and avoid certain obstacles that could delay the process by learning all the important facts about bail bonds. A knowledgeable bail bond agent can explain more about how these bonds work.