In California, bail is an amount set by the judge for criminal defendants to pay for a release before trial. Although you are presumed innocent until the prosecutor proves your guilt, you could remain in jail to ensure that you attend your trial and face the consequences of your actions. Sometimes, arrests result from speculations or false accusations, making it more challenging to stay in jail for a crime you did not commit. By posting bail, the court allows you to go home and return during proceedings.
After the arrest and booking process, the police arraign you in court. The judge sets a specific amount that you must post before walking out free. In most cases, arrests are not expected and therefore, abruptly raising bail money becomes challenging. Fortunately, you can opt to seek bail bonds services for financial assistance to post bail. If you seek bail bond services for your loved one’s release after arrest in Alhambra, CA, contact us, the Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, for guidance and help.
Overview of Bail
When you are suspected of committing a crime in California, you can be arrested and taken to jail. Sometimes, the arresting officer may release you without booking you in jail on a citation. You are likely to receive a citation release when you are accused of committing a minor offense and do not have a violent history. On arrival at the police station, you will be booked into a jail cell. The booking process involves the recording of your personal information, fingerprinting and taking a mugshot.
After the booking process and the prosecutor files charges, the court will hold a bail hearing. During the bail hearing, the judge determines the amount you need to pay as your bail. The court has discretion in setting bail. However, bail schedules lay a significant role in this process. The bail schedule is a list of criminal offenses, and the amount of bail recommended for each crime. Bail Schedules vary from State to State. However, the bail required for serious and violent offenses will always be higher than that of minor crimes.
After consulting the bail schedules, the judge may modify the bail amount based on the specific factors surrounding your case. Since bail is an assurance of your return to trial, your likelihood of fleeing will be one of the factors that the judge must consider when setting your bail. Also, your criminal history and your adherence to past court orders may play a part in this decision.
At the bail hearing, you will have the opportunity to seek a bail reduction. By proving that you are not a flight risk and your ties to the community are strong enough to keep you around, the judge may be compelled to reduce the bail amount. You can choose to post bail and go home or remain in jail while your case continues. While remaining in jail may seem like a way to save monist can result in significant inconveniences in your life. Since criminal cases may take some time to be resolved, choosing to remain in jail can cause a strain in your family life or cause you to lose your job.
Criminal proceedings can be costly, and therefore, securing a release on bail allows you to continue working and meet with your legal team to formulate a defense for your case. If the prosecutor fails to file charges against you within seventy-two hours following the arrest, you have a right to be released. However, the State reserves their right to charge you if statute of limitation for the crime has not elapsed.
How is Bail Paid?
Once the judge sets your bail, you can pay it in one of the following ways:
Payment in Cash
Paying a cash bail is probably the fastest way to secure a defendant’s release from jail. When you decide to post cash bail, you must present the total amount to the court clerk before the defendant is released. Depending on the crime for which the defendant is charged, you can pay the bail through cash, cashier’s check, credit card or money order.
Cash bail might be easy to post, and however, many defendants cannot afford this money on short notice. Also, when you post a high bail in cash, the court may become suspicious and delay the bail process to investigate the source of your funds. If you post cash bail for a federal crime, the court will schedule a separate hearing where you have the burden to prove that your funds are legal.
Additionally, you may be tempted to liquidate your assets to come up with the bail money. When you are in a hurry to liquidate an asset, you may end up selling at a price lower than its value.
Payment of Bond by Equity in Real Property
If you have sufficient equity in a real estate property, a vehicle or another valuable item, you can offer the property security for the defendant’s release. Your equity to the property is the difference between the property value and the amounts owed on it in loans or mortgages. Depending on the amount of bail required, the judge will specify the property’s value that can be used to secure the release.
Before you can present a property as a bond, the court must be sure of its ownership. Therefore, you must present the property deed during the bond hearing. Also, the court may require that all individuals whose names are on the deed appear in court. The court will not accept a property bond unless they are convinced that it was not acquired through the commission of a felony.
Government Bonds
Instead of paying a cash bail or seeking bail bonds, you can present California government bonds having a combined face value of at least the bail amount with the court. However, the court will not accept government bonds if their market value is lower than the face value.
Payment by Bail Bond
Most defendants do not have the amount required to post cash bail, and they opt for a bail bond. The bail bond process begins when you contact a bail bond company, and the company will send a representative to guide you and the defendant through the bail process. Before accepting your request for bail bonds, Alhambra bail bonds agents will investigate the defendant’s eligibility for the bail bonds. Often, the defendant’s flight risk is key in determining the services.
