How to Bail Your Child Out of Jail in Philadephia: An Update
All of the information in my earlier post concerning bail procedures remains accurate, with one major exception: the cashier's office in the Criminal Justice Center now takes Visa and Mastercard! This is a major improvement, as often the biggest obstacle on getting a loved one out of jail in the middle of the night was coming up with the cash to do so when your local bank is closed.
One detail, however, has not changed: the cashier needs to see proof of your social security number if you are posting $10,000 or more in bail. In Philadelphia, almost all bail is set at 10% cash. That is, if someone bail is set at $200,000, someone will have to give the cashier at the CJC $20,000. So, if your loved one has a bail set at $100,000 or more, bring something with proof of your social security number when you post the bail.
