05 Nov 4 Things You’re Obligated To Do After Signing A Bail Bond Contract
Sometimes our loved ones get in trouble, and they call us for help. This means you might have to bail out your friend or family member. But besides paying their bail or working with a bail bondsman, what else are you expected to do? What are you other responsibilities when you sign the bail bond contract?
The person who arranges for bail and signs the bail bond contract is known as an “indemnitor”. Because these situations often happen unexpectedly and you want to get your friend or family member out of jail as quickly as possible, you don’t process exactly what comes with signing the bail bond contract. It’s important to understand what you’re signing beforehand, so read on…
Bail bonds are a bit like insurance. It’s a promise to the magistrate that the individual who got arrested will appear for their court date if they’re allowed to be bailed out of prison. When you sign a bail bonds contract, you will be obligated to do the following:
Make Sure The Defendant Attends Every Court Date
When your friend or family member gets out on bail, they are expected to return to each court date that’s required of them. As the indemnitor—the one who signed the bail bond contract—you are expected to ensure they make those court dates.
Pay Additional Fees If The Defendant Misses A Court Date
If for any reason the defendant does miss their court date(s), you as the indemnitor are responsible for paying any additional fees. This can include payment for a recovery agent that the bail bonds company will hire to get the defendant back.
Pay The Entirety Of The Bail If The Defendant Disappears
If the defendant misses court dates and cannot be found, you as the indemnitor will be responsible for paying the whole amount of bail that was originally set by the court. If collateral was used instead of money, that collateral—whether it’s real estate, pink slips to a vehicle, etc.—will be used and not returned.
Be Responsible For The Defendant In Every Way
When you sign a bail bond contract, you’re expected to stick with it. You can’t change your mind or try to get out of it, even if your arrested loved one skips their court date. When you sign the bail bonds contract to help them get out of jail, you’re saying, “Yes, I take full responsibility to make sure they’re at court, and if they’re not, I know I have to pay for their entire bail on my own. I know I’m risking the loss of my property or finances. And I know that even if my loved one is released and the charges are dropped, I still have to pay for the bond.”
It’s easy to quickly sign something in the heat of panic, rushing to try to get your friend or family member out of jail. However, understanding these responsibilities is very important.
That said, unfortunate situations do happen, and you may find yourself needing a bail bondsman to help you get someone you care about out of jail. Once you’ve decided to be their indemnitor and sign a bail bond contract, pat yourself on the back. You’re a good friend.
If you’re ever in need of a bail bondsman in the Glendale, CA, area, contact Armstrong Bail Bonds. We are the oldest bail bondsman in California, with three generations of helping individuals bail their loved ones out of jail.