After a defendant is arrested, a bail hearing is scheduled to determine if the defendant is a flight risk and to set the amount of his or her bail or deny the bail and bonds altogether if the defendant is deemed a flight risk.

States have laws that specify when a bail hearing must take place after an arrest. For most states, the hearing must be held 48 to 72 hours after the arrest – but weekends and holidays will not count towards this time.

A bail bond is a contractual guarantee, issued by a licensed bail bond agent, between the agent the defendant and the court, that promises the court the full bail payment if the defendant does not show up for his or her scheduled court hearing.

Once defendants have received a bail amount at their bail hearing, and contacted a bail bond service, the bail and bonds are usually accomplished within 24 hours of the bail hearing.

States set the fee for a bail bond, and in most states, the fee is 10 percent of the total bail. This fee is paid to the bond agent for the bond service, and it is a non-refundable fee.

Yes. Defendants may pay the full price of the bail, opt for a property bond or try to gain a release through their own recognizance.

What if a defendant cannot afford a bail bond?

If a defendant flees the full amount of the bail is due, the defendant will be charged with costs associated with their recovery and the amount of the bail is forever forfeit even after the defendant is recovered.

Almost anything of value can be used as collateral for a bail bond, including retirement or private savings, property, or personal items of value such as jewelry or antique collections that belong to the defendant or to family members or friends who accept responsibility for the collateral.

The process for bail and bonds ends when defendants appear for their court hearing. Regardless of the outcome of their hearing, as long as they show up, the bonds are terminated.