In many cases, you can acquire a bail bond on your own. With the right financing, it is not necessary for you to call upon a co-signer. However, there are situations where having a co-signer is a must.
Perhaps you were recently asked by a loved one for help posting bail. You might be in the position of being that co-signer. Here at Affordable Bail Bonding, we provide the resources needed to post bail on behalf of someone you love. If you are looking for affordable bail bonds in Rocky Mount, we are the team to call.
If someone you care about has asked you to be their co-signer for bail, take time to carefully consider your next steps. Being a co-signer can be a great gift for the person you love, however, there are factors to think about. Check out the following tips on whether or not you should co-sign for bail, and reach out to our team for help at any point.
Understand Your Responsibility
Before you sign on the dotted line and help your loved one post bail, make sure you understand what your responsibilities as a co-signer are. Helping someone secure a bail bond is a wonderful action to take on their behalf, however, it does put you in a role of responsibility.
When you co-sign for a bail bond, you are taking on a fair amount of risk. If the defendant — the person who has been arrested — does not show up for their court date, you will be held responsible for the full bail amount. This can also lead to the loss of any collateral that you put down to secure the bail bond.
For this reason, you need to think about what you will do if the person you are vouching for skips out on bail. Do you have the funds to handle that situation? What collateral are you willing to risk? Beyond that, you need to think about how much of a risk banking on this person is, which leads us to the next point.
Consider The Person
In many situations, there is no reason to hesitate to co-sign for a loved one. Perhaps you know your child, spouse, or friend extremely well. They are a reliable person who found themselves in a difficult situation. In this case, you are not worried in the slightest about their commitment to show up to court.
Because you are taking on a lot of risk, make sure you know the person you are co-signing for well. Do you trust that they will do their part and show up to court? If you have any doubts, consider talking to them. Make sure they understand your position in the deal as well. Let them know that when you co-sign for them, you are taking on risk. Try to gauge how seriously they take the situation.
Create An Accountability Plan
Helping a loved one secure a bail bond is truly a wonderful thing to do. You are allowing them to return home to their life, responsibilities, and family. If you choose to co-sign, once they are released from jail, sit down and create an accountability plan with them.
Remind your loved one that showing up to court is a requirement, not an option. Talk to them about how you can help them stick to this commitment. Perhaps you will be the one to drive them to court. Maybe having your presence there will help calm their fears. Remind them that facing their trial is the best thing they can do. Fleeing their court date will only put you and them in a bad situation.
Help Your Loved One Prepare
Another great way to ensure that your loved one shows up to court and doesn’t leave you on the line for their bail amount is to help them prepare with an attorney for their trial. Having a quality defense lawyer on their side can help ease their worries. Knowing that a lawyer will be fighting for their rights can help encourage them to show up to court.
If you are considering co-signing for a bail bond, contact us at Affordable Bail Bonding. We will work with you to secure affordable bail bonds in Rocky Mount. Our goal is to assist you in returning your loved one home as quickly as possible. We will be happy to answer any questions you have about co-signing for bail.