Introduction to Bail Bond
Getting arrested, or having a loved one arrested is certainly not a fun prospect. However, worse still is having them stay in jail until the trial, if it comes to that.
Fortunately, the bail system enables people to pay a certain amount of money to the courts and stay out of jail in the interim, and you get the money back if you don’t miss your court date. If you don’t have the money, services of bail bondsman services should be easy to hire – for a small fee, you get the money for bail.
However, what happens if a loved one is arrested in a different state? Do you have an option to bail them out? During the pandemic, this issue becomes even more important, as people do more and more things remotely.
Why Do People Use Bail Bonds?
Bails for most crimes typically reach thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars, something very few people have on hand or can feasibly come up with on short notice. However, a bail bond will cost just a fraction of the sum – a much better prospect for most people.
The person who is arrested is typically not able to secure their own bail bond – they need a guarantor. A collateral is required – something that can be seized if the arrested person jumps bail.
Can You Bail Someone in a Different State?
Simply said – yes, you can bail someone even if they are in a different state. However, not everything is so clear-cut. There are some problems you may run into.
First and foremost is that different states may have different laws and regulations for bail bonds, meaning you will need to familiarize yourself with the process beforehand.
However, a much more jarring problem can be getting all the necessary information. In order to post bail, you need a lot of information.
Things like the personal information of the arrested person should not be a problem, but more details about their arrest might be.
You will need to know what the exact charge is, where they are held, what law enforcement agency arrested them and the booking number and the sum required for bail.
How Bail Bondsmen Help
Gathering all the information and finally being ready to post bail can be further complicated because someone needs to get the money and paperwork to the local jail – something you cannot do if you’re not in the same state.
Bondsmen are not only familiar with the local regulations and locations of jails, but they are also quite versed in filling out the paperwork for jails.
Further visit: 5 Essential Questions To Ask Personal Injury Lawyer Before Hire
Getting a Bail Bond Remotely
Posting bail can be straightforward if you have all the money you need for bail. However, if you are looking for a bail bond remotely, there are a few more things you may need to do. This is done as a protection against identity theft – making sure you are who you say you are.
Chances are that you will need to sign some paperwork electrically. The digital signature technology has been around for a while, and if you’ve not used it before, you may need to set it up before you can start the bail bonding process remotely.
Even though it requires some extra work and hassle, it still is possible to bail someone out even if you’re not in the same state.
Just make sure they make it to their court date, especially if you’ve signed collateral as a guarantor.
