If someone you love is in jail, you may be able to bail them out. There are three options available to help you do so.

Cash Bail

Cash bail is exactly as it sounds — you pay the bail in cash and the defendant is released pending their court date. There are several issues with cash bail. The most obvious is coming up with sufficient cash to pay the bail. If the crime is considered minor and the defendant doesn't pose a flight risk, the bail may be low enough that it can be covered by your funds or by pooling funds with other family members. Otherwise, bail is often too high to successfully pay in cash. Another issue with cash bail is if the defendant were to jump bail and not appear in court or commit another crime while out on bail, you will forfeit your cash to the court. This means you will not get the money you paid back.

Surety Bond

A surety bond is provided by a licensed bail bond service. You pay a percentage of the bail amount to the service, which they typically keep as their fee. The amount may vary and it is often set by state restrictions, but 10 percent is average in many locations. The service then pays the remainder of the bail so that the defendant is released pending their court date. Depending on the amount of the bail and criminal background of the defendant, you may also be required to supply collateral, such as the title to a vehicle. If the defendant doesn't fulfill their court date, you will forfeit the collateral to the bond agency.  A major benefit of this option is you are only out the percentage you pay the agent, along with any collateral, instead of being out the full cash amount.

Property Bond

In some instances, you may be able to use property in lieu of cash, as long as you own the property in full and it is worth as much as or more than the posted bail amount. This comes with its own risks, however, as you will forfeit the property if the defendant doesn't fulfill the terms of their bail release. Property can include land or homes that you own or high-value items like vehicles or jewelry. If you choose this route, make sure that the loss of the property is something that you can live with.

A bail bond agency might be the best option to bail out your loved one. For more information, contact a local agency, like All Star Bail Bonds.

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