Just as with anything else, there are pros and cons to being a co-signer to someone’s bail bond, not matter how tight of a relationship you have with them. Essentially a co-signer does is sign off on a bail bond to ensure the legibility of it, taking responsibility for the defendant. Let’s weight the pros and cons to being a co-signer:
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Pros:
- Because you are financially responsible for the defendant, you will very likely want to keep a close watch on them. You can keep a better eye on them to ensure they stay out of trouble. This is critically important to those who love the defendant most.
- You are responsible for ensuring the defendant goes to court. So similarly, you will be doing everything in your power to see the defendant gets the best outcome of his or her trial by making sure the process runs as smooth as possible.
- While co-signing the bond is legally binding, you can request to withdraw this, especially if you cannot trust the defendant.
- You can require release conditions of the defendant, such as drug testing, to get an analysis of their condition and coherency.
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Cons:
- Co-signing a bail bond is a legally binding. You are now financially responsible for paying the bail agent’s premium fee. You are now also responsible for paying consequential fees and the full bail amount if the defendant does not show up in court.
- Any collateral you put up for the bail bond can be taken from you if the defendant fails to appear in court.
- You will endure more emotional stress – but hopefully nothing you can’t handle.
The biggest thing you want to ask yourself before co-signing a bail bond is if you can trust the defendant to go to court, to be compliant with all terms and conditions, to ensure you do not lose your money or collateral because of his or her irresponsible actions.
Talk to Bail Bond Store in Orange County more about co-signing a bail bond. We can help you figure out the best situation for you and for the arrested person who is seeking your help and ours.