Bail is the means by which the government ensures the accused person's appearance at trial while allowing the accused to be "at liberty" before trial.

In some jurisdictions, the amount of bail required is preset for certain types of arrests, and posting bail can be a quick and efficient procedure.

Otherwise, bail must be set by a magistrate, usually within 24 hours, again depending upon locale and availability of a magistrate.

Bail is posted when the accused deposits cash at the jail, a bail bondsman "bonds out" the accused, or the accused signs a "personal recognizance" bond (basically a promise to appear). At the time of release, the jail is supposed to inform the accused in writing of the accused's "court date".

A bail bondsman acts as a "surety", kind of a co-signer, promising that the accused will appear for court. The bondsman will be held responsible for paying the full amount of the bail if the accused fails to appear for court.  The accused is also liable for the full amount.

The accused basically promises to appear in court until his case is final. Failure to appear for court is a crime in and of itself and will result in posted bail being forfeited and a warrant issued for the accused.

Sometimes these warrants have a notation of "no bond" on them. A new bond will be set only after a hearing.  The new bond will likely be much higher than the previous bond, given the person's history of failing to appear for court as required.

Judges may require so-called "reasonable" conditions of bail prior to trail. Such conditions include requiring the accused to report to a probation department, pay a pretrial supervision fee, and undergo drug testing and evaluation. The accused is normally required to refrain from using illegal drugs, avoid the alleged victim, and maintain employment, among other conditions.

Faithfully appearing at court dates results in the return of cash bail at the end of the case, possibly minus a small handling fee by the clerk of the court.

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*All answers are for people 21 years or older, do not involve enhancements, are not exclusive, and are limited to Texas.

**This page is for informational purposes ONLY and must not be relied upon as legal advice because it is NOT a substitute for the advice of a qualified attorney, nor does it establish an attorney-client relationship.

Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.