how a bail bond works
a person who is charged with a crime is typically given a bail hearing before a judge the amount of the bail is at the judge s discretion a judge may deny bail altogether or set it at an astronomical level if the defendant is charged with a violent crime or appears likely to be a flight risk judges generally have wide latitude in setting bail amounts and typical amounts vary by jurisdiction a defendant charged with a nonviolent misdemeanor could see bail set at 500 felony crime charges have correspondingly high bail with 20 000 or more not uncommon the commercial bail bond system exists only in the united states and the philippines once the amount of the bail is set the defendant s choices are to in the last instance courts in some jurisdictions accept title to a home or other collateral of value in lieu of cash 