Discovering that a close one, such as a friend or family member, has been arrested is a devastating revelation. The first instinct is to meet him in person and offer support, and with the help of a bail bond, you can even ensure speedy pretrial release. Here are some tips to help locate your acquaintance in jail:
How to Locate: An online inmate locator can help you find their jail location. However, if the system hasn’t been updated yet, it is better to contact the solicitor handling the case. You may call the detention facility to be sure about the exact location of an inmate.
- Usually, courts will assign under-trials to local prisons. Each court has a specific set of prisons it is supported by. Sometimes, due to overcrowding or gender, they can be detained at an institution further away.
- By contacting them as soon as possible, you can arrange for appropriate legal representation for them, including hiring a private attorney on their behalf or liaising with their public defender. Depending on the county and the specific court where the hearing took place, an offender is assigned a selected prison facility after the bail hearing.
How to Help: The first thing you need to do is offer support to your friend. He needs to see a familiar face to tell him that things will be alright. A defendant may have to spend days and weeks before the trial could take place. It is not a suitable condition to be in jail for that long, especially for those who did not commit any crime. Work and social life get disrupted if one is locked up in jail for long. Therefore, the best possible option under such circumstances will be to opt for bail.
- A bail lets one get out of police custody and get back to the regular life without hindering his social life. A defendant is given a chance to hire an experienced lawyer to represent him in the courtroom. Statistics suggest that employing a skilled lawyer exponentially increases the chances to win the case, as opposed to being represented by a state-appointed attorney.
- While opting for a bail service, it is better to look for a local bondsman to handle the whole procedure for a quick bail. A bail bondsman requires just 10% of the bail amount as a fee to post the entire bail on your behalf. They will also answer any pressing questions, offer legal guidance, and ensure confidentiality throughout. Defendants in California rely upon the fast service of bail bonds San Diego CA for a hassle-free bail.
A defendant may want financial support from the near ones to pass the tough time. If your friend decides to go for surety bail, he might require you to co-sign the bail contract. It is a huge responsibility and a commitment to support someone financially for bail. You might have to put your properties as collateral for his bail. You should only co-sign the contract if he’s family or someone you care about deeply and want to offer genuine help.
