Do I Need a Bail Bondsman?

Here is another question from Yahoo! Answers.  Our answer was chosen “Best Answer” by voters.

Question:  My brother got arrested and is due to appear in court. He alegedly “attempted to rob a bank” by requesting the teller to transfer $1,000 to his personal account, he never withdrew the money and left the bank. His bail is $50,000, do I need to pay $5,000 to a bondsman to bail him out or can he be released from jail?

Answer:  If you want to bail him out you can pay the full amount of $50,000 to the jail in the form of cash or a cashier’s check.  The alternative is to use a bail bondsman. The bondsman will charge a fee which is typically 10% in most states.  This is the cost of bail and you will not get it back.

If you choose to pay the full $50k to the jail, the money will be returned to you once the case is completed.

---