Blog Post

Tips to Help a Friend or Family Member in Jail

Admin • Apr 23, 2018

Help in a Time of Need

 

Discovering a friend or loved one was arrested can be a scary experience. You want to help but, if you’re like most people, aren’t sure how. Luckily, there are many ways you can help your friend or family member in his or her time of need. To help you navigate the process during this stressful time, here are a few tips to follow when a friend or family member is in jail.

 

The first thing to do if you discover a friend or family member has been arrested is to locate him or her. Then, gather other important pieces of information so you can set to work. Specifically, you’ll want to find out:

 

  • Where your friend or family member is being held
  • The arresting officer’s jurisdiction
  • The charge on which your friend or family member was arrested, and
  • The bail amount

 

If you don’t know where your friend or family member was taken, call the jail for the city in which he or she was arrested. Remember, stick to essential information when talking with your friend or family member in jail, i.e. do not talk about what happened that caused them to get arrested. Your communications aren’t confidential.

 

Jail Release

 

Next, you’ll want to get your friend or family member out of jail. Post the cash bail amount if you can. If you can’t post bail, your next step should be to call a criminal defense attorney. An attorney can either get the bail amount reduced or eliminated or post a surety bond. A surety bond is a promise the attorney makes to the court that the defendant will appear in court as instructed. Then, that attorney can start to work on the case.

 

An alternative to working with an attorney to post bail is to work with a bail bondsman. Typically, you pay 10-15% of the total bail amount to the bondsman, who then posts the amount needed to secure your friend or family member’s release from jail. You do not get that percentage back, however, and the bail bondsman cannot provide legal advice or representation. Conversely, if you work with an attorney, your friend or family member will have a good head start. The sooner you involve an attorney, the more an attorney can do to fight the charges.

 

Seek Advice When a Friend or Family Member Is in Jail

 

If you haven’t already, talk to a few attorneys about your friend or family member’s situation. Now is when that important information you gathered will be helpful. Find an attorney with ample experience handling cases similar to your friend or family member’s. You will want to find one who has handled similar charges in the same jurisdiction. Once the attorney has a few basic pieces of information, he or she can explain what will happen next and what you can do to help.

 

Following the above tips can help you get your friend or family member out of jail. Also, remember these tips if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.

 

If your friend or family member has been arrested and is now in jail in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, JBabb – Criminal Defense Attorneys is here to help. JBabb – Criminal Defense Attorneys will advise you on the best course of action to help your friend or family member. With law offices in Dallas and Denton, our attorneys provide compassionate legal services to Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Rockwall and Tarrant counties. Our experienced attorneys handle a wide variety of criminal cases including DWI/DUI , assault/family violence, and other misdemeanors and felonies. Call (214) 329-9433, email clients@jbabblaw.com, or fill out our confidential online form to schedule a consultation with a Dallas-Fort Worth criminal defense attorney.

 

Share this post

Share by: