Facing an arrest for any criminal offense in California will cause significant challenges, including financial constraints. Since you may not correctly predict your time of arrest, an arrest can interfere with your daily life operations and lead to stressful situations. Among them is the inability to post bail or bond for your jail release. This is a common phenomenon among apprehended persons because the court often sets hefty bail amounts. With limited options to help you walk out of jail, you want to contact a bail bonds service provider to help you post bail in exchange for your freedom.
Working with Steven Mehr Bail Bonds is an excellent choice for you if detained in Mission Viejo, California. Thanks to the many years of experience in the field, our team is well equipped to handle each case accordingly. They will also apply specific information to each case depending on the court directions to help complete the jail release process faster. In addition, clients looking for a bail bonds agent to help them or their loved ones out of jail will receive multiple benefits from working with the company.
What Bail Bonds Entail
Soon after your arrest, you will be processed and booked in jail to await further instructions. The booking process is conducted to collect all essential details regarding your identity and for future records. After undergoing and completing the booking, the assigned law enforcement officer will then use the details to prepare a report and charge sheet for the prosecutor's approval. The prepared charge sheet is also important to help you determine the subsequent amount of bail you need to pay for your release.
Thus, making bail or bond payments is a court process to ensure you attend all future court sessions. To do this, the court will ask you to deposit a security amount known as bail or bond in exchange for your freedom. Therefore, a strict contract is entered after you deposit the amount. Contractual obligations require you to make all required court appearances because failure to do so may jeopardize your ability to recover the money. Often, the judge may rule that a suspect has forfeited their bail amount by missing court appearances without reasonable grounds.
Since you want to avoid jeopardizing the deposited fee, you should purposely comply with all the court directives and make the appearances. Failure to do so can cause more challenging circumstances that include jail detention.
The Difference Between Bail And Bail Bond
Although bail and bond are terms used together, a difference in the amount and form of payment exists. The more common of the two options is bail, which entails the process described above. After your arrest, you will receive information on the estimated bail amount to provide to the court in exchange for your release.
On the other hand, a bond payment involves more high-value security deposits with the court. A bond is often an alternative to posting bail, especially where high amounts would be required. Moreover, the bond is set for high-risk clients who seem less likely to follow the court appearance requirements after completing the bail payment.
Thus, the difference arises because a bond payment requires you to transfer a lien of property to the relevant court department in place of making cash payments. You will need to transfer a lien for a property equivalent to a set monetary value when posting bail. As a result, you can select property from a wide range of options depending on your possessions and their valuation.
After going through the court proceedings successfully, the court will return the lien and complete ownership. However, you will need to demonstrate strict compliance with the attendance rules to avoid subsequent difficulties retrieving your property from the court's control. With a Mission Viejo bail bonds service provider, you will also have the chance to avoid dealing with significant financial risks when posting the bond.
The Bail Hearing and Its Importance
A bail hearing should be held within a day after you are taken into police custody. While at the station, you have the chance to request a court arraignment for the hearing within twenty-four hours as an exercise of constitutional rights. However, this option is unavailable for any suspect arrested during the weekend, as courts are not in session. Hence, you will wait until the next court sitting time, which should be the Monday following your arrest.
During the bail hearing, the judge will assess details surrounding your arrest and the charged crime before determining whether to allow your release. These hearings are often scheduled for more serious crimes. Conversely, less serious ones may only need you to check the bail schedule and sign a swearing affidavit promising to appear for future court dates.
When you appear for the hearing, working with a criminal attorney is also advisable, as they will help you present your position and request a bail reduction. Further, the attorney will provide helpful support in case the court questions your source of funds.
Factors Influencing the Judge's Decision to Grant Bail
As discussed, the judge should be convinced that your release is rightful even after your criminal charges. They will determine this based on the information presented concerning your case and any relevant history. Thanks to the details, your character and likelihood to follow through with the trial proceedings are gauged, and a decision is reached. Some influential factors for consideration are:
The Impact of Your Release on Society
Before allowing any arrested suspect to exit jail before the subsequent trial process, the judge assesses the potential impact on society. This is an important step to ensure that suspects who pose potential harm to the community remain in custody. As a result, the likelihood of repeated offenses is reduced, and investigations can continue seamlessly.
