How to Find and Hire the Best Bail Bonds Service
Is your loved one in jail and seeking bail before their court hearing? Do you wonder where you can turn to find the money to bail them out without sacrificing your own finances? If so, then you need to find a bail bonds service.
Doing so can ensure that your loved one isn’t just given time to prepare for their case, but that they’re held accountable to appear whenever and wherever they need to.
See below for an in-depth guide on how to hire a bail bondsman and find one that lies with your loved one’s best interests. Be sure to consider all the tips below.
1. Check Online Reviews
it’s understandable that you’d feel rushed to find a bail bondsman quickly after hearing that your loved one has been arrested. However, it’s essential to find a reputable bail bondsman, so it’s worth taking a bit more time to do so.
Maybe your loved one has been arrested in a county or town that you’re unfamiliar with. If so, then you should rely on online reviews to find the right fit.
Before you reach out to a bail bonds service, look into both the ratings and comments that previous clients have left behind. How quick were they to respond? Do they recommend the service to others? How are their communication skills?
Finding someone to cover the bonds is only half the battle. You want to find someone that can hold your loved one accountable for showing up for all their court dates.
2. Get the Overall Bail Amount
To find the right bail bonds service, you need to make sure they can cover the total bail amount that’s attached to your loved one.
When your loved one gets arrested, a judge in the county they were arrested will set the bail amount. There are a few factors that weigh into this decision, such as their past record, the crime that was committed, and so on.
You must wait to reach out to a bail bondsman after that amount has been set.
Imagine the horror of thinking you found a bail bonds service, only to find out they can’t cover the bail once the judge has handed down the amount needed. Now you have to start all over in your search before getting your loved one out of jail.
Once the amount has been set, you can use it to go out and find the best service to help your friend/family member out.
3. Find Someone With Good Communication Skills
Your biggest concern about this entire situation might be your unfamiliarity with the process. How can you be sure that you’re connecting your loved one with the best bail bondsman for their situation?
Communication skills are always a great determining factor. You want someone that will be able to guide you and your loved one through this process. Someone that can lay it out step by step.
They can help manage your expectations, keep your loved one informed of any court dates they need to appear at and work in combination with your loved one’s lawyer to ensure as smooth a trial as possible.
If your loved one misses a court date, intentionally or accidentally, the court may decide to issue an order for arrest. Local officials will come to take your loved one to jail and, this time, they won’t be eligible to post bail.
Because of that, be sure to ask any bail bonds service you talk to about how they communicate with their clients. Do they seem willing to answer any questions that your loved one has?
4. 24/7 Service
This is an incredibly important part of finding the bail bondsman you should hire. A bail bondsman isn’t a 9 to 5 job. In fact, most of the crimes will occur during the evening and after dark.
For that reason, it’s important to find a bail bondsman that’s available 24 hours a day every single day of the week. That way, you can ensure that your loved one will receive their undivided attention whenever they need it most.
If you pick up the phone to call someone and the service isn’t answering after a few tries, then cross them off your list. You need someone that’s waiting by the phone to help you through these difficult and unforeseen times.
5. Ask Around for Pointers
If you’re unsure where to start looking for a bail bonds service, then there are a few resources you can use to help yourself out.
First, if you have an established family lawyer, you can ask them for suggestions or referrals. Assuming they know the area well enough, they will have crossed paths with reputable bail bonds services in that county.
Secondly, you can ask the detention officers that you talk to. These officers work with local bail bonds services on a day to day basis. They’ll be able to point you to the best services in the town.
This can help you refine your search. Reach out to the ones that they recommend and see if it’s a good fit for your loved one’s situation.
Find the Right Bail Bonds Service for Your Needs
Now that you have seen all the best tips and tricks for finding a reputable bail bonds service in the area, be sure to use them wisely when starting your search.
Be sure to read this article for more information on how to deal with a domestic violence case that you were falsely accused of.
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