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Bail And Bonds: Clearing Up The Confusion

8 December 2020

April George

If you know someone who needs to get out of jail, there is more than one way for them to obtain freedom. They can be released on their own recognizance, they can be bailed out, or they can be bonded out. The last two terms are often used interchangeably and that can lead to a bit of confusion when you need to help someone get out of jail. Read on to find out more about these two terms: bail and bonds.

What Is Bail?

Bail means money, but it means a lot more than that. It is also a commitment by the defendant to return for future court dates as well as follow all bail conditions. Bail is meant to keep the jails clear of defendants waiting for their cases to come before a judge. The idea is to give defendants their freedom while still keeping the public safe. That is why some of the bail conditions include things like:

• Not contacting any alleged victims in the case.
• Staying away from felons.
• Not carrying weapons.
• Not getting arrested for anything.
• Checking in with the courts on a regular basis.

What Is a Bond?

While these terms can both be used to describe the same thing, usually the term bond applies to a third-party business that offers a service to those arrested. Since bail amounts are not affordable to many, bonds allow defendants to get out of jail without having to pay that large sum. The bonding agency works as a go-between for the defendant and the jail to pay the bail for them. For the defendant's part, they need to pay the bonding agency a certain percentage of the bail known as a premium. As with bail, bail bonds come with conditions from both the courts and the bail bonding agency. You must still appear at future court dates, and you might also have to check in with the bail bonding agency periodically.

How Is Freedom Obtained?

Contact a bail agency located near the jail and let them know the charges and bail amount. They can provide you with the amount of the premium. If the premium is 15% and the bail is $1,500, the premium paid to the bonding company is just $225, for instance. It only takes a matter of minutes to do the paperwork, and then the jail is notified to release the defendant.

Bail bonds provide an affordable and easy way to deal with incarceration. Speak to an agent for more information.

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