Getting a call from a family member or friend saying that he or she has been arrested and needs to be bailed out of jail is not something that most people expect. If you get a call like this, you may not know what to do or how to get your loved own released from jail. Continue reading to learn more about the process of bailing someone out of jail:

Gather Pertinent Information

When you receive a call from a loved one in jail, keep the conversation short and avoid asking too many questions about the events that landed the person in jail. Phone conversations from jail are often recorded, and you don't want your loved one to accidentally say something that may be incriminating. What you need to know during the initial phone call is what he or she has been charged with, and what jail he or she is being held at. At this time you may want to consider contacting a criminal defense attorney to work on the behalf of your loved one.

Contact the Jail

After a person is booked into jail, he or she will have to appear before a judge in order to have a bail amount set. Contact the jail to learn when your loved one's hearing will be. You will then need to call back after the hearing to find out what the bond amount was set to.

Post Bond

Once you know what the bail amount has been set at, you can go to the jail and post bond. You can pay in cash if you have the funds available, and some municipalities will accept credit cards. These funds are typically refundable if your loved one shows up in court.

But if you're like many people, you may not have the funds available to pay the set bail in full. When you can't pay the bail amount in full, you can contact a bail bonds company like All Star Bail Bonds for assistance. A bails bond company requires you to pay a small percentage of the full bail amount, and they will provide the remainder of the funds so your loved one can be released from jail. In the majority of cases, the fee you pay a bail bonds company is non-refundable.

If you bail a loved one out of jail, it is essential that he or she is present at all court dates. In the event that he or she misses a court date, you will lose all of your money if you paid the bail amount in full. If you used a bail bonds company and you loved one fails to show up in court, you will be held liable to repay the company the amount of money they put up on your loved one's behalf.