When you first appear in court, a federal magistrate judge will determine whether you should be released on bond, with or without conditions, or if you should be detained in jail. The judge will instead establish your bail amount with restrictions that may include co-signers in order to ensure that you show up for your next court appearance. Surety bonds issued by corporations, often known as Federal bail bonds, are similar in nature to state bail bonds. In order to obtain financial security, insurance is acquired from a bail bond firm and given to the court as proof of funds.