Query About Us Bail

[zebo]

How does bail operate in the US? On Judge Judy people are always suing about bail money. Is it not repaid at the end of the case like it is here?

[Buenchico]

It's likely to be a bond agent who is suing someone. See here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bail_bondsman

[Eve]

Some information here: http://money.howstuffworks.com/bail.htm

I guess it depends whether the terms of bail were met! There are differences between the laws in each state.

I find the whole bail bondsman thing quite fascinating. If you've seen Judge Judy, have you ever caught programmes on bail bondsmen, namely Dog the Bounty Hunter, his wife Beth and associated family. The latest series is them helping other bail bond firms get better at what they do and track down some errant people they have sorted the bail bond for.

[zebo]

Yes Eve, I'm not too ashamed that I did see the Bailbondsman programme in the States! The JJ cases tend to be between individuals, I put up the bail, he promised to repay and he didn't, type of thing. I always assumed bail was a surety to ensure that someone turned up at the Court.

I really must get out more, or clean the cooker!
Thanks to you both for taking the trouble to reply.

[Peter Pedant]

We share the same legal system - common law
but they have continued with a lot of things we stopped or reformed in the nineteenth century

such as private prisons - and moving on - the old bail system

however when they are suing for the bail of $150 I have always thought since it is so low for bail that it is a fee of some sort

Grand juries ( a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich )
and bail bonding went out with the reforms of 1835 and who remembers them for chrissakes. Civil juries had gone by 1950.

Transfers of property she gets them to sign over on the spot
but the 'damages' are paid out of the producers fund - see the end.
and presumably they dont get paid if the defence doesnt put up a good fight.

Repo is good and is a re enactment - but so what - it IS pretty wild for 10 am

[Dee Sa]

watch Dog the Bounty Hunter on Pick tv