Definition

Noun: 1. A financial guarantee for court appearance: A "bail bond" is a sum of money or a surety bond provided to a court to secure the temporary release of a person accused of a crime. The money is forfeited if the accused person fails to appear in court for their scheduled trial or hearing.

Usage

A "bail bond" is a specific legal and financial instrument used within the criminal justice system. It is typically arranged by a bail bondsman or bonding company on behalf of the defendant, who pays the bondsman a non-refundable fee (a percentage of the total bail amount). The bondsman then posts the full "bail bond" with the court, assuming the financial risk.

Examples

• The defendant could not afford the $50,000 bail, so his family contacted a bail bondsman to arrange a bail bond.
• The court required a bail bond as a condition for the suspect's release pending trial.
• If the accused flees, the company that posted the bail bond is liable for the full amount.

Advanced Usage

• To post a bail bond: The act of providing the financial guarantee to the court.
  • The attorney helped the family post a bail bond.
• To forfeit a bail bond: To lose the pledged money due to the defendant's failure to appear in court.
  • The court ordered the bail bond forfeited when the defendant missed his trial date.

Variants and Related Words

• Bail (noun): The general term for the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, often secured by a financial deposit. A "bail bond" is one method of satisfying the bail amount set by a judge.
• Surety bond (noun): A broader legal term for a promise by one party (the surety) to assume responsibility for the debt or obligation of another. A "bail bond" is a type of surety bond.
• Bail bondsman (noun): A person or agent licensed to provide bail bonds for a fee.

Synonyms

• Surety
• Bond (in the specific legal context of securing release from custody)

Related Phrases

• Released on bond: Describes the status of a defendant who has gained pretrial release by posting a bond, which can include a "bail bond."
  • The accused was released on bond the same day.
• Jump bail / Skip bail: Idioms meaning to fail to appear in court after being released on bail, which triggers the forfeiture of the "bail bond."
  • The suspect skipped bail, so the bondsman hired a bounty hunter.

Noun

1. (criminal law) money that must be forfeited by the bondsman if an accused person fails to appear in court for trial
   • the judge set bail at $10,000
   • a $10,000 bond was furnished by an alderman