Bail is an amount of money paid to make sure the defendant will not flee the area. Someone who is arrested is usually either: -Released on their own recognizance (meaning the judge determines there is no real risk that the person won’t appear when required), or -Released after someone pays 10% of the bail amount, which will be refunded if the accused attends all required hearings through to resolution of the case (bail is refunded even if you are eventually found guilty). -In some cases, the judge will decide not to allow the 10% deposit option. In this case, many people either pay the entire amount of the bail themselves or use a bail bondsman. The bail bondsman takes 10% and pays the entire balance. However, the 10% paid to a bail bondsman is not refundable—it is taken as a fee for the service.