Bail is something a judge sets to allow you to get out of jail while waiting for your hearing. A judge does not have to set bail, but if he or she does, then you will likely have to pay a bond to secure bail.
Most of the time, the bond you must pay is quite high, and the average person cannot afford to pay it. To assist with this dilemma, there are bail bondsmen who will pay your bond for you so that you can get bail.
A Service Provider
A bail bondsman offers you a service for which you must pay. Findlaw explains, that you will usually have to pay a fee of about 10% of the bond to secure the bondsman. You will also have to put up collateral to secure the bond. This is similar to collateral for a loan since that is essentially what your bond is.
How It Works
Your family or friends will need to hire the bail bondsman for you since you will be in jail and unable to do so yourself. They will have to find a company offering bail bonds Pennsylvania, set up the agreement, pay the fee and offer up the collateral.
Once the do this, the bondsman will pay your bond, and you will get out of custody. When you are out on bond, you must follow all the criteria set by the judge in your bond agreement. If you fail to do so, you will go back to jail.
The End Result
If you go back to jail for violating your bond, the bondsman has the right to take the property put up as collateral. If you do not show up for court, then the bondsman will also hunt you down and take you to law enforcement him or herself.