A cosigner is a person who pays 15% * of the total bail amount to get a defendant out of jail, there can also be multiple people signing if the situation requires it. This person is also responsible for the full bail amount if the defendant does not show up for their court date.
What are the cosigner’s responsibilities?
The cosigner’s responsibility is to help the bail bondsman find the defendant if they skip court after multiple failed attempts to get the defendant a new court date. If for some reason a defendant forgets to go to court or arrives too late to their hearing, the court issues a warrant for their arrest because the main condition for bail is to show up for their court date. Before a bail bondsman sends out bounty hunters, multiple attempts are made to get the defendant a new court date. This is usually as easy as getting a motion to quash the warrant and schedule a new court date.
After all the attempts were made and the defendant is not cooperating or flees, the cosigner is responsible for helping the bail bondsman find the defendant, paying the full bail amount, and for any bounty hunter fees associated with bringing the defendant back into custody. In other words, the cosigner is basically responsible for making sure the defendant shows up to court. So, if you’re thinking about becoming a cosigner, make sure you’re prepared to take on this responsibility and fully know and trust the person you’re signing for. Otherwise, you might end up having to pay the full bail amount yourself!
If you need more information or if you’re ready to start the bail process, call us today at 702-462-9200.
*Per Nevada Law
