Bail Bonds are designed to assure that defendants will appear in court for the criminal proceedings at the designated time and date. Consisting of written assurances signed by defendants, bail bonds indicate that a fixed sum must be paid to the court if the defendants fail to appear at their hearing dates. Incapable of posting bail, numerous defendants necessitate the services of a bail agent. By enlisting the services of a bail agent, defendants pay a nonrefundable fee of about 10 to 20 percent of the bail requirement, and the bail agent posts bail. Upon the payment of bail in the form of a bond, the defendant along with the bail agent agrees to return to court at the specified date. A court clerk supplies a ticket to the defendant to document the payment of the bail, and the defendant is then released from custody. If the defendant fails to appear in court at the given time specified to them by the court, a warrant will be issued for the arrest of the defendant .