What to Do if Someone Calls You From Jail

Even though you are on the receiving end, getting a call from jail is a confusing and somewhat intimidating situation. Continue reading to learn what you should do if someone has just called you from a local jail in need of bail.

Indianapolis IN Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
Indianapolis IN Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Phoning From Jail

If someone is arrested, they are generally given the opportunity to make a phone call. But when they make that call, they have to know the person’s number from memory because they will not have access to their own phone or records. Instead, they will be using a payphone. For this reason, it is likely someone you know well that is calling you from jail.

How to React

When a person is calling you from jail, they are likely calling to ask you for help getting out. This would involve paying the jail directly, or hiring a bail bond company at a fraction of the cost. Either way, you are putting up a lot of personal liability, and money for that matter, for the person you are bailing out. For this reason, you need to make sure that the person calling you is someone you care about and trust.

In order to get someone out of jail with a bail bond, you will have to sign a bail bond agreement, which locks you into a legally-binding contract. Now, this is not a bad thing if you are signing for someone you know and trust, and that will show up for their court date. But if you do not know or trust the person well, or the person has a history of deceitfulness or irresponsibility, you may want to refrain from signing a bail bond agreement on their behalf.

You see, if you do sign the bail bond agreement and then they do not show up for court, you are fully liable for their total bail amount. So, if their bail was $10,000 and you paid $1,000 for a bail bond to get them out, you would have to pay back the remaining $9,000 to the courts if they do not appear for their scheduled court date. It is big and serious responsibility to sign a bail bond agreement to get a person out of jail. Be sure you can trust them.

What to Get During the Call

If the person calling you from jail is someone you know and trust, and you are going to move forward with helping them get out, whether that means contacting their family for them or actually going through with a bail bond for them, begin with a pen and paper. Get as much information as you can from them while you have them on the phone. They cannot receive calls in jail, so this phone call is the only one you will get unless they can call you back, which you have to pay for.

You will need to know which jail they are calling from, why they were arrested, and whether or not they want to get out of jail before their initial court hearing. Also ask if they have any personal or family matters that need attention, like feeding the dog or picking up the kids from school.

Some people prefer to just stay in jail until their scheduled court hearing so that they do not have to pay for a bail bond, but this is highly discouraged. It is important to get out of jail as soon as possible in order to get back to work and family, and to get started on your criminal defense.

Do you need to get someone out of jail in Indianapolis right now? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for 24 hour bail bonds in Marion County, or anywhere in Central Indiana. We also offer prearranged bail bond service for arrest warrants.

You Might Also Like:

How to Get Out of Marion County Jail in 3 Easy Steps
Do I Need to Take My Arrest Warrant Seriously?
Personal Information You Must Provide as a Bail Bond Applicant

Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

How to Get Your Friend Out of Jail in Marion County

Was your friend just was arrested in Lawrence and taken to Marion County jail? If so, do not panic; it is perfectly normal to have no clue what to do next. However, you are not alone. Everyone feels this way when they have to post someone’s bail for the first time.  By simply following a few easy steps, you can quickly bail your friend or loved one out of jail in Marion County without any hassles.

Continue reading for a step-by-step guide to posting Marion County bail.

24 Hour Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
24 Hour Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Step One

The first thing you want to do if your friend has just been arrested is find out what jail or county their charges are in.  An effective way to figure this out without calling every jail in the state is to first call the jail nearest to the site of the arrest.  In most cases, this is the jail your friend is being booked at.  If you are unaware of where your friend was arrested, there are other ways to find the jail they are in.  There are many inmate search portals online.  By entering in the name and some other information of the inmate, these portals can usually detect which jail they are being held in.  Once you figure out which jail your friend is being held in, you can proceed to the next step.

Step Two

Once the jail has been determined, you can then proceed to look into bail options.  The most efficient and quickest way to do this is to contact a professional bail bond company in the area.  You can find these bail agents online or in a phone book.  Just look under bail bonds and then your city.  By calling a bail bondsman, you will have immediate access to all the information you need to bail your friend from jail.  They will instruct you on all the different bail options there are, and which ones you actually qualify for.

