In California, arrested persons have the privilege of being released from custody so that they can fight any charges against them. This is made possible by permitting the arrested person to pay a certain amount of money called bail to the court. Sometimes, however, the amount set for bail is usually so high that the arrestee cannot pay it all at once. That’s where a bail bonds firm comes in. If you reside in South Gate, CA, Steven Mehr Bail Bonds is the best possible firm if you need help posting bail so that you can get out of custody quickly.
The Definition of Bail and How It Works
The California legal system puts into practice the presumption of innocence against anyone who has been accused of a crime. The presumption of innocence suggests that every accused person has the right to contest the allegations that have been stacked against him or her. He or she has the right to do so while they are out of custody.
The law however has a method of ensuring that the alleged offender does not miss court appearances when they are required to. This is why the law mandates that the offender puts up an amount of money or property as collateral to guarantee that he or she will appear in court. The money or property in this case is what is referred to as bail.
Bail acts as indemnity in the case where the defendant does not show up in court as scheduled. Bail also varies depending on the crime that the offender perpetrated, previous criminal history, among other factors.
Definition of Bail Bonds
Even though people often use the terms bond and bail interchangeably when they are speaking of release from jail or police custody, they aren’t the same. A bail bond is described as a contractual agreement that is made between the bail bonds company and the individual seeking the bail.
When the agreement with the South Gate Bail Bonds company has been created, the bail bondsman will then post the bail amount on behalf of the defendant. As part of the agreement, the defendant consents to pay a 10% premium fee that is non-refundable to guarantee that he or she will attend court as needed.
The highest percentage that California law permits bail bond agencies to deduct from their customers is usually 10%. As a result, no bail bonds company should take over 10% of the total bail sum. Since the firm posting the bail on your or your loved one's behalf risks losing the money if the offender fails to show up in court, the agency will impose a 10% security fee. You may also be asked to offer collateral. For example, they could confiscate and sell assets to cover their losses if the offender fails to attend court.
Bail bonds are a common way for residents of California to secure bail for themselves, their friends, or their family. This is because a bail bond allows you to obtain an offender's release without spending lots of money. Furthermore, it streamlines the task of obtaining bail for several people because the bail bonds firm handles the tedious paperwork and procedures associated with the bond procedure.
Bail bonds firms can provide several services, such as weapons bail for those accused of firearm crimes and immigrant bail for non-citizens.
It's important to keep in mind that bail is not a permanent payment made to the court. Rather, once you've made it to all of your court hearings, the bail amount is refunded to the firm that secured the bail on your behalf or to you if you posted the money yourself. This means that bail isn't intended to be a further consequence for committing a crime. However, it's a way of guaranteeing that an offender follows through on his or her pledge to attend court as instructed by the court.
South Gate Arrest and Booking Process
Once you are apprehended in California, you must go through a process called booking. To complete the process, you will be brought to a police or sheriff’s station, or jail. Booking is required for the justice system in California to keep track of the arrest. During this procedure, your details, fingerprints, and your photographs are also recorded. The officers will perform a background check to see whether you have had any prior criminal convictions. Even though it isn't required by law, you could be asked to provide a statement.
Following your arrest, your matter will be presented to a county prosecutor. The attorney determines if or not to press charges. The verdict is often decided in 48 hours. You will then be allowed to make a call before being escorted to your holding cell. Here, you can contact a South Gate Bail Bonds firm directly or enlist the help of a close relative to secure the bail on your behalf.
The agency you or the close relative will then reach out if they need relevant details about you so that the contract can be created. You will be asked to give your name, home address details, employment information, your date of birth, the details of your arrest, among other things.
Another background check shall be conducted by the firm's bail bondsman to assess if you will attend court as required by the court. The agreement will be concluded if your results are satisfactory. As stated before, the individual who is seeking the bail on your behalf will have to pay the agency a percentage of the entire bail amount before the bail amount is posted.
It's worth noting that if you're apprehended for committing a minor offense, you might be released right away after you have been booked. You might only be needed to submit a citation promising to appear before the judge on the specified dates. This is what is known as being "released on your own recognizance." Nonetheless, the court will first review your criminal background before releasing you.
South Gate Bail Hearing
It is not warranted that you'll be released on bail following your arrest. First, the court must convene a hearing where the judge will decide if or not bail will be granted, as well as the bail amount. The amount of bail is determined by the severity of your offense as well as the details surrounding it. Minor offenses are more likely to have a reduced bail sum than felonies.
