If you are arrested, you will first be taken in to get a mugshot, give your fingerprints, and provide law enforcement with any statement you may wish to make. After this, you will remain in jail until your appointed court date. However, bail bonds are a financial arrangement that offers a way to leave jail until your appointed court date.
After anyone is arrested, a bail amount will be set that allows the defendant the freedom of leaving jail before their appointed court date. The bail bond acts as security to ensure that the defendant will arrive in court on their appointed court date. If the defendant fails to appear in court, they will forfeit the bail money and a judge will issue an arrest warrant as well as schedule a special forfeiture hearing in order to learn why the defendant missed their court date.
Often, bail bonds will be covered by companies who specialize in bail bonds.However, it is now illegal in some states for companies to make a profit off of bail bonds. Where bail bonds companies are still legal, an agent known as a bondsman will take control of the bail bond itself. The bondsman then becomes directly responsible for making sure the defendant abides by any rules put forth by the court and that the defendant appears in court on the appointed date.
If the defendant fails to appear in court, it is then the responsibility of the bondsman to turn the individual over to the authorities. If this happens, often a bounty hunter will be sent to find the defendant and turn them over to authorities. If the bondsman fails to either arrest or hand over the defendant, they will be required to relinquish the bond amount.
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