Bail Term Resources

Bail: Simply put, bail is collateral between a suspect or agency and the court in order to release defendants from custody while they await trial. It is very common for licensed agents to post bail in exchange for a service fee. If a suspect doesn't attend their court appearance, the bail monies are awarded to the courts as a penalty.

Bail Bond: A bond is a legal bind between courts and bail agents that place the financial burden of the bail amount on the agencies should the defendant not appear in court. These are usually posted instead of the courts and agencies continually exchanging large bail amounts.

Bail Bondsman: A licensed practitioner who specializes in posting bail for defendants in exchange for a service fee.

Cash Bond: Should a defendant choose to post their own bail, they must pay a cash bond consisting of the full bail amount in order to be released from prison. When they appear in court, they are usually refunded the money following the verdict of the trial.

Recognizance: Sometimes defendants can actually be released without posting any bail. But this is a rare or extreme circumstance. Sometimes this happens in high profile cases related to non-violent crimes.

Remand: This is also extreme, but in the opposite light of recognizance. Remand is the detention of a prisoner until their trial, without allowing bail. Sometimes this occurs if the defendant simply can't afford bail.

Warrant: Warrants are authorizations from judges that free agencies of authority from legal repercussions regarding illegal searches, seizures or arrests. Warrants temporarily allow these things if cases show probable cause to do so.