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Revenge porn kingpin is out on bail in Sacramento. But he’s banned from the Internet.

Revenge porn kingpin is out on bail in Sacramento. But he’s banned from the Internet.

Need a Bail Bonds agent in Sacramento, CA.  A Fast Bail Bonds Agent?

A screenshot from a Youtube interview with Hunter Moore in July 2012. (Youtube)A screenshot from a Youtube interview with Hunter Moore in July 2012. (YouTube)

Hunter Moore created the notorious revenge porn site isanyoneup.com. He’s facing 15 federal charges related to the operation of the site. According to local media reports, he was released on $100,000 bond Friday. Moore was reportedly released into the custody of his parents on the condition that he stay off the Internet, dismantle his social media accounts and submit to drug tests.

The purveyors of revenge porn sites, which allow ex-lovers to submit compromising photos of their former flames for posting online, are typically protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. That law prohibits operators from being held liable for user-submitted content. But court documents allege that Moore paid for the services of a hacker who broke into e-mail accounts and provided stolen nudes for posting on his site, which he shuttered in 2012.

Moore and the alleged hacker, Charles Evens, were both indicted Thursday for crimes including seven counts of aggravated identity theft, seven counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, and conspiracy.

Coverage of Moore’s revenge porn empire before the indictment shows an unapologetic figure who seemed to revel in being a “professional life ruiner,” as his Twitter bio once boasted. And the court documents allege that Moore paid Evens a pretty paltry sum for hacked nude photos to expose unknowing victims to harsh public scrutiny.

But Moore doesn’t seem to enjoy having cameras pointed at him during unflattering situations:  Local media reports he hid his head in a jacket while leaving the Sacramento County Jail on Friday led by three men — one of whom pushed down a local cameraman.

Sacramento bailbonds: Reasons why you need 1 Hour Bail Bonds services

Anybody can get in trouble anytime and getting arrested can be a very confusing and intimidating experience. There will be instances that you will need to act fast and get yourself or someone out of jail quickly. This is where 1 Hour Bail Bonds in Sacramento, Ca will come in where you will need to go through the bail process.

Without the bail process anybody can get stuck in jail for a longer period of time. But with the right bailbond company and assertive bail bond agent you do not need to wait and lose money and time hoping for a judge to hear your case.

What is a bail bond?

It is a form of security posted by the accused or defendant in a case to get temporary liberty. It can serve as a ticket to get you out of jail so long as you comply with the conditions of your bail. This will be issued based on several factors as the court will see fit.

History of bailbonds

It all started way back in 1898 when Tom and Peter P. McDonough established the very first bailbond agency. This was first established to help people get back on track after their arrest. The McDonough’s believed that no one should be made to suffer in jail while waiting for a judge to hear their case. In the long run the court system realized that it’s cheaper to keep some prisoners out of jail, so long as these offenders were light to medium offenders of the law.

Before it was the burden of the family members to post bail, and they acted as the bail bond agent of the accused. Most court systems believed that when someone close to the family posted the bail most of the offenders will not dare skip bail. If they do then the money posted or property placed under bail will be confiscated in favor of the state.

Another rationale behind the bail system is that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. To keep someone behind bars for months will be injustice for someone who is innocent and will end up as condemning him to a crime he never committed. The only exception to this is if the person is considered as a flight risk or someone likely to skip bail.

How Do Bail Bonds Work?

The bail bond contract is between four entities: you (defendant), a co-signer, the court and the bail bonding company.

Those who show up for your court appearances are those who are co-signers or bail agents. If you can afford to pay the entire amount of your bail then do it, but often times the amount of the bail is steep and is difficult to cover. This is where 1 Hour Bail Bonds in Sacramento, Ca can help you.

Who sets the amount of your bail? The court or the entity with jurisdiction over your case will determine the amount you will need to post for your conditional release. This is determined if you are a flight risk and by the severity of your case. If you voluntarily submit yourself to the jurisdiction of the court then your bailbond may be reduced.

What is the role of the bailbonding company? They serve as guarantors that you will appear in court during the court date set. As a condition for your release you will need to check with the court and bail agent from time to time. Here are some of the factors that can affect the amount of bail that need to be posted:

criminal history of the suspect or his record with any violations with the law in the past
employment history
likelihood of becoming a flight-risk
severity and nature of the crime
the possibility that the person is a danger to their family, the public and even to themselves

Remember that crimes punishable by death are not covered by bailbonds.

