The idea of spending time in jail can be stressful. Fortunately, the California justice system allows arrestees to spend time out of jail by posting bail. A bail is a form of guarantee that allows a defendant to be released from jail with the promise of honoring all court summons. Ideally, defendants surrender a certain amount of money to the court to be released from jail.
Unfortunately, a good number of defendants cannot afford to raise the amount needed for their release. Therefore, they have to depend on bail bonds agents to secure their release. At Cali Bail Bonds, we are here to assist you with any legal matter and urge you to reach out to us if you have any concerns or questions.
As explained above, bail works as a guarantee for a defendant’s release from jail. The court expects a defendant to pay the amount to the court to guarantee that they will meet all court schedules. The amount that a person should pay varies according to the crime that you’re accused of. A misdemeanor would require you to post as low as $500, while some felonies require as much as $100,000. There are various factors that a judge considers while determining the amount needed for your release.
Please note, the judge might fail to set a bail release for particular violent felonies. If you’re charged with a violent felony, it’s entirely under the discretion of the judge to decide whether to grant or deny you a bail release.
You should also note that the court can reject your cash bail payment when there’s reasonable suspicion that the money you’re about to pay emanates from a criminal enterprise. When this happens, you have the burden to prove that the source of the fund is legitimate. If not, the court will most likely reject the cash. Therefore, it’s best to secure the bail through our San Gabriel bail bonds agents to avoid this scenario.
During a bail hearing, the judge usually determines whether to increase or decrease your bail amount depending on the arguments from your defense attorney and prosecution. Based on the facts of the case, the judge will decide whether to deny bail, release you on your recognizance, or release you. The judge will consider the following factors when setting your bail amount.
The severity of the crime has a significant impact on the bail amount. Generally, you should expect the bail amount to increase in proportion to the severity of the crime. For instance, certain crimes, especially violent felony offenses, usually guarantee a high bail amount or an order of remanding you until your trial.
Defendants with prior criminal history can significantly affect your bail amount. The judge might note the non-expunged offenses and those that are most recent to decide on a higher bail. However, if your latest arrest and conviction occurred a few years or decades ago, there are higher chances of getting a reasonable bail amount.
The judge will also consider a defendant’s history beyond the court system while deciding on the amount to set on bail. Your reputation in the community has a major impact on your likelihood of fleeing once you’re released on bail. An active and upstanding community member has a strong advantage for a reasonable bail amount over a defendant with negative notoriety.
The judge will most likely listen to the testimonies from friends and family to determine your ties to the community. Strong ties in the community can also help you secure a reasonable bail amount since it indicates a low likelihood of skipping bail.
Your employment history and financial capabilities might also play a part in determining your bail amount. There are high chances of securing a reasonable bail amount if you have gainful employment and steady work history.
Depending on your financial factors and income level, the judge will set bail according to your ability to pay. As a result, you’ll receive a low bond amount or even receive a conditional release. Having a sizable income or wealthy relatives or friends may, however, increase your bail amount.
Any judge wouldn’t want to grant bail to a defendant with a history of not showing up in their hearing. Defendants with a history of skipping court dates or have a pending case for bail skipping will end up with a steep bail amount or no bail.
Skipping bail can have severe consequences. The court will issue a bench warrant for your arrest. Our San Gabriel bail bonds agent may hire a bounty hunter to track you down and return you to court custody.
Many judges also consider any mental illness or history of substance abuse while determining your bail amount. A person with severe mental illness or a history of substance abuse will most likely secure a steep bail amount or no bail amount when needed to seek medical help.
If you’re on parole or probation at the time of your arrest, you have a lot to worry about than your bail amount. Many judges will most likely deny you bail once they are aware of your probationary status. An arrest while you’re on probation or parole only means that there’s a possibility of violating your release conditions.
Judges will most likely deny defendants deemed as a threat to the community a bail release. This is common with cases involving severe crimes, sexual assault, or when substantial evidence of a guilty charge exists.
Apart from the factors stated above, your attorney might suggest conditions to convince the court to set a reasonable bail amount. These are routine conditions that are available even in your case. They may include:
Bail bonds work by obtaining a bond through a licensed bonds agency or agent. In California, you must pay a maximum 10% premium fee to the bail bonds agent to secure the rest of the amount. For instance, if the court has set $50,000 as your bail, you must secure a premium of $5,000.
Once you’ve paid the bond amount, our San Gabriel bail bonds agents will deliver your bail to court to secure your release.
You may have to put up collateral when securing a bond, especially when the amount is substantial. Many defendants use personal property to secure collateral. Should you fail to appear in court and the court forfeits your bail, the bail bonds agent will sell your collateral to cover their losses.
Many bail bonds agencies require a cosigner for a bond payment. A cosigner is a third party who works as a trustee in a bail bond agreement who should meet certain obligations.
If you fail to flee your jurisdiction, the bail bonds company will start by contacting your cosigner before they take any radical steps like selling the collateral or finding a bounty hunter.
Sometimes you might be attempted to raise the required bail amount and post it on behalf of your friend or loved one. However, hiring a bail bonds agent is still the better decision. Here are several reasons why:
Sometimes it might seem easy to raise enough cash needed to post bail, but end up finding difficulty putting the required money together. In the meantime, your loved one will be sitting in jail. If you depend on relatives or the bank to secure enough money, your loved one or friend could end up staying in jail for days.
