Traditionally,
bail is some form of
property deposited or pledged to a
court to persuade it to release a suspect from
jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for
trial or forfeit the bail (and possibly be brought up on charges of the
crime of
failure to appear). In some cases, bail money may be returned at the end of the trial, if all court appearances are made, regardless of whether the person is found guilty or not guilty of the crime accused. If a
bondsman is used and a
surety bond has been obtained, the fee for that bond is the fee for the insurance policy purchased and is not refundable.