If you have a friend that has done something to get arrested, and you want to get them out, the process may be a lot more difficult than you think. If you don't have the cash to bail them out on your own, you're going to need to rely on others to help you.

Before you invest the money to post bail, see how long your friend will be in jail before they see a judge. If they are going to be sentenced or released in just a day or two, don't waste your money bailing them out. If they could be in for an extended time, then you want to take action to help. Find out what their bond is and start asking around.

Pool Together

If you or your friends have the funds and can pool together, you may be able to get your friend out of jail. Pooling together could be a great temporary solution, but you want to make sure that your friend in jail understands that you are lending them this money, because you're all going to want the funds back. Keep detailed track of how much each person contributed.

Find a Bondsman

If none of you have the money, see if your friend can get bonded. Bail bonds are used to cover the bail amount, and then the friend will pay the bail back. If your friend in jail doesn't have good credit, doesn't have a job, or isn't able to be trusted for the bond, they may not be able to get out. Instead, a friend can try to get approved for the bond.

You only pay the bondsman a fraction of the amount that is due for bail, and then they cover the rest. If your friend shows up for court, everything should be fine. If they don't, you owe the bondsman the full amount of bail.

Find a Co-Signer

If you and your friends don't have the credit to get approved for the bond and neither does the inmate, ask them for the number of their parent or another adult that would be willing to co-sign with the inmate for the bail bond. This may be the only way to get the inmate out before their court hearing.

If your friend will be appointed a public defender, you may want to wait to see what the lawyer has to say before you bail them out to see if you should spend the money or make the calls to find a co-signer. Getting someone out of jail and signing for their bond is a huge responsibility. Make sure you know the risks before you do it. Contact a bail bond company like that represented at http://absolutebailbond.com/ to learn more.

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