What happens if the bailbond is more than one can afford?

They can sit in jail and wait for their court date, or call a bailbond agent. An agent will post a bond for a fee that has to be paid by the accused. The usual rates for bailbonds are at 10%. You might be wondering why the big fee? This is because bondsmen are taking a big financial risk by posting bail on your behalf. When you decide that you want to escape then they have no choice but to post and pay the bail amount. This is also the reason why some bail agents are asking for some form of collateral on your part when they post your bail for you. It could anything from the title to your house, to the deed to your car, and other forms of property.

A form of collateral can be demanded for larger bailbonds. Once you abscond, your co-signor or guarantor will shoulder all the remaining expenses, plus you will lose any collateral that you have posted for your bail. Once there is a warrant for your arrest your co-signor will pay for all the fees that is owed to the state and the bondsmen himself.

If you want to gain your freedom then getting the best bailbond agent is your best option. Do not talk brash to your agent as they can deny giving you the bailbond that you need. A good bondsman will take down all your personal details and investigate into your background. If they deem you unfit for bond then expect that you will be denied any amount for bail.

Where to look for credible bail bonding companies

You can look for reputable 1 Hour Bail Bonds in Sacramento, Ca Company to help you out of jail. Trust only those who are accredited by the courts and those with a good reputation to take care of your bonds and collateral that you have posted. Getting arrested is already bad enough, do not allow yourself to get duped by unscrupulous individuals posting as legitimate bail bond agents. You can get your family to check online for the best Sacramento bail bonds company that you can trust to get you out of jail and post the proper bond for your temporary liberty.

 

Bail Bonds For High Profile Perpotraitor – Five Famous Cases

When a high profile case hits the news, one of the things everyone tends to talk about is how much the bail will be. For severe cases, such as murder and rape, bail is usually set pretty high, and while your average, everyday person caught up in a horrible situation might have trouble posting said bail, the rich and the famous typically have no issue with posting millions of dollars to remain free before their trial.
Here are five recent high-profile criminal cases and the circumstances surrounding their bonds.

George Zimmerman
In case you’ve been living in a cave or have your head stuck in the sand trying to avoid everything that has to do with the real world, you’ve heard of George Zimmerman. In late February of this year, Zimmerman, a member of his neighborhood watch patrol, allegedly confronted 17-year old Trayvon Martin, who was walking home from a convenience store. A scuffle ensued, which ultimately resulted in Zimmerman drawing his weapon and shooting and killing Martin. Zimmerman claimed self-defense, and eventually he was arrested.
Upon his arrest, his bail was set at $150,000. It was eventually discovered that Zimmerman had raised more than $130,000 through his website, with the judge asserting that he manipulated the court and intended to use the money to flee. The new bond was thus set at $1,000,000, a price often reserved for murderers. The amount, however, was simply set that high so as to ensure that he would remain in the court. This came on the heels of Zimmerman’s wife being charged with perjury for lying about their financials. She subsequently posted a small $1,000 bail bond.

Bernie Madoff
Bernie Madoff is universally recognized as one of the most despicable human beings in the world. A former New York businessman and financier, Madoff is responsible for the largest instance of financial fraud in United States history, bilking hundreds of people out of a combined $65 billion dollars. In 2008 he was arrested, leading to great outrage over the conditions of his bail.
Due to the nature of his crimes, his bail was set at a whopping $10 million. Unable to meet the conditions of the bond (including finding four people to co-sign it), the terms were modified to allow Madoff to receive what is essentially house arrest, subject to a curfew lasting from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. He was allowed to travel freely through Connecticut, Long Island, and southern New York, but between the curfew hours he had to stay in his luxury penthouse apartment in Manhattan.
Naturally, everyone was incredibly upset about this, as the man responsible for the largest Ponzi scheme in history was essentially free despite committing an incredibly heinous crime that ruined many, many lives. Thankfully, he was eventually sent to jail, with a projected release date of November 14, 2139. Methinks the 74 year old man won’t be seeing freedom any time soon.

