This question is frequently asked by those who are for the first time faced with helping a person get out of jail. First, the arrestee is taken to a holding facility and the person is ‘booked in’. This booking process involves fingerprinting, the so-called mug-shot, and a search to find if any outstanding warrants exist. The charges are confirmed, the bail amount set, and last, a court date and time is set before release. This process may take a few hours. If no outstanding warrants exist and this is not a capital crime (murder), the person is eligible for bail. Learn more about the Bail Process.