When a family member gets into trouble with the law, it is only natural to feel concern and offer help in any way you can. As someone who has been asked to co-sign for a bail bond, you are not sure whether this is a wise idea or not. Since you have never been involved in the bail bond process before, it is natural to feel anxious. Before you agree to anything, ask yourself these three questions, so you have peace of mind about co-signing a bail bond.

Are You Sure Your Family Member Will Front Court?

Everybody wants to have faith in their family, but some family members are less reliable than others. When you co-sign a bail bond, you put up either money or property as collateral for the bond money owed. If your family member does not turn up at court, you stand to lose that collateral. No matter how much you love a person, if you have any doubt that they are a flight risk then you should not co-sign.

Do You Want To Put Conditions On The Person's Release?

One right of a bail bond co-signer is that you can put conditions on the family member who is being released on bond. For example, if the family member has a drug addiction and you are concerned they will head back to bad habits as soon as they are released from jail, then you could request that the person goes from jail to a drug rehab facility. Any reasonable condition which is going to give you peace of mind about the safety of your bond collateral can be requested as part of the release conditions.

Are You Mentally Strong Enough To Revoke The Bond If Necessary?

Another thing you may not realize is that after the family member has been released on bond, you can revoke the bond if you feel your collateral is at risk. For example, the family member checks out of drug rehab and begins using again, then you may have concerns about whether they are going to show up at court in the future. In this instance, you could contact the bail bondsman and revoke the bond you have co-signed.

If you are still unsure about whether or not to co-sign for a bail bond, have a chat with the bail bonds company as they are more than happy to answer any further 'what if' questions you have.

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