Step Three

By hiring the bail company, you will be required to fill out applications, forms, and contracts.  These papers provide the state and the bail company with all the necessary information they need to support bail for your friend.  The contract is to protect the bail bond agency in the case that your friend fails to appear for their scheduled court date, leaving the bondsman responsible to pay your friend’s original bond amount. Once these papers are signed and submitted, the fee is implemented.  This fee is non-refundable.  Typical bail agencies accept all major credit cards, cash, and money orders.  They do not usually accept checks; however, some do. 

Step Four

Once the paperwork is filled out and approved, and the fee is paid, it is time to just sit back and wait for your friend to walk out of the jail.  This can take anywhere from 3 to 8 hours, depending on the amount of traffic the jail is experiencing, the efficiency of the jailers, and the time it takes to get your friend processed and booked. Your friend cannot be bailed from jail until they are finished being booked.  If they were arrested under the influence of an illegal or controlled substance, they cannot be booked until they are sober.  In this case, the jailers will wait 8 hours to allow the inmate to get sober.  Then they can be booked.  Once they are booked, they can post bail.  The timeline depends on all these variables.

Where to Get Secure Bail Bonds in Indiana

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for safe and secure Indianapolis bail bonds you can trust. We also offer prearranged bail bond services for those needing to surrender to an arrest warrant. In some cases, we can get you turned in and released in as little as one hour. And don’t forget that right now, we are offering 8% bail bonds! Request a free estimate or jail information, anytime.

Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Do You Have Questions About Posting Bail in Indiana?

Arrests, jails, criminal charges, court dates, and more will have anyone feeling like their head’s underwater. Emotions like panic, anxiety, regret, fear, and confusion are all common when dealing with an arrest, whether of yourself or a loved one. This is perhaps why everyone’s first motive is to get out of jail as fast as possible. After all, the sooner you can get out of jail, the sooner you can get back to work or family, as well as, hire a lawyer and get a started on your defense. In order to achieve all of this, you need only know how to post bail in Indiana.

Continue reading to learn just that.

Indiana Bail Bondsman 317-876-9600
Indiana Bail Bondsman 317-876-9600

How to Post Bail in Indiana

Here in Indiana, the process and procedures for posting bail are pretty much the same across the board, regardless of which county you are jailed in. There may be slight differences in requirements and procedures, but for the most part, posting bail is a straightforward process. The key to posting bail after an arrest, or after surrendering to an arrest warrant, is to hire a bail bondsman in the county of the jail. They will take the lead and handle all further details of the release from jail.

Some examples might include:

Bailing Yourself Out– Jen is arrested in Hamilton County, Indiana, and therefore taken to the Hamilton County Jail in Noblesville, where she contacts a Hamilton County bail bondsman to post bail. The bail bondsman posts her bond, picks her up from the jail, and takes her back to the bail bond office to complete paperwork and payment.

Bailing Someone Else Out – Ted is arrested in Marion County, Indiana and taken to the Marion County Jail. His boyfriend contacts a local Marion County bail bond company and enlists their services. Ted visits the office, completes the paperwork, and pays the non-refundable fee. Once the bond goes through the jail, the bail bond agent will inform the boyfriend that he can pick up Ted at the jail exit.

Turning Yourself In – Greg has a warrant out for his arrest in Boone County. He contacts a Boone County bail bondsman to prearrange a bail bond. He visits the office, completes paperwork and payment, and then rides with the bail bond agent to the jail. At the jail while the bail agent is posting his bond, Greg is detained, booked, processed, and then released.

Posting Bail for Someone Else

To post bail for someone else, simply contact a local county bail bond company and tell them all the information you have. They will take it from there. Keep in mind, you will be taking on all liability upon signing a bail bond agreement. If the person you bail out of jail fails to appear for court, you will be legally responsible for paying back the full bond amount.

Where to Get Fast and Affordable Bail Bonds

Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for prompt and professional, 24 hour bail bond services in Indiana. Not only can we get you out of jail fast, we can prearrange a bail bond if you need to surrender to an arrest warrant. And we provide our services in over 30 Indiana counties, regardless of time, day, or city. Request a free estimate, anytime.