At Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, we take our job seriously. Our agents are fully licensed, bonded and insured. We are available at all times. Arrests occur at any time, that is why we make sure we can meet you when and where you need us 24/7/365 days a week. We will come to you if you need us to!
Brea Police Department
The Brea Police Department and Jail are located at 1 Civic Center Circle, in Brea, California. Brea police officers are dedicated to serving their community. The police department has been in existence for over one hundred years, serving the residents of Brea and nearby areas. Our agents have a good working relationship with the officers of the Brea police. We work with them to help make things go smoothly for defendants who have been arrested and are trying to obtain release through the bail bonds possible.
Brea Jail
The jail associated with the Brea Police Department is rather small and does not house inmates on a long term basis. If a defendant is not bailed out or released in a relatively short period of time, they may be transferred to the Orange County Jail located at 550 N. Flower in Santa Ana, California. The release time at the Brea Jail is between two to four hours. If the defendant is transferred to the Orange County Jail, the release can take as long as 12 hours to process.
Intake and Release
The first thing that happens after an arrest is the booking process. During booking the defendant's identity is verified, their fingerprints are ran through the system to determine if they have any outstanding charges or warrants, and they are formally charged. Once the charges are put in place, a pre-determined bail schedule is used to assign bail. As soon as bail has been assigned, a bail bonds agent can post bail and get the release process started. The entire booking and release process can take anywhere from four to twelve hours depending on the size of the jail and how busy it is.
As soon as you hear about the arrest, you need to get the bail bonds process started. Filling out the application and securing the bond can take as little as 30 minutes to an hour. You can use cash, credit cards, debit cards, money orders, physical property and cashier's checks. If a property is going to be used as collateral, the total value must be at least 150% of the total cost of the bond. It must be owned free and clear with no liens or title obligations. Cars, boats, homes, jewelry, bank accounts, stocks and bonds are all viable property assets that can be used to secure a bail bond.
As soon as the bail is secured, the bail bonds agent can head to the jail. The release process begins as soon as the bond has been posted and approved by the court. To be released the defendant must agree to follow the rules laid out by the court. A few of the most common requirements issued by the court include:
- Appear at all scheduled court hearings
- Complete required classes or courses
- Be charged with any new criminal activity
- Not leave the city or police jurisdiction
- Do not have any physical contact or communication with the victim if a protection order is in place
If the defendant does not comply with the above stipulations, the court may choose to revoke his or her bail and issue a warrant for their arrest. If this occurs and the defendant is not returned to the jail in a timely fashion, their bail will be forfeited and the co-signer will be forced to pay the entire amount.
Do You Need Bail?
Many people wonder if they even need bail. If you are lucky enough to be well known by the police and have a stable job, you may be able to be released on your own recognizance. This means that you are not a flight risk and the judge trusts that you will return on your specified court date without posing a problem or fleeing the jurisdiction of the local court. In most cases, this is not the way things work. If this is a first offense, the defendant may be offered a low bond. In this case, a cash bond may work best. With a cash bond, the full amount of the bail is paid to the court. There is no need to hire a bail bond agent.
If the bond is fairly large, you may be able to qualify for a surety bond. To use a surety bond, you must hire a bail bonds agent. You pay the bail bond agent a 10% premium that is not negotiable nor refundable. In return for the premium, they will take the financial responsibility for the rest of the bond.
The stipulation is that if the defendant skips out on the bail, the co-signer will immediately assume responsibility for the unpaid balance and it will be payable on demand.
Nine Decades of Experience
The offices of Steven Mehr Bail Bonds have been in business for over 89 years. Our agents are available 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year long. We even work nights and weekends to make sure we are available when you need us. Call us today at 800-734-8522 and let us know what questions you have about the bail bonds process and what we can do to help you get through this trying time.
