How does Bail Work in the United States?
“Bail” is a way in which you can be released from prison while you are awaiting trial. The court sets a dollar amount – known as your bail – in order to prevent you from fleeing before your court date. If you have been accused of a crime, it is important to understand how the bail process works. Generally, you have three choices when it comes to bail. First, if you have enough money, you can pay the bail yourself. This is often possible in small court cases where there is little risk of your leaving the country. The bail here might be quite low. If you show up in court, that bail money is returned to you. Your second option is to simply not take the bail offer at all. If this is the case, you must remain in prison while you wait for your court date. That can be anywhere from a few days to months after your initial proceedings. Usually, remaining in jail is not a desired option. The third choice is to work with a bail bondsman in order to try to make bail. If you go with this option, yo
