What does it mean to post bail for someone?
Posting bail for someone means providing a monetary guarantee to the court or jail in order to secure the release of a friend or family member who has been arrested. There are different types of bail options, including cash bond, surety bond, and attorney bond. With a cash bond, you pay the full amount in cash to the jail, and if the defendant appears in court as required, you get your money back.
However, if the defendant fails to appear, you lose your money. With a surety bond, you pay a fee (typically 10% of the bond amount) to a bondsman, who takes on the risk of the bond. If the defendant fails to appear, the bondsman can sue you for the balance. It’s important to choose a reputable bondsman to avoid onerous requirements or potential loss of money. If the bond amount is too high, you can hire a criminal defense lawyer to file a motion to set a reasonable bond and request a hearing. The purpose of a bond is to ensure the defendant appears in court, not to be used as punishment. The process of arrest, booking, magistrate, bond setting, and release can vary depending on the crime charged and may involve bond conditions or caseload. If you want to modify or remove bond conditions, your criminal lawyer can file a motion to argue their necessity or unreasonableness.
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