There are a few different ways that defendants or their families will look to cover the cost of bail bonds to secure release from jail after an arrest, and one common method involves placing a lien on a home or property as bail bond collateral. If you’ve agreed to such an arrangement, whether as the defendant yourself or as someone close to them, one important process here is having this lien removed at the appropriate time.

At Beehive Bail Bonds, our quality bail bond agents are here 24/7 to assist with all your bail bond needs around Salt Lake County, Wasatch County, Summit County and nearby areas. We’ll work with you on any need, including those related to liens or other forms of collateral used for bail bonds. Here are some basics on how liens are used as bail bond collateral, what you should be considering if you’re a friend or family member of a defendant who has asked you to put a lien on your home to help with their bail bond, and how to remove a lien from your home if you’ve already gone through this process.

How Liens Are Used as Bail Bond Collateral

In some cases, a defendant’s family or friends may decide to put up collateral in the form of a lien on their home or other property. This is done in order to cover the cost of bail bonds, which can often be several thousands of dollars depending on the severity of the crime involved.

Generally, this will be a secondary option behind posting the entire bail amount in cash or using real estate equity to cover it. In both of these cases, the collateral is returned to the defendant once their case is resolved – but if a lien is used, this collateral will be held for an extended period until all court obligations are met.

What to Consider as a Friend or Family Member

If you’re someone close to a defendant who is considering putting up collateral for their bail bond, there are a few important questions to ask yourself:

• Do I fully trust this person to follow through on their court obligations?
• Am I comfortable with the risk that comes with having a lien placed on my home or property?

This second question is particularly important. If the defendant skips or otherwise violates their court obligations, the lien may be called in and you could be at risk of losing your home or property.

Removing a Lien

If you’ve already gone through this process and need to have the lien removed from your property, there are a few steps involved. First, the defendant must complete all court obligations – once this is done, they will receive proof of their discharge.

Once this is done, you’ll need to take the following steps:

• Provide proof of discharge to bail bond company: The company that placed the lien on your property will need to see proof of discharge in order to begin the process. This will need to come directly from court officials.
• Pay any additional fees: There may be administrative or other fees associated with lien removal – make sure you understand these before proceeding.
• Obtain release: Once you’ve paid all fees and provided proof of discharge, you will be able to have the lien released. Contact your bail bond agent and request this release – you may need to provide additional information like property deeds or other documentation.
• Record release: You will need to record the release of lien with the county where your property is located. This officially removes the lien from your home or property.
• Notify parties: Any relevant parties, such as mortgage companies, should be notified that the lien has been released. You may also need to notify your bank.
• Confirm removal: Just to be sure, contact your country clerk’s office and confirm that the lien has been officially removed from your property.
• Attorney contact (if necessary): If there are issues with the lien removal, it may be wise to consult an attorney. In most cases, however, this process should go smoothly as long as all court obligations have been met.

While a lien can be an effective form of collateral for bail bonds, there are important considerations for both defendants and their families or friends. Be sure to carefully weigh your options and seek legal advice if necessary before moving forward with a lien as bail bond collateral.

And if you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Beehive Bail Bonds – our experienced team is here to help with all bail bond and related needs around Salt Lake, Summit and Wasatch Counties.