What is Bail?

Bail is an integral part of the U.S. legal system. It was developed so that an accused person – who is presumed innocent until proven guilty – can be released from police or municipal custody temporarily. The reason for this is that legal system does not wish to impose rules that may negatively effect the lives of those who have been accused and have yet to gone to court to be tried.

Criminal cases often involve bail, which consists of either a stipulated amount of money, real property (real estate), or a bail bond. This is posted on behalf of the accused (the defendant) so that he or she may be released from custody and the state can guarantee their appearance in court. The 8th amendment of the U.S. constitution guarantees the right to reasonable bail.