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How Does Bail Bond Work?

How Bail Bond Works

When a person is arrested for a crime or by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, they are taken into booking and placed into custody until a bail bond hearing is held. During this hearing, a judge takes several factors into consideration to determine if the arrested person needs to remain in jail while their case processes through the court system or if they are able to leave and return to court for each subsequent hearing until their case is resolved. If they are deemed eligible to be released, they will be released on bail. So, how does bail bond work?

Essentially, the judge will determine a figure that is line with the crime committed, the arrested individual’s previous criminal history and their risk of fleeing. This amount generally ranges from a mere $500 to $50,000, although for very serious crimes the amount can skyrocket to millions. Once this amount is set, a family member, friend or other loved one must pay it in full for the arrested person to be released on bail. If the amount is on the lower end, it is likely to be a more cut and dry process. The money will be paid and then the individual must abide by the terms of bail or they risk being placed back in jail until their case resolves. If the individual complies with the terms of bail, the person who paid can receive their money back after the case concludes. If they do not, the money is lost. This, however, is a simple bail.

Now, how does bail bond work? If family members and loved ones cannot afford the price of the bail, they typically turn to bail bond services. This is most common when the amount of bail is on the higher end of the scale or when the family has little income. When they turn to a bail bond service, they are not required to pay the full amount upfront to have their loved one released from jail. Instead, they must pay a percentage of the bail directly to the bail bond company. This allows them to purchase what is known as a “bond” that is usually backed by some form of collateral, like the title to a car or the deed to a home. Essentially, the bail bond sponsor is agreeing that the arrested person will appear in court and abide by the terms of the bail agreement and in return, the bail bond service agrees to cover the cost of the bail with the courts so that the arrested person can be released. If they break this agreement, the bail bond service has the right to collect the collateral provided to cover the costs.

This process is the same for both criminal and immigration bonds and gives the arrested person the opportunity to be surrounded by loved ones while their case pends in court, instead of in jail where their support system is limited. In many cases, both criminal and immigration bond services are utilized to quickly ensure the release of a loved one. If you are struggling to get a family member or friend released from an ICE facility or jail and are curious, “how does a bail bond work for immigration?”, contact us today to discover the options that are available to you.