O.J. Simpson
Everyone knows about O.J. Simpson and his high profile murder case. Accused of murdering his ex-wife and her lover, he was acquitted in the mid-nineties, which ultimately lead to a series of financial and other legal troubles for the aging former football store. Once such incident occurred in 2007, ultimately leading to his incarceration and one of the most idiotic decisions the man has ever made.
In September of 2007, Simpson and others were accused of robbing a hotel casino at gunpoint to recover what he claimed was stolen sports memorabilia. Talk about a lapse in judgment. He was eventually charged with multiple felonies, with a bond set at $125,000. As an added bonus, he was told not to have any contact with his co-defendants, and order he would go on to violate. This resulted in the judge raising his bond to $250,000 and telling Simpson “What were you thinking?”
Despite posting the required 15% of the $250,000, O.J. Simpson was eventually found guilty and is now serving 33 years in jail. He is eligible for parole after 9 years.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Dominique Strauss-Kahn is a French economist, lawyer, and politician who, until recently, served as the managing director for the International Monetary Fund, an international organization designed to “stabilize exchange rates and assist the reconstruction of the world’s international payment system post-World War II.” One can imagine his career would still be going had he not been accused of sexual assault and attempted rape of a hotel maid in New York.
After being arrested in May of 2011, he eventually posted a whopping $1,000,000 in bail and was forced into house arrest. Due to the lack of credibility of the plaintiff, the charges were eventually dropped, though Strauss-Kahn did admit that he had a sexual encounter with the maid but never acted aggressively. This case is interesting primarily because Strauss-Kahn had to pay such a large amount of money for an accusation that seemingly had no merit to begin with.

Casey Anthony
One of the most high profile cases in recent memory was the one surrounding Casey Anthony and the disappearance of her daughter Caylee. Casey was arrested after filing false statements with the police concerning the disappearance of her daughter,  and was released after a bail bondsman named Leonard Padilla posted her bond of $500,200. After being released, Caylee’s body was eventually found, and Casey found herself back in jail. This time, her parents had her bonded out for $500,000, and a month later she was back in jail, charged with first degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated child abuse, and four counts of providing false information to the police.
After having a combined $1,000,200 in bond posted to secure her release on two separate occasions, she was finally held without bail, and thus remained in prison throughout her trial. As everyone soon learned, she was acquitted and eventually released.

 

Million Dollar Bail?

After several days spent pondering evidence from a bizarre, nearly three-hour-long hearing that almost amounted to a “mini-trial”, Florida Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. has granted indicted slayer George Zimmerman release from the Seminole County Jail if he can come up with bail of a million dollars. The prosecution had sought to have him held without bail after he lied about his financial circumstances.

It was not immediately clear how long it would take the 28-year-old Zimmerman to arrange his release.Defense attorney Mark O’Mara said that Zimmerman’s legal defense fund had a balance of $211,000, more than enough to cover the 10-percent non-refundable portion charged by most bonding companies.

Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 slaying of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old Miami Gardens boy who was living out a week’s school suspension at his father’s girlfriend’s apartment in Sanford, a central Florida city of 54,000. The case became a matter of nationwide fury and international headlines after police failed to arrest—and the Seminole County prosecutor failed to charge—Zimmerman. All the attention has put the spotlight on self-defense laws, racial profiling and criminal-justice in general.

O’Mara barely touched on the key issue surrounding the hearing—why Zimmerman had lied to obtain low bail. He sought instead to paper over that issue and rouse sympathy for his client by justifying the action that landed him in jail in the first place. He said Zimmerman had concealed the significant amount of money he had acquired through a defense fund website because he feared for his life.

Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda shot that claim down when it was his turn: “Mr. Zimmerman sat there and allowed [his wife to make the false claim], manipulating the whole thing. They were lying to the court, and that is the most egregious part, and makes this an even more disturbing crime.”

Zimmerman has all along claimed he was attacked by Martin and shot the boy in self-defense. Due to the public uproar about the killing, which has included large protests in Sanford and elicited a comment from President Obama, Gov. Rick Scott appointed a special prosecutor, Angela Corey, on March 22. Three weeks later she laid the charge against Zimmerman.

Zimmerman had been previously released on bail of $150,000 after an Aprll 20 hearing before Judge Lester. The bail was revoked June 1 when the judge learned a website had been bringing in $1,000 a day for Zimmerman. His wife Shellie had testified by telephone at the bail hearing that the couple was broke. It was subsequently learned that she had $57,000 in her personal bank account that day. The two had access to a total of at least $130,000 at the time.

