3 Questions To Ask Your Bail Bondsman
Now that you've decided to work with a bail bonds company to make bail, there are a few things you should find out to make sure that you don't end up dealing with any unwanted surprises. Here are three important questions that you should ask your bail bond service:
What Kind of Collateral is Accepted?
It's a good idea to ask your bail bondsman for a complete list of collateral that they are willing to accept in exchange for bailing you out of jail. Even if you already know what you want to put up for collateral, there may be some options available that you hadn't thought of and that would put you and your family at less risk overall. Some collateral options that your bail bond provider may be willing to accept include:
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Developed and Raw Property
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Cars and Motorcycles
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Jewelry
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Electronics
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Stocks and Bonds
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Credit Cards
Without knowing exactly what collateral options are available, you may end up unnecessarily putting something up for collateral that you aren't completely comfortable with.
What Are the Reporting Requirements?
While you're out on bail, your bail bondsman will want to keep tabs on you to ensure that they know where to find you if a problem arises and to minimize their risk of losing money on your bail bond when all is said and done. So they'll likely have specific reporting requirements that they will expect you to follow after they bail you out of jail.
And if you don't follow those reporting requirements, your bail bondsman may decide to revoke your bail. So it's important to ask your service provider for their reporting requirements in writing so you know exactly what will be expected of you and can ensure that you don't overlook something that's important.
Is Court Management Support Available?
While you're out on bail, you will have to keep careful track of all your court dates and ensure that you're properly prepared to represent yourself in front of the judge. While you should be able to manage your court requirements on your own, it would be nice to get some support from the bail bonds company you decide to work with.
Ask your bail bondsman if they'll remind you when a court date is coming up to help ensure that you don't accidentally miss it for some reason. And find out if they're willing to meet with you before court dates to explain what you should expect and to help prepare you for the proceedings.
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