Bailer

A bailer is the person or company that pledges to pay the bail of someone convicted of a crime (i.e, the bail bond company or the bailbonds man) if he or she does not show up in court. A bail bond is a document (or contract), executed by the bailer, which is a promise to pay the face amount of the bond equivalent to the sum set as bail, unless the defendant fulfills the conditions of the bond. The bailer guarantees a defendant's appearance in court at the risk of forfeiting the bond amount. In other words, when a bail bond is posted, the defendant is released from jail. If the defendant does not appear in court or flees, the bailer is obligated pay the court the entire bail amount.

In California, professional bailers (bailbonds men, bail bond companies) usually charge a non-refundable premium of 10% of the designated bail to post a bond with the court. For example, if the judge sets bail at $20,000, the bailer charges the accused $2,000 to post bail. This percentage is the bond seller's fee for taking the risk that you won't appear in court. Although bail bonds may seem like a good idea, buying one can cost more in the long run. For example, even if the defendant's case is dismissed, the fee paid to the bailer is nonrefundable. In some cases, a bail bond may be valid only for a limited time—perhaps a year. If the criminal case extends beyond a year, then the accused may have to pay an additional fee.