Fortunately, a bail bond guarantees the money you need and has your loved one rejoin with their family. Apart from that, you don’t have to work out anything with the court since our San Gabriel bail bonds agents will help you throughout the process.
You must pay a bond in full to have your loved one released from jail. Most bail bonds agents provide flexible payment arrangements that you can afford to pay depending on your financial capacity. You will discuss with your bail bond agent how you’ll pay the bond without straining your budget.
Using the traditional banking system to secure cash bail for your release may have the court treat you badly. Asking for help from relatives is also embarrassing. However, a bail bonds agent will treat you with respect. They understand that people make mistakes and can be imprisoned unjustly. Therefore, a bail bonds agent will not only provide the money needed to release you from jail but guarantee the self-respect that you deserve.
The judicial system is slow and incredibly complex. Small mistakes can easily end up adding your jail time. Additionally, trying to navigate the judicial system can be confusing. Considering the limited timeline that you have, working with a bail bond company will help you get through the judicial system with ease.
This is one less hassle off your plate as you focus on your defense. Trial dates come up fast, and there’s no time to wait for the judicial bureaucracy to be released out of jail.
You don’t only have to use cash when paying the bond needed for your release through a bail bonds agent. You can use options like credit card or debit card, depending on the methods accepted by the bail bonds company.
You still want your life to go on as before. Therefore, there’s no time to keep on visiting the bonds agent every two weeks or weekly to make your payment. All you need to do is pick a payment option that you’re comfortable with, and everything will be good to go.
When a loved one is arrested, you need to ensure that he or she makes it out of jail within the shortest time possible. The only way to guarantee this is by cosigning a bail bond. It’s recommendable to learn a few things about cosigning a bond to make the process as smooth as possible. Here are a few aspects that you should take note of.
Three people should sign every bail bond: the defendant, agent, and cosigner. A cosigner is a third-party member who can be a family friend, a relative, or someone close to the defendant.
As a cosigner, you must confirm that all the information that the defendant provides is truthful and authentic. Simultaneously, you must meet any cost associated with your case, especially if the defendant fails to appear in court.
That’s why bail bond agents require cosigners to be closely related to the defendants. Many bonds agencies carry out thorough background checks on anyone intending to be a cosigner to confirm their relationship with the defendant.
Before you cosign a bail bond, you must understand that the bond applies until the case is officially dismissed. You’ll be involved in the case until the court reaches the final verdict.
You must also keep track of the defendant’s hearing schedule and keep a written record of everything. Some agents might also require you to submit your credit history. They will try to do this to ensure that you’re capable of paying the bail amount as required in case the defendant defaults.
When presented with the agreement, please read the fine print of its term before you commit to something that you cannot fulfill. All this will help you cosign without worrying about jeopardizing your finances.
You’re taking a risk when our San Gabriel bail bonds agent issues a bail bond. Anytime an agency is taking a risk, they want solid proof that you will pay off their money if things go south. Our agents might require you to present them with:
Your bail bonds agency will inform you about these requirements in your initial call or after visiting them.
One of the most crucial things expected from a cosigner is collateral. You will only receive your collateral back from the agency if the case concludes. However, if your loved one forfeits, you’ll lose collateral that you proved. For instance, if you handed over the title to your vehicle, expensive jewelry, or deeds to your property, you might lose them if things go south.
However, it doesn’t mean that there’s a possibility to retain the property. If you can confirm the chances of losing your collateral, you can withdraw your involvement and have the defendant put back in custody.
If you’ve been arrested in Los Angeles County, it’s imperative to learn about the jails in this location if you want your loved ones to locate you more easily. Here is the information on jails in Los Angeles County.
Twin Tower Correctional Facility
450 Bauchet st.
Los Angeles, CA 90012 United States
Phone: +1 213-473-6100
Century Regional Detention Facility
11705 S Alameda
Los Angeles, CA 90059 United States
Phone: + 1 213-473-6100
LASD Inmate Information Center
11705 Alameda St
Los Angeles CA, 90095 United States
Phone: + 1 213-473-6080
LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center
180 N Los Angeles St.
Los Angeles CA 90012 United States
Phone: + 1 213 356-3400
There are several courts in Los Angeles County where the police may take your loved one for the bail hearing. Here is some information on some of the courthouses that you should know about.
Metropolitan Courthouse, The Superior Court of California
1945 S Hill St
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: + 1 213-742-1884
Superior Court of California Los Angeles
9425 Penfield Ave
Chatsworth, CA 91311 United States
Phone: + 1 818-407-2200
Los Angeles County Superior Court
600 S Commonwealth Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005 United States
Phone: + 1 213-351- 8739
LA County Superior Court
5925 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90028, United States
Phone: + 1 323-441-1898
Stanley Mosk Courthouse
111 N Hill St.
Los Angeles CA, 90012
Phone: + 213-830-0803
Anyone in custody expects to be released in the shortest time possible. A reputable bail bonds agent like our Cali Bail Bonds would process your bail bond release in the quickest way possible. Our phones are open 24 hours a day and will help you or your loved one when you need us the most. If you want bail services, we implore you to choose us. Contact us today at 562-376-5476 and check out more about our bail bond services.
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