Do you know a friend or family member locked in jail and want to help them out? The legal process of getting them out before court hearing dates is known as the bail bonds process. The process entails many different stages which start with a court hearing to determine the bail amount until the full settlement of the case. Bail bond companies in Wake County send guarantors to help individuals pay the bail amount and free their loved ones. Here is a detailed guide to the entire process:
Setting the Bail Bond
Once a police officer arrests a defendant, they will appear in a court of law. The magistrate then sets the bond amount for release before the court date. At this stage, the defendant contacts a friend or a family member to come and pay the bond amount for them. Usually, the bond amount can be a lot of money for one individual to raise. In that case, you should contact a bail bond company to help with the bond.
Bail bonds are the collateral that one pays for a defendant’s release from jail before a court hearing. The bail bond serves like an insurance policy where the defendant should appear in court. If they do not show up for a court hearing, he or she forfeits the bail amount. You need to understand the process of taking a bail bond on behalf of someone because it is a contract.
Indemnitor and the Responsibilities
When you sign for a loved one, you agree to become an indemnitor. By definition, an indemnitor refers to a person who takes financial responsibility of a defendant’s bond. Upon signing the agreement, you take full responsibility. These responsibilities are mainly two which are namely:
Ensure Court Attendance
Depending on the case at hand, a defendant may need to attend one court hearing or more. The indemnitor should ensure that the defendant attends all the court hearings until the case at hand is fully settled. There are consequences if the defendant does not appear in court.
Extra Costs of the Bail Bond
Paying the bail bonds is never the end of the road. Some costs are payable after paying the bail bonds. For example, if the defendant needs to go back to court, the court sends a recovery agent to find the defendant. The Indemnitor is responsible for covering the service costs.
When the Defendant Misses Court Hearings
In case the defendant does not show up in court on the set court date, they will be arrested again and locked up in jail. The Indemnitor meets the associated costs in bringing the defendant to prison. Should the defendant go missing, the Indemnitor pays the full bail amount. If there was collateral for the bond, the law enforcers sell the insurance and recover the money.
No matter how much you want to help a friend or loved one get out of jail, it is essential that you understand the process of bailing someone out. The method includes taking responsibility for the defendant. If they do not meet the set requirements, you face the consequences. Bail bond companies help indemnitors understand the bail bond process and the steps to take.
