Bail Bonds: What You Should Know Before Choosing a Bondsman

Even if you have an idea about what bail bonds are all about, you may not be prepared for the day upon which you'll need one. Unfortunately, once the time strikes that you do need to get yourself or someone you love out of jail, there won't be a lot of time to leisurely educate yourself about who to get for the job. Whether you're looking for immediate need or for future reference, here are three things you should know before choosing a bondsman.

License

A company or individual involved in bail bonds needs to be appropriately licensed by the state in which they practice. Every state will have their own department through which this is done, and it may be worth giving that department a call just to make sure. This is the last thing you want to have done in a below-the-table kind of way. Everything should be legal and above board. In some cases, the sum behind these bail bonds can be considerable. Make sure you aren't going to have mob types looking for you if there's a problem in the future.

Locale

There's nothing inherently terrible about getting your bail bonds from a company that does business across the country, but you're probably better off finding someone local. The wheels of justice move as quickly or slowly as the people in charge want them to move. If you have someone who is friends with most of the people at the jail, it could certainly work to your advantage, assuming you don't want to spend three or four extra days behind bars once you've come up with the money.

Longevity

When it comes to any service industry, having been in business for a long time is a good sign. People who cheat their customers, circumvent the law, and generally do a terrible job don't stay in business for long. Or at least not in the same location. If all things are equal and you're deciding between a guy who has been doing this for six months and another guy who has been working in the area for ten years, the choice should be obvious. Even if you have to pay a little more for the experienced guy, it's probably worth it.

If you can come up with the money to spring yourself from jail, by all means do so and avoid the fee that will be charged by going through a bail bonds company. If you need some help coming up with the sum, like many, make sure you find someone reputable.