A family member in California was recently arrested and the records I’ve been shown list:
Total bond amount: $250,000.
Total bail amount: $0.
I thought I knew how bail worked but the contrast in those numbers is throwing me for a loop. Clarity would be greatly appreciated.
In: Other
Bail is your money and you get it back at the end if you show up to court the whole time.
Bond is a 3rd party where you pay a non-returnable 10% of the bond. If you don’t show up to court the bond company has to pay, so they’ll send bail bondsman after you.
Forcing you to get a bond means there’s a company that will do what it can to ensure you show up. Bc you could just post bail and run then the govt has to go after you.
Edit: non-returnable not returnable
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