A few days after bail was revoked and Zimmerman surrendered to police, Corey charged Shellie Zimmerman with perjury, accusing her of lying about the couple’s finances. If convicted, she could face a year in jail. When Judge Lester revoked his bail, he stated that Zimmerman “…has now demonstrated that he does not properly respect the law or the integrity of the judicial process.”

In his argument, O’Mara said Martin “was killed because of his own doing.” De la Rionda said, “Our contention is that [Zimmerman]’s the aggressor and the person who could claim self-defense is the victim, Trayvon Martin.”

Witnesses for the defense Friday included a forensics accountant who traced the Zimmermans’ money but apparently missed cash that had been transferred to a sister’s account. He agreed that the transfers could have been an attempt to appear broke. Zimmerman’s probation supervisor said he had followed all the rules after being granted bail, including keeping his court-ordered electronic tracking bracelet fully charged. The paramedic who treated Zimmerman at the scene of the shooting explained what injuries he found on Zimmerman, including extensive blood on his head and what he thought was probably a broken nose. Zimmerman’s father Robert also testified.

But Zimmerman himself, his hair grown out and dressed in a suit and tie unlike in his previous appearance when he wore prison garb, did not testify. O’Mara tried to persuade the judge to allow his client simply to read a statement but not be cross-examined by the prosecution. When that failed, he chose not to put Zimmerman on the stand.

The defense played videotapes and audiotapes in the courtroom. One of those came from the security camera at a local 7-11 where Martin had gone to buy Skittles and tea the night he was shot to death. On the tape Martin is shown wearing the hoodie that itself has drawn extensive commentary and been used by supporters—including a U.S. Congressman on the floor of the House—as a protest against racial profiling. The showing in court of the 7-11 tape seemed itself to epitomize racial profiling, the apparent point being to show that Martin was somehow a scary presence the day he was killed, justifying Zimmerman’s calling him suspicious and following him.

De la Rionda asked the judge to keep Zimmerman in the slam. He said the 28-year-old had racially profiled an innocent kid, behaved as if he were a police officer and shot Martin without having a clear threat to his life. He then argued that Zimmerman’s wife had lied about their financial circumstances and the defendant himself was complicit in misleading the court because he didn’t speak up and correct her.

As those who have followed the case know, it went further than mere omission in the courtroom. The couple had communicated in code about the money in recorded phone conversations while Zimmerman was held in jail before the first bail hearing.

After the hearing, Benjamin Crump, lawyer for Martin’s parents (Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton), had told The Miami Herald: “Tracy and Sybrina have always said they want the killer of their child to remain in jail until the trial. Our position is: Just because you claim to be scared and confused, that’s still no justification for lying to the court. What kind of message does that send?”

So much for: “Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…”

Bail Denail – When Does That Happen?

Bail may be automatically denied for several penal code violations, including murder and a prior escape from jail or prison. However, bail may also be denied for a host of other reasons. When a person is arrested and taken to jail and booked, the person will have to stay in jail while he or she awaits his or her trial. If a judge reviews the case and decides that there is a reasonable chance that the defendant will return to court to stand trial for a crime and also believes that upon release, the individual will not pose a threat to society, then the judge will set a bail for the individual.

When a judge goes about setting a bail for a person, the first thing he or she will look at is the nature of the crime. The crime will have an assumptive bail rate associated with it. For penal code violation 187, which is murder, there is no bail, unless there are special circumstances. The special circumstances might warrant a bail rate that begins at $1 million.

For penal code violations 4532a and b, which are escape and attempted escape from prison with or without force or violence, there is not bail allowed. However, if an inmate violates penal codes 4532a or b, which is escape or attempted escape by a misdemeanant, inebriate, or person on work furlough from a jail or an industrial farm, the person will not receive bail if he or she had been convicted. However, if the person had not been convicted, he or she may receive a bail of $100,000, in addition to the bail amount that was posted on the original charge.

The judge might also deny bail for a number of other reasons. For example, if you have already stated to an arresting office or a representative of the pretrial release program that you do not intend to return to court to stand trial for your accused crime, then the judge may not grant your bail. Also, if your crime is so offensive that you could be a threat to civilians if you were released, the judge might also deny your bail, even if there is an assumptive bail amount associated with your offence. Such is the case when a defendant could possibly pose a threat to his victim.