When you contact a bail bond company, it is essential to ensure the defendant’s personal information, the jail where they are held, and the charges they are facing. When the bail bond agent decides to offer you their services, they will complete the necessary paperwork and post the bail amount with the court.
As a fee for their services, an Alhambra bail bonds agent will require you to pay a premium that is often 10% of the total bail. If the premium is too much for you to pay, you can discuss a payment plan. In addition to the 10% premium, the bail bond company may need you to offer collateral for the bail bonds. This will ensure that the agency does not lose the money in case the defendant skips bail.
Using the services of a bail bond agent is an easy and convenient way to post your bail. This is because they will always have the amount required to post your bail. This will ensure that your loved one is released from jail as soon as possible. Also, a bail bonds agent will offer expert guidance through the bail process to ensure that the process is smooth. Alhambra bail bonds agents are familiar with the local courts and jails and can use their connections to lawyers and prosecutors to have your bail amount reduced.
Cosigning Bail Bonds
No one wants to see their loved one or friend sit behind bars. By becoming a bail bond co-signer, you can help the defendant through the bail process to secure a quicker release. A co-signer is mandatory in the process of securing bail bonds. When you decide to co-sign a bail bond for a defendant, you will need to guarantee the Alhambra bail bonds agent of the defendant’s attendance for court dates. You are more likely to be accepted as a co-signer for bail bonds if you have a strong relationship with the defendant.
It would be best if you met the following qualifications before becoming a co-signer:
- Credit history. As a bail bond co-signer, you will be financially responsible for the bail bond. Since a bail bond is like a loan, your credit score is vital. Having a good credit score means that you can comfortably pay the bail bond premium, which is a fee for the bail bond services. Also, if you have some savings or property that can be put up as collateral, you will make a good co-signer.
- Job history. Alhambra bail bonds agents often investigate you and the defendant before offering the bail bonds. If you have a steady job with a regular paycheck, the bail bonds company will be sure that you can pay for their services and compensate them in case of bail forfeiture. Also, it can be a sign that you are a responsible individual.
- You should be responsible. In addition to taking the financial responsibility, co-signing a bail bond means that you will be responsible for ensuring that the defendant obeys the bail conditions and appears for trial. If you fail to meet these responsibilities, you may have to face the financial consequences of bail forfeiture.
When you co-sign a bail bond, you must know that you have rights that you can exercise. First, you do not need to co-sign a bail bond if you think it is not in your best interest. You need to enter a legal agreement that you understand and believe will not bring you harm. The responsibility that comes with co-signing a bail bond is immense, and the bail bond company will hold you liable for the defendant’s conduct.
Also, you have a right to revoke the bail bond. If you feel that a defendant may fail to appear for the hearing as scheduled. You can contact the bail bond agent and terminate the agreement you made. When a co-signer terminates the agreement, the defendant will be arrested and returned to jail.
Before you agree to co-sign a bail bond, you must ensure that the defendant is responsible enough to adhere to all court orders. Before you sign the agreement, you must carefully read the documents to fully understand the kind of responsibility you will be shouldering. Sometimes, the bail bond company will ask for bail bond collateral, and this can put you at risk of losing the property should the defendant flee.
You can ensure that a defendant does not skip bail by spending time with them after a release. Also, you can work with the bail bond agent to ensure that they stay away from activities that could be viewed as a violation of the bail bond. If everything goes to plan and the defendant appears for trial, you will receive your property back.
Some of the jails in Alhambra, CA, include:
Monterey Park Jail
Alhambra Police Department
The following are some courts in Alhambra,CA:
Alhambra Courthouse
Edmund D. Elelman Childern’s Courthouse
Find an Alhambra Bail Bond Agent Near Me
Facing charges for a criminal offense can be challenging regardless of the outcome of your case. The process between the arrest and the end of your case could take a toll on you emotionally and financially. Most defendants must post bail to secure a release before trial in California.
If you cannot afford or choose not to post cash bail, your family and work-life will be disrupted since the case could take a while to be resolved. The bail money you post with the court acts as a guarantee of your return and appearance for trial.
When bail money becomes challenging for you and your family to find, you can explore other options like seeking bail bond services. At Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, we work hard to provide the money you need to post bail for your loved one at an affordable fee. Contact our Alhambra bail bonds agents today at 800-834-8522 to discuss your situation further.
