Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Re: bail

Cash or property deposited with the court as bail will be returned after the case has been completed or the court otherwise exonerates the bail. The money paid to a bail bond is a premium, similar to the payment of a premium for insurance. The other difference is that the bonding company only insures that the court is paid. The person obtaining the bail will be pursued to pay the amount of the bond if the bail is forfeited.

Re: bail

Bail, you pay the court and its gone, as the price to get out of jail. Bond, you pay 10% of the bail amount, that 10% is gone, paid as the price for someone else to put up the bail and you to get out of jail. You skip out on the charges, you forfeit the bail, then the bondsman will come forceably arrest you and take you back to court in cuffs. Watch the TV show 'Dog, the bounty hunter'. He is a bondsman finding people who've skipped bail.