People who are charged with a criminal action will sometimes be held in jail pending their court hearings. This is to ensure that the individual does attend the required court dates. The court sometimes sets bail for the person, so they can get out of jail while their case goes through the motions.
What is bail?
Bail is a monetary or asset assurance that the defendant will go to court when they are supposed to. It is possible that the court might order a person to be released on their own recognizance. This means that they don’t have to pay any money or put up any assets, but they’ll have to promise that they will appear at all court dates.
What if someone cannot pay bail?
Bail amounts that are set by the court are often very considerable. Many individuals are not able to pay the full amount. They can work with a bail bondsman to get out of jail. This is done by putting up a specific percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the bail bond company.
What happens to the bail or bond?
If the person pays the bail and attends all their court hearings, they can receive the bail back. A person who has a bail bondsman will not receive the money back. If the defendant doesn’t attend all court hearings, a warrant is issued for their arrest.
Some defendants opt to have their attorney work to lower their bail. Discussing your situation with your attorney may be helpful if you are going through this. You can also work on your defense strategy, so you aren’t rushing right before court.