If law enforcement officers arrest you in California, they will take you to a detention facility. You will either leave the jail after posting bail or remain behind bars until the court makes a judgment. The court might set a high bail which you or your relatives and friends could find difficult to pay.
If that’s your case, you want to search for reliable and licensed bail bonds agents to assist you to post your bail. Our bail bonds agents at Steven Mehr Bail Bonds have helped countless clients post bail seeking to post bail in Santa Ana. Our bondsmen are well trained and ensure you receive bail bond services any time of the day.
Understanding What Bail Involves
Bail is the amount of money you pay to the court to secure your release from the detention facility. The bail may involve you (or someone else) to pay the bail amount on your behalf. The bail works by ensuring you appear to the court for the court hearings as ordered. It’s not a way of punishment but a way to ensure you follow the court orders. Bail plays an essential role since it ensures you remain out of jail but reappear before the judge during court hearings.
The court may release you through bail at any court phase. For example, it might release you immediately after your arrest or even after the court has issued a judgment. Usually, after your arrest, you will face three possible outcomes:
- You might be released immediately.
- The court might charge you and release you on bail.
- The court may charge you and remain in custody until your case trial.
So, bail is one of the common ways to exit jail after your arrest.
The Arrest and Booking
When police arrest you, they will physically take you to a detention facility. At the detention center, the law enforcement officers will carry out the booking process. Sometimes, the law officers might release you without filing charges, or if the officers file charges, you will have to remain in the detention center until you post bail, or when the judge makes a judgment, or until your case is resolved. During the arrest process, the law enforcement officers carry out the following:
- Taking your photo
- Recording your full names
- Taking fingerprints
- Recording your birth date
- Confiscate your property and items you physically possess like pulse
- Investigating whether you have an active warrant
- Conducting health evaluation
- Placing you at the detention center
The Different Types of Bail Bonds
In California, the law considers various forms of bail bonds. So, if you are seeking to post bail with Santa Ana Bail Bonds agents, you will probably have to choose between the following types of bail bonds:
-
Cash Bonds
The cash bond is a common type of bail bond nowadays. The bail bond involves the defendant posting bail in cash only. In many situations, the police will not release you on a simple citation but after a bail. So, as long as you have enough money, the police will release you through cash. If you don’t have enough money, you may request another person to pay.
-
Surety Bonds
The bail bond involves bail bonds agents posting the bail on your behalf. When you seek to post bail through the bondsmen, the bail bonds agents will act as a surety, promising the criminal court to pay the total bail amount when you fail to show up at the court.
The bondsmen usually charge a fee of around 10% to 20% of your total bail amount. For example, when the criminal court sets bail at $30,000, you will pay $3,000, and the bondsmen will act as your surety. Like at the property bonds, the bondsmen will require you to provide collateral. The collateral may include jewelry, a house, a car, or any item of value.
-
Property or Secured Bonds
Under property bonds, you will provide a security interest property to the court. The property must be worth the value of the total bail amount. For instance, when you purchase a boat on loan, you will obtain money from your lender to buy the boat. So, you will also issue the lender with a security interest in the boat.
Then you will agree with the lender that if you fail to repay the loan, the lender will come for the collateral and sell it to recover the money. That’s similar when it comes to property bonds. You will give a security interest in the form of a property. Therefore, when you fail to comply with the bail condition, the court will repossess and sell the property to recover the unpaid bail amount. Speak with Santa Ana Bail Bonds agents, and they will help you understand how property bail bonds work.
-
Own Recognizance
You may also exit the jail through your own recognizance. Own recognizance takes place immediately after your arrest. When the court grants your release through your recognizance, it will place a condition to show up at the court as ordered by the court.
Bail Schedules
In California, the bail schedule outlines the bail amounts or every crime committed in California. For example, the bail schedule may outline the bail amount for trespass at $5,000 and burglary at $5,000. Apart from showing the bail amount, the bail schedule will also indicate whether you will post bail immediately after the booking process or whether you will wait for the court to hold a bail hearing.
The state law requires the court to conduct a bail hearing for cases involving certain offenses like spousal rape, terrorism threats, and spousal battery. When the court considers having a bail hearing, you will remain in jail until the court holds a bail hearing.
The court will determine your bail amount during the bail hearing. Remember, the court will either deny or grant the bail. To determine whether to deny or grant the bail, the court will consider various aspects like your income, past criminal records, family obligation, public safety, crime’s severity, and flight risks.
The Bail Payment Process
After the court determines the bail amount, you will now post the bail amount. The payment procedure will require you to move to a specific location like the jail or court. The clerk or cashier at the courthouse will receive the bail amount. You will have to provide certain information like your full name, the bail amount, and the booking number.
