If you were unable to come up with the cash you needed to pay the fee for a bail bondsman, you probably surrendered some property to the company. This property is called collateral, and it is something you can get back from the bail bond agent if you handle this situation properly. If you want to get your stuff back, here are the things you will need to do.

Read Through the Agreement

If you are interested in getting your collateral back, you will need to know what the agreement says. This agreement outlines the arrangement you made with the bail bond agent. If will state what collateral you offered the agency and the amount of the fee you are required to pay. It will also contain details about the payment plan you agreed to and the consequences for not following through with your end of the deal. Reading through this agreement will give you a good idea of what you need to do to get your collateral back from the agency.

Make the Payments You Agreed to Make

One of the most important things to understand is that you will not receive your collateral back unless you make the payments you agreed to. If an agent accepts collateral, it is because you do not have enough cash to cover the required non-refundable fee. This means that you will need to pay off the amount you owe before you can expect to receive your items back from the agency.

Show Up to Court

Next, you will need to go to court for any and all appearances that are scheduled for your case. If you do not do this one step, you could jeopardize your collateral. The agency would be able to keep it and charge you additional fees and money to cover the amount they spent bailing you out of jail.

Pick Up Your Collateral When You Complete Everything

If you adhere to the contract, you will eventually be able to go to the bail bond agency and retrieve the items you used as collateral, but you cannot do this until you complete all the required steps. Once you get your collateral back, you will likely receive some sort of receipt or proof that you got your property back. 

Working with a bail bondsman is the easiest option you have when you need help after an arrest. You can use cash or collateral to pay your fee, but you should always make sure you understand the terms of the agreement before using the services.