Any Jail, Any Bail, Any Time!

Friday, July 27, 2012

How do bail bonds work?


"How do bail bonds work?"

It is important to first understand that bail is a type of insurance. Bail is used to insure a defendant will appear in court as ordered. The court sets a bail amount that is required for a defendant's release from jail and can be posted in two ways. The first way is to post the entire bail amount in full at the jail and receive a refund of this amount after the case is over. Usually no one has this large amount cash laying around and that's where bail bonds come in. You can purchase a bail bond for the bail amount through a licensed agent by paying a percentage of the total bail amount. In California the fee for a bail bond is regulated by the Department of Insurance and is 10%. Upon posting the bond, the defendant will be released into the Bail Agent's custody. By posting the bond the bail company is now responsible for the defendant and therefore will likely make conditions in order for the defendant to stay out on bail.