You must understand the legal requirements to become a cosigner before you undertake the task of cosigning for a bail bond. It would help if you comprehended the risk and the technicalities of becoming a cosigner for someone you know. You must follow the terms of bail forfeiture and the duration you remain associated with the bail bond and also the conditions for in case of bond forfeiture.
For the bail bond proceeding, it is indispensable to have one or more cosigners for the defendant’s release. Bail bondsman knows the importance of a cosigner; therefore, before deciding on a cosigner or bail bond, you must do a thorough background check of the defendant. The role of a cosigner is essential as they act as an Indemnitor.
If the defendant fails to appear in court on time, then the Indemnitor has to undertake potential risks, costs, and other responsibilities. Even if the defendant is paying their own money for the bail bond, they need a cosigner who would act as a guarantee to ensure that the defendant would appear in court as required.
Who can become a cosigner for a bail bond?
Reliable people can only become a cosigner for the defendants, such as relatives, spouses, business partners, friends, and even employers. Some professional bail guarantor has stringent rules before assigning someone as the cosigner. They only allow those people to become cosigners who have a regular job and real property.
Some agencies do not allow girlfriends and boyfriends to become a cosigner, in case of a breakup, it leads to legal problems later. However, stringent policies to determine a cosigner are not mandatory for all bails bondsman. The rule for deciding a cosigner might be different depending on the bail bondsman agency like Castle bail bonds Franklin County.
What happens in the case of bail bond forfeiture?
If the defendant fails to appear before the court on a particular date, it leads to the forfeiture of a bail bond. As such, an official mail goes to the defendant, the bail bondsman, and the cosigner. The court will determine a particular date, and all the three parties have to appear before the court.
If the bail bondsman and the cosigner bring the defendant to the court, it will not lead to the forfeiture of the bail bond. If in case the defendant still does not appear before the court, then they get declared as a fugitive. It becomes a responsibility of the bail bondsman and the cosigner to locate the defendant and bring them to court.
How long is the cosigner tied to the bail bond?
The responsibility of the cosigner lasts until the case goes on in the court. As such, until the conclusion of the final disposition, the cosigner remains responsible for the defendant. It will help if you remember that the cosigner is accountable for the defendant to appear on all the important dates as instructed by the court until the final judgment. In case of any appeal, the defendant has to comply with it.
The cosigner has the authority to revoke a bail bond by paying an early cancellation fee.
