At an arraignment, the defendant will have their charges read to them, they will have an opportunity to meet with a lawyer (at least a public defender) and will have the opportunity to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. If they plea not guilty, then the court will decide whether or not there will be bail and determine what type and how much bail will be.The judge will set conditions on the bond, such as an amount of money. The amount of the bond is set to guarantee that your friend will show up for trial. The bond is refundable as long as the friend shows up for all proceedings.If your friend cannot afford the bond amount set by the judge, you or other friends and family may help him or her pay for bail.
 A bail bondsman is someone who lends money to people in order to enable them to make bond. The bail bondsman usually requires that you put down 10% of the bail amount. He will lend you the remaining bail money.If you have trouble locating your friend after his or her arrest, a bail bondsman can help with this as well.
 If the judge determines that your friend is not a flight risk (won’t flee to another state), he or she may release your friend under his or her “own recognizance.” This means the friend will sign a bond recognizing his or her obligation to continue appearing in court for the duration of legal proceedings.If your friend fails to appear after signing such a bond, a warrant will be issued for his or her arrest. Your friend will also owe a predetermined amount of money to the court that the judge will decide when issuing the signature bond.
 The police will release your friend from detention after someone has posted the bond or signed the signature bond. Ensure your friend has a ride home from the detention facility upon release.
Find out the bond amount.
Contact a bail bondsman.
Have your friend sign a “signature bond” if applicable.
Arrange a ride for your friend.
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