What to Expect When Co-Signing a Bail Bond

Co-signing is a common practice in the United States. You are likely familiar with either having a cosigner or being one for a car loan, home mortgage, rental agreement, or student loans. Did you know that it is also common for someone to have a cosigner when they work with a bail bondsman to post a bail bond? Here’s what you can expect if you cosign a bail bond in Roseville CA.

What Does it Mean to Cosign a Bail Bond?

The agreement between you (the cosigner) and the bail bondsmen or bail bond company requires you to sign a promissory note. The paperwork obligates you to pay the full bond amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

The bail bond financial commitment is essentially collateral to ensure that the person who was arrested will show up to all of their court hearings, arraignments, and proceedings. As the cosigner of a bail bond you will hold the responsibility of making sure the defendant arrives promptly to all of their court appearances.

Typically the bail bond agreement involves pledging tangible property, cash, a home, vehicles, or other high-value property. The best bail bonds agents will work with you and what you have to get your loved one released from jail. This collateral ensures that the bail bond company will receive back all of the money that they put up as a surety to the court, even if the defendant fails to appear in court.

What’s the Worst that Could Happen when Cosigning a Bail Bond?

If you cosign for someone’s bail bond and they fail to appear in court before their case has been finalized, you are subject to bail forfeiture. The bail bond process is all about ensuring that a person accused of a crime will show up in court to plead their case or accept a verdict.

If the defendant does not show up, this is when the financial burden is enacted on the defendant or in this case, their bail bond cosigner. 

If you’re considering cosigning for a bail bond, be sure you highly trust the person. You will be required to stay in contact with them to ensure they show up for all of their appointments scheduled by the court.

When Everything Goes to Plan

The experienced bail bondsmen at Bail House have helped thousands of people over the last four decades to post bail and get out of jail quickly. Oftentimes the bail bond agent will coordinate with a cosigner when setting up a bail bond, and more often than not everything goes smoothly. It’s common that the cosigner is released of obligation after the defendant fulfills their duty to appear in court.

Rest assured, the outcome of the trial does not have any bearing on whether the bail bond promise is released. That is, even if the defendant is found guilty of a crime the court can release the bail bond as long as the defendant has shown up to all of the court appearances for that case.

Conclusion

Do you or a loved one need to find the best bail bond company near you? If you’re in Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Sacramento, Auburn, or a nearby town in northern California call Bail House for the most experienced, compassionate bail bondsmen in the area.

Our staff is available around the clock to provide bail bonds 24 hours a day, whether you have a cosigner or not. There’s no need to wait in jail for your trial when you work with the best bail bonds agents near you.