Within the bail system, a cosigner is an individual who agrees to take financial responsibility for the bail bond. This means that if the defendant does not adhere to the terms of the bail, they will be expected to pay the costs associated with this.
While many people are happy to cosign for friends and family, they may not be in the best financial position to do so. Alternatively, defendants may struggle to find a person willing to be a cosigner, as it is a significant responsibility that many do not want on their shoulders, even if they only want what is best for the defendant.
For this reason, many people believe they cannot post bail without first finding a cosigner. However, this is not the case, and there are many alternative solutions that you can rely on during this time.
In this article, we’ll explore the many options available to you when posting bail in California without having secured a cosigner!
Posting Bail Without A Cosigner: Exploring Alternative Options
There are many different options for posting bail without a cosigner in California. This includes:
- Self-Bail
- Charging a negotiated amount on a credit card
- Calling Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds
- Asking a Bail Bondsman to Contact family and friends
- Discussing collateral-based bail bonds
- Taking out a loan
- Looking into crowdfunding
- Looking into community assistance programs and plans
Self-Bail
In some cases, defendants are given the opportunity to self-bail without a cosigner. In order for this to be possible, however, it's likely that you’ll need to be in a strong financial position, as it is often a cash bail, meaning it must be paid upfront. As such, defendants with a steady job and good credit are more likely to be given this option, as they have more money set aside that can be dedicated to this cause.
Alternatively, you may be able to post bail under the condition that you find a cosigner within 72 hours of your release. This lessens the direct financial burden of the defendant without requiring them to stay in jail.
Charge a negotiated amount on a credit card
In some scenarios, you may be able to charge a negotiated amount onto your credit card, as opposed to finding a cosigner. This is particularly useful if you are not in the financial position to pay the price of bail outright, as credit cards provide you with access to additional funds due to their high-spending limits.
However, some institutions do not allow defendants to pay bail with a credit card, as they would prefer to take a cash payment. As a result, your ability to pursue this option could change depending on which county or jail you are in.
Furthermore, if you are already in a tough financial situation or in debt, you may not be able to qualify for a credit card to begin with, meaning that this is not an option you can pursue any further.
Call Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds
One of the easiest ways to post bail without a cosigner is to reach out to a reputable bail bond provider. For example, at Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds, we provide no cosigner bail bond services for low-risk defendants (i.e., those who are deemed unlikely to skip bail).
This means that you do not need to find a cosigner to post bail, which can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend within the jail system. It also means that you are free to go about your life until your court date, reducing any stress and anxiety you face during a time when emotions are already running high.
Not only do we accept collect calls from California jails for defendants in need of help, but we can also meet inmates in jail to discuss bail terms and conditions with them. This allows those with little experience within the justice system to put their best foot forward and ensures that they do not spend unnecessary time behind bars when awaiting their time in court.
Give us a call today to find out more about our bail bond services and to put your mind at ease. With years of experience within the California legal system, we know exactly what steps you should take to put your best foot forward. Furthermore, we have a range of payment plans and options in place that make covering the costs of our services as easy and stress-free as possible.
Asking a Bail Bondsman to Contact family and friends
According to the California Code, an inmate has the right to make at least three phone calls within three hours of being arrested. However, if they have struggled to connect with potential cosigners during this time, they may be in a difficult situation when it comes to posting bail.
In these cases, it is best to reach out to a bail bond company and ask for help in contacting your family and friends. This makes the process of finding a potential cosigner much quicker, especially as the bond company will be able to provide a potential cosigner with much more insight into how the process works and what it means to be a cosigner. This, in turn, increases the chances of a friend or family member agreeing to be your cosigner, speeding up the bail process quite considerably.
Discuss collateral-based bail bonds
In some cases, you may be able to seek out a collateral-based bail bond. In these instances, the defendant uses assets as collateral for their bond, as opposed to needing a cosigner. You can place a collateral-based bail bond on valuable assets such as real estate, land, and vehicles.
If you take out a collateral-based bail bond and do not meet the terms of your bail (i.e., you do not turn up to any mandated court appearances), you risk losing the asset altogether. If your assets are not of a certain value (based on estimations), then you may not be able to post this kind of bond, and would instead need to rely on a cash-based bond or the support of a bail bondsman.
Take out a loan
While the price is set based on a variety of factors, such as the nature of the crime, criminal history, and the defendant’s perceived flight risk, and they only have to pay a set percentage of the total bail amount, the vast majority of defendants do not have enough money to hand to pay a cash bond outright. However, taking out a loan could make it easier for you to gather the money needed for a cash bond. For example, you could take out:
- A bank loan
- A payday loan
- A car title loan
- A home equity loan
Look into crowdfunding
A growing number of defendants are using peer-to-peer lending or crowd funding to pay for bail. For example, defendants can set up a profile on popular lending sites such as GoFundMe, so that they are able to gather the relevant funds to post bail.
Look into community bail funds
If you cannot find a cosigner and are unable to find the money necessary to post bail independently, you may also want to look into community bail funds that you may be granted access to. For example, if you belong to a particular group or community, you may be able to connect with local nonprofits or charities, who have specific funding set aside for helping individuals to post bail. Alternatively, you could reach out to organizations such as the bail project. The Bail Project is a national nonprofit that covers the cost of bail for individuals in need without charging any fees whatsoever.
Get in touch today.
If you have been arrested and are unable to find a cosigner for your bail agreement, please do not hesitate to reach out today. At Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds, our phone lines are open 24/7, as we understand that disaster does not always strike during working hours.
This enables us to provide defendants with guidance and support as soon as they need it - meaning that they do not need to spend any unnecessary time in jail while awaiting sentencing. We offer a wide variety of bail bonds, including no cosigner bonds for those who need to post bail independently, and would be happy to discuss your options further. If you’d like to find out more about our services, please do not hesitate to get in touch today. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, or to put your mind at ease during this troubling time.
