The problem is that most people's understanding of posting bail is a result of them watching shows on television that usually take great liberties with how bail bonds really work.
One can never be too sure of the things that might happen in one's life which is why it is important to understand the legal system.
A bail bonds agent is commonly portrayed on television simply as some person who gets someone out of the old hoosegow.
They are often shown as being efficient and quick when they do their job.
However, Hollywood's approach to law takes with it a lot of liberties all under the cover of artistic license law.
Below is an explanation of what TV gets wrong and how bail bonds work in real life.
The Things That Hollywood Gets Wrong A member of the cast does something that is against the law.
Whether the person was driving under the influence, accidentally did something they didn't mean to, one of the characters ends up in the big house.
In sitcoms it's common for the arrested character to meet weird and outlandish inmates at which point someone goes in and says that the character has made bail.
This is a common scene in a lot of TV shows and is rife with a lot of legal inaccuracies.
First of all, it must be made clear that the cops are not obligated to give a detained individual a phone call.
Most of all, posting bail is not equivalent to freedom.
TV shows often leave out the process of an arraignment where the charges will be stated.
Here the judge will decide whether or not the individual is allowed to make bail and how much posting bail would cost.
Even when a character makes bail, the person is only free until the day of the person's trial.
How It Works in Real Life When a person goes to jail and is allowed to post bail but does not possess the funds to do so, that individual may employ the services of a bail bonds agent.
The agent will ask the person behind bars for a fee, which is a percentage of the amount set by the judge.
This fee serves as compensation for the efforts of the bail bondsman.
The money that the bail bondsman gives the court is returned to him once the accused turns up on the day of his trial.
One can never be too sure of the things that might happen in one's life which is why it is important to understand the legal system.
A bail bonds agent is commonly portrayed on television simply as some person who gets someone out of the old hoosegow.
They are often shown as being efficient and quick when they do their job.
However, Hollywood's approach to law takes with it a lot of liberties all under the cover of artistic license law.
Below is an explanation of what TV gets wrong and how bail bonds work in real life.
The Things That Hollywood Gets Wrong A member of the cast does something that is against the law.
Whether the person was driving under the influence, accidentally did something they didn't mean to, one of the characters ends up in the big house.
In sitcoms it's common for the arrested character to meet weird and outlandish inmates at which point someone goes in and says that the character has made bail.
This is a common scene in a lot of TV shows and is rife with a lot of legal inaccuracies.
First of all, it must be made clear that the cops are not obligated to give a detained individual a phone call.
Most of all, posting bail is not equivalent to freedom.
TV shows often leave out the process of an arraignment where the charges will be stated.
Here the judge will decide whether or not the individual is allowed to make bail and how much posting bail would cost.
Even when a character makes bail, the person is only free until the day of the person's trial.
How It Works in Real Life When a person goes to jail and is allowed to post bail but does not possess the funds to do so, that individual may employ the services of a bail bonds agent.
The agent will ask the person behind bars for a fee, which is a percentage of the amount set by the judge.
This fee serves as compensation for the efforts of the bail bondsman.
The money that the bail bondsman gives the court is returned to him once the accused turns up on the day of his trial.
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