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Bail Bond Essay

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If you have a friend or loved one in jail, you don't have any time to lose. In this guide, you'll find out about the cost and process of getting someone out of jail.

What is a Bail Bond?

Any time someone is arrested, there is a period of time between the time they're arrested and the time of the trial. The person has not yet been found guilty, since the trial has not yet occurred. Therefore, the judge will often elect to let the person go free until the trial.

But the judge must make sure the person appears in court on the day of the trial. For this reason, the judge asks that person to put up collateral. Collateral is an amount of money the judge sets - known as a bond - that serves as a guarantee the defendant will return for court. …show more content…

The judge considers a number of factors and arrives at an arbitrary amount to require. Depending on the nature of the crime committed and the odds the defendant won't show, this bond could be set anywhere from a few thousand to several thousand dollars. This amount varies widely from case to case.

Most people don't have the bond money to free someone from jail pending trial. In these cases, you must contact a bail bondsman to arrange payment. The bail bondsman will negotiate a fee with you. Once you agree to terms, the bondsman will pay the court the full amount of the bond.

For example, suppose bond is set at $40,000, and the bail bondsman you choose to work with asks for 10%. You'd pay the bail bondsman $4,000. The bail bondsman would pay the entire $40,000 to the court, assuming some of the risk. Meanwhile, the person in jail goes free because the bond has been paid in full.

What Happens If the Defendant Doesn't Show?

If the defendant doesn't show up for the trial, the bail bondsman has a right to pursue the defendant and require payment. The bail bondsman would likely hire a bounty hunter to find the defendant. The bail bondsman also has a right to sue in court for the full amount of the

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