When you get that phone call that a close friend or family member needs to be bailed out of prison, you immediately want to run down to the jailhouse to bail them out. It is important though that you first understand the responsibilities that you are taking on when agreeing to post bail for an individual.
Bailing an individual out of jail not only holds you financially responsible, but it also brings along other responsibilities to you as well.
When you agree to bail a person out of prison, you sign an agreement taking on full responsibility for that person through the duration of their trial. From the moment you bail them out of prison, you are responsible for getting them from the jailhouse to home as well as ensuring that they will appear in court at the scheduled day and time.
Before bailing an individual out of jail, consider whether or not the person would flee or try to leave the area or skip their day in court. In the event that the defendant were to attempt to flee the area while out on bail or not appear in court, you would not be left criminally liable however you could be civilly liable. This means that although you would not be punished for a crime, would still remain financially responsible and owe the entire bail amount as well as any other costs determined by the court for the missed trial.
Having someone close to you in prison can cause for emotions to run high. Be sure to take a moment to fully understand how the bail bond process works before agreeing to taking on the responsibility of bailing a family member or friend out of prison.
