
If your brother is in jail in Fresno, then you need to first found out whether or not he is eligible for bail. You can either wait until he calls to tell you that he is up for bail, or you can contact the jail directly to find out whether or not they are going to let him out on bail.
If the judge does decide to let your brother out of jail on bail, then you need to find out the amount of bail. Bail can be rather expensive. If you or your brother are able to afford the bail, then you can pay the money directly to the court. The court will hold the bail money pending your brother’s trial. If your brother shows up to court on the day of his trial, then you will get a full refund of this bail amount, minus any administrative fees that you may have to pay.
If you do not have enough money to post bail on your own, then you can partner with a bail bondsman, who will be able to put up the money for your brother’s bail. If you work with a bail bondsman, you and/or your brother will have to pay the bail bondsman a down payment. Ten percent is an average down payment to a bail bonding agency. This down payment will not be refunded to you. The bail bonding agency, however, will get a full refund of the money they put up for the bond as long as your brother shows up to court.
In order to pay this down payment, you can either give the bail bonding agency cash or you can come up with another plan. If you need to, you should try to find a bail bonding agency that will accept credit card payments (most do). Alternatively, you can find a bonding agency that will work out a payment plan with you. If you still need extra funding, you may want to enlist the help of friends and family members.
A bail bonding agency might also use your collateral as payment. If the bail bonding agency uses your collateral, they may need to know what real property you own, such as real estate, a car, or stocks. Be careful when turning over collateral to a bonding agency because you may not get this money or this collateral back.
When you help to get your brother out of jail on bail, make sure that you have all of the information about bail bonds that you need. The best way to make sure that you are making a wise and informed decision is to speak with the bail bonding agency directly about your concerns and your situation. The agency can help you find payment plans or options that they are willing to work with.