Most facilities in South Gate follow specified bail schedules, which enables them to establish the amount of bail an offender must deposit to obtain their release. As a result, in some situations, a hearing might not need to be held because the sum of the bail has already been set. According to the bail schedule, a minor infraction of a restraining order could result in a $10,000 bail, whereas a rape crime will result in a $100,000 bail.
A trial jury has the authority to deny or grant bail in certain instances. The following are the key elements that a jury considers when deciding whether to accept or deny bail:
- Relationships with your family
- If or not you are a risk to the public
- If you have a criminal history
- If you have any kind of substance misuse issues
- Your financial resources
- The likelihood that you'll appear before the judge or your flight risk
- Your emotional and physical well-being
- The time you've resided in your neighborhood
The court could also require you to consent to further restrictions upon being freed on bail, in addition to the requirement that you appear in court. These are some of the conditions:
- You could be restricted from leaving the jurisdiction
- Check-ins with your parole officer regularly
- You should not make contact with a specific person or persons
- Testing or treatment for drugs/alcohol or psychological issues on a regularly
What Happens When You Fail to Show Up in Court After Bail Release?
Failure to appear in court as agreed upon in the bail agreement could result in failure to appear charges being filed against you. You could also irrevocably forfeit the whole bail sum, and the court could order a warrant for your arrest.
If the bail was posted by a bail bonds firm, the court will give them a maximum of 180 days to locate you. The majority of the time, the firm engages a renowned bounty hunter to locate you. When the bounty hunter or the firm locates you, they will contact law enforcement officials to have you arrested. Additionally, when the 180-day period passes without you being located, the firm shall permanently lose the whole bail sum to the court.
You might be able to get your money back if you return before the period given is over and have a legitimate justification for your absence. The following are examples of valid reasons:
- You were hospitalized due to a serious injury or sickness
- You are disabled
- You were detained in another state
The explanations listed above need to be accompanied by legitimate and appropriate paperwork to demonstrate that you did not disregard your legal obligations.
Contacting a South Gate Bail Bondsman
You need to contact your bail bondsman as soon as you are arrested. A trustworthy agent ought to be accessible at all hours of the day and night. Besides, an arrest can occur at any moment. The bail bondsman's job is to ensure your release is as smooth as possible.
Other characteristics of a competent bail bonds company, aside from availability, should include:
Affordability
Take a look at the numerous South Gate bail bond companies' prices and fees. This assessment can assist you in selecting a service with reasonable charges. Assess whether the service supplier has any hidden fees. For example, certain bail bonds companies will ask you for an additional fee if they show up at the bail hearing, while others may not. If the case lasts longer than 1 year, some firms will bill you a yearly fee, which is often 10%. Ask if the firm imposes resumption or responsibility fees on bail that have been reinstated following forfeiture.
Paying bail money is often an unanticipated expense. The majority of individuals may find it difficult to obtain even the 10% fee on the overall bail cost. A reputable bail bonds company should give clients a payment plan that is both flexible and reasonable.
Competency
You need to enlist a bail bondsman who is exceptionally qualified and experienced. During the bail proceedings, a trained agent should ensure confidentiality. You have the right to safe and secure files and documents. You also have the right to protection of any details you disclose to the bail bonds firm, regardless of your circumstance.
Reliability
A professional bail bondsman should be there for you at each moment of the process. Being arrested can be exasperating, particularly if you've never dealt with law enforcement or the courts before. A reputable bail bonds business should be able to provide you with the knowledge and information you need to navigate the release as well as court procedure. The bail bonds agent should also assist you in comprehending your legal obligations. Bail bond companies often collaborate with law enforcement authorities and courts. The agent needs to advise you on the best course of action regarding your legal case.
South Gate Jail Information
If a close friend or a family member is arrested and brought into prison in South Gate, they are likely to be booked and processed in the South Gate Jail. The police department and the jail are both situated in:
South Gate Police Department
If the bail procedure hasn't yet started, the offender could be transferred to a bigger detention center, like the Men's Central Jail located at:
Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail
Or Lynwood Jail for women which are located at:
Find Bail Bonds Services Near Me
If you need bail bond services in South Gate, CA to get a loved one out of custody, Steven Mehr Bail Bonds is available to assist you. We can assist you with securing your loved one’s bail quickly and efficiently. We can also address any questions you may have regarding bail bonds. Call us today at 1-800-834-8522 to speak to one of our seasoned agents.
