Criminal Law Questions - How Do Bail Bonds Work?
When a person is arrested for a crime, a court will set bail depending on the severity of the crime and the defendant's previous criminal history. If the defendant is unable to pay their bail, they will be held in jail until their next court appearance. This is an issue for a lot of individuals who are arrested. A person often has work and family obligations, and being locked up for a long period of time could be difficult. People who find themselves in this difficult situation need a bail bond in order to get released from custody as soon as possible. A bail bond is a guarantee given by the court to a bail bondsman or bond firm. The bail ensures that the defendant will appear in court on their scheduled day. If the arrested person fails to appear in court, the bail bondsman is obligated to pay the bail amount. Because the bondsman must pay the bail for a no-show defendant, many bail bond companies seek collateral for high bail amounts. The fee for obtaining a bond agent is 10% of ...