The news that someone you care for has been arrested and taken to jail can have you feeling as if the wind has been knocked out of you.

Feeling head spun is quite common in this type of situation, but when you start down the path toward bailing them out of jail it's important that you keep your wits about you.

If you find yourself in this type of position, be sure to remember these three important things.

Need to know basis

Ask the defendant who needs to be notified of the arrest and if there are any loose ends they need you to wrap up.  Do they have school-age children that need to be picked up from class, activities or sporting events?

Do they need you to call them off from work?  If they are married, do they need you to contact their spouse or partner?  Start making a list of the people who need to be contacted and of miscellaneous things that need to be addressed.

The facts, ma'am

Ask the defendant how long ago they were arrested, what jail they're calling from, what they've been charged with, their bail amount and their booking number.   You'll also want to get the correct spelling of their first and last name and date of birth.

All of this will be helpful when you start the process of hiring a bondsman.  When you do speak with an agent, these are the types of things they'll ask for, along with the general gist of what led up to the arrest.

Your responsibilities as a signer

When you cosign a bail bonds contract you're taking responsibility for two key things.  First, you're guaranteeing payment on the bond.  Second, you're guaranteeing the defendant will go to court.

You'll want to keep in mind that a bail bonds agreement form is a legally binding document and if the defendant skips town and can't be located, you're the one who will be on the hook to cough up the full amount of their bail as a penalty.  If the person in custody is a close friend or relative, yes, you should do everything you can to get them out of jail fast.

But if the caller is someone you barely know, just met or is couch surfing and doesn't have a job, you may want to consider having them call someone else.