Bail Terms You Might Not Know

Here’s a compilation of a few terms, (and the meanings of these terms,) you might hear if you’re applying for bail.
Bail-Point Scale-
Bail-point scale refers to a system for determining a criminal defendant’s eligibility for bail. Under a bail-point scale, a defendant either will be released on personal recognizance, or have a bail amount set. (According to the total number of points given.) However, a bail-point scale is given based on the defendant’s background and behavior.

 Bail Forfeiture-
Bail forfeiture refers to an order issued by a court demanding a surety to pay the amount pledged as security, for the reason that the accused failed to fulfill the requirements contained in a bail bond. The amount that is paid by the surety under bail forfeiture will be transferred to the court in whose jurisdiction the laws are violated.

Bail forfeiture occurs when a court appearance is missed. Generally an accused arrested for most misdemeanor and non-violent crimes can be released on bail pending case, if s/he furnishes security for his/her release. The security is originally a guarantee for his/her appearance before the court on future dates. In case the accused fails to appear before court the bail will be forfeited and the security will be released to the possession of the court without the possibility of repayment.

 Bail Piece-
Bail piece refers to a document recording the nature of the bail which is granted to a defendant in a civil action. Generally, a bail piece is filed with a court. It is usually signed by the defendant’s sureties. A bail piece is not simply an authority for arrest, but is considered a evidence of the relationship between the parties.

A bail piece is an instrument whereby, the bail have a right to demand of the officer taking the recognizance, stating that the principal is delivered to the bail. It is the evidence of their right to his/her custody; it is delivered to them, and not filed in court, unless upon a surrender of the principal. i.e.[Elliott v. Dudley, 8 Mich. 62, 65 (Mich. 1860)].

 Bail Skipping/Bail Jumpers-
People are released on bail with the understanding that they will attend court on an appointed date to face trial. Bail skipping is a practice in which an offender released on bail fails to appear at the court specified place and time without any lawful excuse. Such practice is often resorted to in an attempt to avoid trial and conviction. Bail skipping is also known as bail jumping. An arrest warrant is issued in the name of an offender who skips bail.

In cases where an offender released on bail fails to show up for a court appearance, the judge can issue a warrant for the bail jumper’s arrest. Some jurisdictions allow bail bondsmen to hire bounty hunters in the event of a bail jumping. Bounty hunters trace bail skippers and bring them in on the warrant in exchange for a fee.

 Fugitive Recovery-
The bail fugitive recovery person refers to a person who tracks down criminal defendants who fail to show up in court after a bond company has posted their bail. S/he has written authorization by a bail agent, surety to arrest a fugitive. S/he is contracted to investigate, surveil, locate, and arrest a bail fugitive for surrender to appropriate authorities, or any person employed to assist in the arrest of such a fugitive.

Keep to The Shallows Avoid Loan Sharks

Loan sharks are people who lend money at exorbitant interest rates, especially one financed and supported by an organized crime network. Loan sharks illegally lend money to people who are in desperate need for a loan. Loan shark victims have often been turned down by other money lenders, or need quick emergency cash. It becomes easy for you to get further into debt, when you make a decision to get the assistance of a loan shark. You may not know what you are dealing with at the beginning, but a loan shark can get brutal in many cases. People end up getting bruised both physically and mentally because of them. Then, people tend to go to these loan sharks when they are in urgent need of money.

Many people initially agree to the terms provided by loan sharks because they are desperately in need for cash. When you take one of these illegal loans, you are being charged with exorbitant fees that makes it difficult to pay it back. In some cases, people are forced to take out a second loan in order to pay the fees from the first one. A loan shark may begin to threaten or bully you when you fail to repay their payments.

If you want to avoid loan sharks, you should watch out for assured fees. These fees may include early repayment fees, late repayment fees, membership fees, bounced check fees, debit fees, or collateral requirements. Advance fees are no doubt illegal, so you should never pay any fees when you apply for a loan. You should not give questionable lenders direct access to your checking account and make sure to read each and every condition of all contracts. In order to avoid loan sharks, there are pay advance lenders who offer safe and confidential ways to obtain a pay advance loan.

The real aim of a loan shark is to keep their customers forever in debt so that the interest for the sharks can increase day by day. Today, loan sharking tends to be associated crime, and the typical loan shark is often thought to be a gangster who extorts repayment of the debt with threats of physical violence. Such loan sharks do exist in this world. Loan sharks tend to multiply in big cities where there are large numbers of wage workers with regular paydays, but humble salaries. These lenders functioned out of cheap storefront offices and catered especially to government employees, factory hands, and office clerks.