If you or your friends and family members cannot post the bail, you may contact a bail bond company. The bail bond company will help you post the bail. But you will sign an agreement to promise the bondsmen you will appear at the court in the future. The bondsmen will become your surety to the court. They will likely charge you a fee of around 10% to 20% of your bail amount.
After you post the bail amount, the court will notify the correction professionals at the detention center. Then the officials at the detention center will release you. In many cases, the release occurs immediately since many court clerks are within the same location. The bail payment is often performed in cash, but sometimes Santa Ana bail bonds agents accept other payment options like:
- Traveler’s checks
- Money order
- Debit card
- Cashier’s check
Bail Forfeiture
In cases where you worked with a bail bond agent and failed to comply with the bail conditions, the bail becomes forfeited. For instance, if you post a bail amount of $2,000, you will lose the money once you miss court dates. Similarly, when your friend posts the bail on your behalf, the court will forfeit the money when you don’t comply with the court’s conditions. If you secure your release through a property bond and jump bail, the criminal court will foreclosure or repossess the secured property.
Bounty Hunters and Bond Forfeiture
If you work with the bondsmen and fail to comply with the bail terms and conditions, the bondsmen will try to apprehend and take you back to jail. The court will first grant the bail bond company a grace period after you violate the bail conditions. When the bondsmen hunt and return you to the police custody during the grace period, the bondsmen will not pay the total bail amount to the court.
The laws allow the bondsmen to employ bounty hunters to track and apprehend you. The hunters don’t work for the government. However, they will arrest you if you worked and violated the agreement of your bail bonds company. Remember, during the bail bond, you agree with the bail bond company and declare to comply with the conditions of the contract.
Why Choose Steven Mehr Bail Bonds?
Before you walk out of jail, choosing the best bail bond company is highly recommended. The type of bail bond company you choose will determine your pay rates and the possible time you will remain in jail. Steven Mehr Bail Bonds company is licensed and insured and thus recognized by the local, state, and federal government. The Santa Ana bail bonds agents understand you’re in a hurry and want to resume your normal life as soon as possible. Our bondsmen will also help you enjoy the following bail bond services:
Easy Payment Plans
Usually, our bail bond company requires you to pay 10% of your bail amount. You might be unable to pay the 10%. Therefore, our bail bond company will allow you to negotiate and make a down payment plan. The down payment is a smaller percentage from the standard 10% and pays the remaining amount later. For example, if the criminal court set your bail at $50,000, you will need to pay $5,000. However, if you cannot pay the $5,000, you may negotiate with our company to pay a portion of the $5,000 as a down payment and clear your outstanding amount later.
Licensed and Insured
When you are at the jail, every minute counts. Before choosing your preferred bail bonds company, you want to ensure you choose a licensed company. The government approves a licensed bail bond company to provide legal services. At Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, we are well insured and licensed. We ensure our Santa Ana bail bonds agents don't work with expired licenses. So, receive qualitative bail bonds services from our bail bonds company.
Bail Over Your Phone or Online
When the police arrest your loved ones, the most critical thing is to ensure they walk out of jail immediately. But, leaving your house, especially when you have other pressing matters, may not be the best option. With our Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, you will post the bail over your phone. Contact our bondsmen, and they will help you post the bail right away. Bailing online or over the phone is not a complicated process. You only require to be aware of the defendant's basic and arrest information. The information may include the defendant’s full names, detention facility, photos of ID, payers occupation, citizen information, phone number, and addresses.
Experienced Bondsmen
Before choosing the bail bond company, you want to determine their experience at the market. Read customer testimonials from the bail bond’s websites. At Steven bail bonds, our bondsmen are well trained and experienced in bail bond matters. We also understand different people have different financial capabilities. So, we will help you make the right decision as you post your bail. We provide legal help throughout the legal process. Don’t hesitate to work with our experienced bail bond agents.
Full-Time Bail Bond Services
An arrest will occur anytime and mostly when least expected. So, the police may arrest you after your working hours or even at midnight. It means you will require bail bond services during your arrest time the most. Our bondsmen at Steven Mehr Bail Bonds work on a full-time basis to ensure client’s satisfaction.
Court and Jail Information
Community Courthouse
Lamoreaux Courthouse
Superior Courthouse Center
North Courthouse Center
Santa Ana City Jail
Santa Ana Detention Center
Theo Lacy Detention Center
Westminster Jail Center
Find Santa Ana Bail Bonds Agent Near Me
If the police arrest you or your family member, you want to leave detention fast. At Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, our bondsmen are ready to offer unmatched bail bond services. If you seek to post bail in Santa Ana, contact our bondsmen right away. Contact our bondsmen at 800-834-8522 for a free case evaluation and quality bail bond services.
