Receiving a phone call that a friend or family member has just been arrested puts the person on the line in a stressful and confusing position. Although bailing someone out of jail is a fairly simple process, many people don't know what to do when they get that call. There are certain steps to follow to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Blogger Pete Low wrote about his experience, which could be useful to keep in mind.

Low stressed that it's important to gather necessary information at the beginning of the process.

"When you talk to the person who's in jail, get the following information: Their full name and date of birth, the dollar amount of bail required, the name of the jail, what they were charged with and when they were arrested," Low stated. "If you or they have enough money to pay the full amount of bail, you can go down to the jail and pay it. Otherwise, call a bail bond agent."

Low said he did not get a good feeling from the first bail bond agent he called, so he tried another one. This bail bond agent responded quickly and professionally, providing a range of payment options before going down to meet Low at the jail, even though it was 1 a.m.

One very good piece of advice from Low: Think twice about co-signing a bail bond. As Low pointed out, if his friend skipped his court date, Low would be on the hook for the whole amount. In his case, this was $10,000. Low also advised people to keep in mind that in some cases, a bail bond agent might charge for expenses. In this case, the agent charged for the mileage to get to the jail.

In the end, Low said, the process was easy and his friend was out of jail quickly. However, knowing what to expect and how to handle issues like guaranteeing a bail bond for a friend or family member will make the process even less stressful if it ever arises. And as Low's blog illustrated, going through the process with the help of a high-quality, professional bail bondsman is essential.