When you need a bail bond agent or go with a bail bonding company, the bondsman will pay a fee that helps a defendant be released from jail. The fee is typically 10 percent of the court-required amount. Therefore, if you need to pay $100,000 in bail, the 10 percent amount is $10,000.

This is a non-refundable fee, even if the case is thrown out of court.

The bail places a security against the defendant’s assets – be it their home, vehicle, etc. – that covers the bail. Should a person not have any assets or enough assets to cover the security, the bondsman will take out securities against any person who is willing to help (family or friends).  Again, the bondsman will need a 10 percent cash payment along with a mortgage on property that meets the full bail bond amount.

If a defendant fails to show up in court on the day of their trial, the bondsman can ask a bounty hunter to find the defendant and sue the defendant for the money the bail bondsman put up to the court for bail.  

The bail bondsman or bail bond company may recoup their loss by claiming the assets the defendant or the helpful individual(s) put up to help the defendant out.

If the defendant appears at their scheduled court date, the bail bond is resolved, and all collateral is returned to the person who put it up. The 10 percent cash fee is kept by the bail bondsman or company.

The bail bond industry is a complicated one which is why you need to seek the help of a professional bail bondsman.