When someone you love has been arrested, you undoubtedly want to spring into action to help. You might contact other family members to arrange for handling responsibilities, such as taking care of their kids or pets. You might ask around for help gathering money to post bail.
In many cases, if you need affordable bail bonds in Roanoke, you will reach out to a team, such as ours. Working with a bail bondsman will allow you to secure the freedom of your loved one as quickly as possible. In a lot of situations, you might even act as a co-signer for their bail bond.
Once you get your loved one back home, you probably will breathe a sigh of relief. However, things aren’t fully over yet. Your loved one still needs to show up to their court date. For many people, the thought of going to court is terrifying. This can lead people to think about skipping out on their court date.
If your loved one wants to skip court, what should you do? Check out our tips below.
#1: Remind Them That You Are Here To Help
First off, start the conversation with a reminder that you are ultimately there to help your loved one. Odds are good that they are worried about their upcoming trial, which is causing them to panic and want to flee. It is natural to not want to face something that we think will be difficult or go poorly.
Let your loved one know that you are on their side. You will be there for them, and you won’t make them go through this process alone. It is your goal to get them to show up to court, but you don’t want to come across angry. This can cause them to become even more stressed out, and it might actually lower the odds of them showing up for court.
#2: Find Out Why They Want To Skip
Once you have established that you are on the same team as your loved one, talk to them about the reason they want to skip out on their court date. When you understand the motive, it is easier to come up with a plan that will combat it.
For example, they might want to skip their court date because they are worried about what the judge will rule. In this case, contacting a defense attorney to help them prepare could be really helpful. In another example, they might not want to go to court because they are too nervous to go on their own. In this case, maybe you can offer to go to court with them.
By getting to the root of the issue, you will be able to better help out your loved one during this stressful time. Understanding is a key to success in any scenario, and when something is as stressful as facing a trial, this is particularly true.
#3: Talk To Them About Other Options
After you understand why your loved one is thinking about skipping court, ask them to think about other options. Brainstorm with them and look for ways you can mitigate their concerns.
While there is no way to erase the past, it is better to face what lies ahead with a clear cut plan. Don’t wait for the day to arrive. Start planning early on.
#4: Bring Up The Consequences Of Not Showing Up
Finally, while you don’t want to focus on the negatives of the situation, it is important to ensure that your loved one understands the consequences of not showing up to court. If they don’t arrive on the date of their trial, they will face further charges. It can also worsen their existing charges. Additionally, a warrant will be issued for their arrest.
On top of all of that, if you helped them post bail with the assistance of a bail bond company, they will break their contract with the bondsman. This can also mean trouble for you if you co-signed for their bail bond.
At the end of the day, you want what is best for your loved one. The best thing you can do is encourage them to show up for their court date. Help them find a defense lawyer who will work with them on their case, and hold them accountable when the time comes. In many cases, knowing that someone will be by their side can help to alleviate the fear of going to court.
When you need to help out a loved one with posting bail, contact our team for fast, affordable bail bonds in Roanoke and surrounding areas.