Arrests happen quickly and can be traumatic experiences. This becomes especially true when the person is innocent, or unsure of why the arrest is occurring. In these situations, a bail bond agent may be called to help release the person from jail. Situations when a bail agent may be needed are usually unexpected, so it is important to know what to do, and what to expect if you are ever faced with a situation that requires help from a bail agency.

What happens right after the defendant is arrested?

A bail amount is typically set by the court immediately following arrest. Family members, close friends or even defendants themselves can contact a local bail agent to get help releasing the defendant before his or her trial.

Bail bond companies, such as Expert Bail, have locations all across the country. They employ bail agents who meet the person who has been imprisoned to discuss the help they can potentially give.

Depending on the state, the defendant can be released from jail in as little as half an hour, once the paperwork is filed. Other states can take up to 48 hours before the defendant is released.

Who is needed to help when hiring a bail bond agent?

When posting bail, there must be a person to guarantee the bond, known as an indemnitor or cosigner. This can be a close family member or friend. This person will have to put a certain portion of the bail down prior to the defendant being released. In some cases, bail agencies will request collateral from the cosigner, in case the defendant fails to appear.

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Once the defendant is released, he or she has a responsibility to appear in court when requested. If the defendant fails to appear in court, the collateral left by the cosigner will be collected, and a charge will be filed by the court to find the defendant. If the defendant appears willingly on all occasions, the collateral will be given back to the cosigner.

Going through a bail bond experience does not have to be complicated, and can help defendants get their lives back to normal quickly. It returns the person charged with a crime to his or her normal life, so he or she can continue working and keeping life as normal as possible. For people who have not committed a crime and have been unjustly accused, bail bond agents can be extremely helpful.

The law happens to be one of John’s favorite things to write about. If you’d like to find out more about expert bail, please visit http://www.expertbail.com/