Mistakes Parents Must Avoid When Bailing a Child Out

If you have an adult child who has been locked up and bail has been set, you will likely want your child bailed out of jail as quickly as possible. However, when rushing to bail your child out of jail, there are several mistakes you'll want to avoid making.

Don't Pay the Full Bail

You might think that the simplest solution is to simply pay the full bail, especially if you already have the money. However, paying the bail yourself may actually cost you more money and may also take longer. A bail bond agency knows how to complete the paperwork quickly and properly.

Fortunately, most bail bond companies work 24-hours so you can have the paperwork processed regardless of when your child has been arrested. If you make any mistakes, you'll have to wait longer before your child can be bailed out if you need to correct anything.

Don't Stop Communicating With Your Child

Make sure to communicate with your child after you have bailed him or her out. Make sure that your child knows the effort that you put into bailing him or her out. If your child does not show up to court, you may forfeit the bond. In some cases, if you can deliver your child to the courthouse, you may still get your money back. Make sure to know where your child is and that he or she isn't going to disappear.

Even if he or she intends to show up for court, make sure that your child knows all of the dates and times that he or she should be in court. You'll want to make any transportation arrangements. If possible, you should drive your child to the courtroom yourself.

After your child has been arrested, now is a great time to seek counseling or therapy. This will help you overcome the stress of helping a child who has been arrested and could potentially face jail time. Also, attempts at personal improvement will increase the odds that the courts will offer a more lenient sentence.

Don't Travel Unnecessarily 

You may not be able to travel to and from the courthouse. However, through the use of fax machines and email, you may be able to handle all aspects of the process and the bail bondsman will travel to the jail and post bail. This is ideal if you are in another state or have other responsibilities.

Contact a bail bond agency for more information.

Share