A bail bond is a bond provided by an insurance company through a bail bondsman acting as agent for the company, to allow an accused defendant to be released before trial. A bail bond is designed to ensure the appearance of the defendant in court at the scheduled time. Prior to the posting of a bail bond, the defendant or a co-signer must guarantee that they will pay the full amount of bond if the defendant does not appear in court. The bail bond company usually charges 10 percent of the amount of the bond and often requires the defendant to put up some collateral like a second deed of trust or mortgage on one's house.
The following form is a complaint that adopts the notice pleadings format of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which have been adopted by most states in one form or another.
