Any sentence without parole effectively means a sentence cannot be suspended; a life sentence without parole, therefore, means that in the absence of unlikely circumstances such as pardon, amnesty or humanitarian grounds (e.g. imminent death), the prisoner will spend the rest of their natural life in prison.
A judge has the power to alter a sentence before the sentence has been entered into the minutes and before the defendant has begun serving the sentence. Once a sentence has been entered, then the judge must rely on some specific statute to modify a sentence.
A bail bond is a surety bond, which is posted by a bail bond company to the court as a guarantee for an arrestee's appearance at all court dates. The court will release an arrestee from detention upon posting of the bail bond.
If the conviction is for a minor crime or the sentence is a relatively short one, there is a greater chance you will receive bail. Most jurisdictions weigh this decision by determining if your jail sentence is shorter than the time it would take to resolve the appeal. If so, you will likely have bail be available.
In some cases, a defendant is permitted to remain on bail after a conviction while awaiting final sentencing. Indeed, a court may even set an ``appeal bond'' after conviction and sentencing, wherein a defendant can remain in the community during an appeal.
Processing time: Once bail is posted, the jail needs to process the paperwork and verify the funds before releasing the defendant. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the jail's workload and staffing levels.