When you receive a phone call, perhaps waking you up in the middle of the night, and find out that someone you love has been arrested, it can be panic-inducing to say the least. It is natural to feel extremely worried when you find out someone you care about has been taken to jail.
While it is normal to feel uncertain, there are steps you can take that will offer your loved one the most help possible. Now is not the time to allow panic to take over. Rather, seek the help of a team like ours. We offer affordable bail bonds in Chatham, and we can work with you to secure your loved one’s release.
Check out our step-by-step guide to helping a loved one post bail in Chatham after an arrest.
#1: Start By Asking For Information
The first thing that you want to do is gather information. Ask questions about the situation. If your loved one knows why they were arrested, ask for that info. Find out if they know whether or not they can post bail. Has a judge provided the bail amount yet?
If your loved one is just a friend or someone you don’t know as many specific details about, make sure you also ask for their personal information. You will want to know their full name, as well as their date of birth. This will help you as you navigate the justice system and seek bail on their behalf.
#2: Write Down Everything You Know For Easy Access
As you gather information, be sure that you are keeping track of all the details. Grab a pen and paper and start making notes.
Having everything written down will help you keep things straight. It can be stressful to help someone you care about who is in jail. This makes it easy to forget details or to confuse information. Having everything written down will ensure the best accuracy.
#3: Determine Your Financial Situation
An important factor in posting bail is knowing how much money you have access to that you can contribute to bail. This will help you determine what steps to take next.
In many cases, talking to family members to see if they can also help is the best course of action. Bail is usually set at a fairly high amount, which might not be affordable on your own.
#4: Call A Bail Bondsman
Once you know what kind of funds you have, contact a bail bondsman. They will be able to assist you in the entire bail process. They will also make it much more affordable to post bail, as they only require a percentage of the total bail amount owed.
Here at Affordable Bail Bonding, we are on call 24/7. There is no bad time to reach out to our team for help.
#5: Talk Through All Financing Options
Once you find a bail bondsman that you trust, talk to them about what financing options are available. If the percentage you need to pay is still too much for you to afford, ask about other methods for financing bail.
At the end of the day, money should not be the thing that holds you back from helping out your loved one
#6: Fill Out Paperwork And Pay Bondsman
Once you and the bondsman have agreed upon a financing option, you will need to fill out some paperwork and pay the bondsman. This will allow the bondsman to get to work posting bail on behalf of your loved one. Remember, they can only work efficiently if you do your part. The sooner you get everything on your end done, the sooner your loved one will be released.
#7: Follow Up And Make Sure Your Loved One Was Released
After you pay the bail bondsman and take care of any paperwork, they will get to work posting bail. Follow up and find out if your loved one was released. The length of time this takes will vary depending greatly upon the efficiency of the jail where they are located.
Assisting a loved one who has been arrested doesn’t need to be difficult. If you need help posting bail, contact our team for affordable bail bonds in Chatham. We look forward to working with you to secure your loved one’s freedom.