So if you were considering a loan shark to pay your bail, do yourself a favor, turn away NOW! You may already feel like you’ve gone off the deep end. But a loan shark will only drag you under. 1Hour-Bail-Bonds can help you even if you think your already in too deep. So give us a call we’d be glad to lend you a hand.

Bail Jumping Defined

Bail jumping is an activity in which someone who has been released on bail attempts to evade a court appearance with the goal of avoiding a trial, possible conviction, and sentence. Bail jumping is also known as bail skipping. When someone skips bail, she or he gives up the amount paid in bail, and a warrant will be issued for the bail jumper’s arrest.

When people are released on bail, they are done so with the understanding that they will attend court on an appointed date to face trial. People are released on bail so that they do not have to sit in jail waiting trial, and to allow them to go about their daily business until the trial occurs. Usually, conditions are set with bail. In addition to paying the bail itself, the accused may be required to stay in the area, to refrain from associating with certain people, and so forth.

If someone released on bail fails to show up for a court appearance, the judge can issue a warrant for the bail jumper’s arrest. Because bail is often provided by a bail bondsman who puts up the bail in exchange for the understanding that the money will be returned when the accused attends court, some regions allow bail bondsmen to hire bounty hunters in the event of a bail jumping. The bounty hunter tracks down the person who evaded bail to bring them in on the warrant in exchange for a fee.

If it becomes clear that someone is taking steps to avoid a court date, he or she can be accused of bail jumping before the actual date. For example, if someone books plane tickets out of the country with a flight scheduled to depart shortly before the scheduled court appearance, it is clear that the accused is planning on bail jumping. In cases such as these, the accused may be jailed to await trial.

Bail jumping is not in the best interests of the accused. In addition to forfeiting the amount of bail, the accused also faces additional charges for attempting to evade court. If someone wants to delay a trial or feels that a trial will not be fair in a given venue, he or she should discuss the issue with a lawyer to see if an agreement can be reached. Accused criminals are entitled to due process of law, which includes accommodations such as a change of venue if it is believed that a trial cannot be conducted fairly in the originally scheduled location.

What is A Bail Bond?

When a person is arrested, he or she may have the opportunity to pay bail. This is a payment that the arrested person may be able to make to the court in order to leave jail until trial. The payment is a way that the court can help ensure that the accused will appear at any future court dates. In some cases, the amount of bail may be more than the accused can pay by him or herself. In these cases, bail bonds may be useful since they allow people to pay some percentage of their bail — often 10% — with a bail bonding agency putting up the rest. Courts typically refund the original bail amount if the accused shows up for all of his or her court dates. Since that amount goes to the agency that posted bail for the accused, in cases that go well, the agency gets its money back and keeps the percentage put up by the accused as its profit.

Depending on the crime, bail may be determined by a preset schedule or in a bail hearing. In some cases, this hearing may be combined with an arraignment, when the judge hears the charges and asks the detainee to enter a plea. In order to create a financial incentive to return to court voluntarily, courts routinely ask for bail money commensurate with the seriousness of the charges. For many people, the amount of bail set is higher than they can pay easily. It’s set a low enough amount to be worth putting it up to avoid more jail time but also it’s also high enough to want it all back by going to future courts dates.

If the accused cannot come up with bail, he or she might ask a bail bonds person for help. In this case, the accused will put up a percentage of the bail and the bail bonds person will put up the rest. In this way, bail bonds are surety bonds used to guarantee the entire bail amount if the accused party fails to maintain the terms of his or her release.

Bail bonds can be obtained in most areas of the United States 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When a person is released on bond, he usually has more opportunity to provide for his family or prepare for the upcoming court dates. Bail bonds also help reduce overcrowding and lower costs as there are fewer people that a jail must house and feed.

Bail bonds are generally issued by private bail bonding agencies and their fees are usually non-refundable. Most bonding agencies also require collateral; by paying the bail for the accused, the agency is taking the risk that he or she might not show up to court, forfeiting the bail. Collateral helps ensure that the bonding agency recovers its money. When the accused does appear in court and bail is refunded, the agency returns the collateral, but keeps any fees.

The concept of bail bonds for the release of jailed individuals is generally limited to the United States. Many other countries have other methods for creating financial or moral incentives for accused parties to appear in court. Most states in the US allow private bail bonds, and every state has its own laws concerning fees charged by bonding agencies.