Usually, the California regulations applicable for an arrested suspect will allow them the chance to leave jail on bail provided that their offense does not negatively affect society. The main determinant factor lies in the crime you allegedly committed, as further discussed below. If your criminal involvement poses no serious threats, you are more likely to be granted release on bail.
The Type of Offense You Committed
Criminal offenses range in severity, meaning that some are taken more seriously than others. For example, suspected murder charges often leave no chance for the arrested person to exit jail on bail or bond. The law enforcement and federal government take the offense very seriously, meaning that you must remain behind bars to allow for investigations and prosecution to conclude.
Your Criminal History
As a past offender, you should be ready to face additional scrutiny regarding your eligibility for release on bail. Mostly, repeat offenders will have a hard time convincing the judge to grant bail. The outcome is prevalent if your offense is currently charged as a felony due to multiple repetitive violations. For example, any suspect arrested for DUI charges more than three times within ten years faces a felony. Consequently, the outcome results in unpredictability when seeking further directions from the judge. Nonetheless, they may still grant bail if you present justified reasons for you to exit jail.
The Validity of Your Source of Funds
Thirdly, the court must be satisfied that the bail or bond posted comes from legitimate fund sources. The law will not condone any proceeds of crime to cover the bail or bond amounts, as it perpetuates criminal activities. Additional scrutiny is particularly imposed on suspects arrested for committing crimes like drug trafficking, fraud, embezzlement of funds, and other crimes with lucrative proceeds.
You should also note that opting to pay cash upfront attracts the court's scrutiny into your source of funds, compared to working with a bail bond service. Thus, you are in an advantaged position when working with a Mission Viejo bail bonds agent because they run a legitimate business. The judges and relevant court officials also recognize Mission Viejo bail bond business structures, meaning that you are less likely to face questioning on the source of funds. Overall, seeking a bail bondsman's services helps you reduce the stress arising from multiple audits and scrutiny into your bank accounts.
Your Likelihood to be a Flight Risk
Finally, the judge wants to ensure you will not flee the city or country to avoid facing legal repercussions for the offense. As a result, the court may order you to deposit your passport and other relevant documents as a travel prevention method. You may receive the documents when the trial begins or wait until a verdict is reached by showing compliance.
Available Methods to Post Bail
Detained persons can explore several options when posting bail or bond. The following are the available methods:
Personal Checks
When presenting a personal check, you should include the required details for its approval. They include your full name, the name of the approving bank personnel, and the exact amount to be transferred to the court. Once the court personnel confirms the availability and transfer of funds, you will be ready for release.
Upfront Cash
If you can consolidate and present the lump sum required by the court, you may organize for a transaction to occur. You want to delegate this work to a trusted person to avoid theft or loss of money before your release is secured.
Bail Bond Services
Finally, you can choose a Mission Viejo bail bonds service to help you post the necessary amount for your release. The services involve reliable and fast processes between the agent and detention officers with your interests in mind. Since your bail bonds agent can complete the payments online, the release process has become more efficient.
Fees Charged for Bail Bond Services
After your Mission Viejo bail bonds agent completes the transaction on your behalf, you will be released and return to your normal life soon. Thanks to the convenience, you can begin preparing for your future court arraignments and the main trial early, increasing your chances of success. Further, you will have averted the hefty bail amounts required in court through the bail bondsman services.
Due to this, a service fee is charged to all clients to keep the company running. You will therefore pay around 10% of the total amount you would have otherwise posted as bail. For example, if you were charged with a misdemeanor requiring a $10000 bail, the service fee will total $1000.
Although regulations exist to limit the percentage fee chargeable for bail bond services, the rate remains constant regardless of the initial set amount. Subsequently, the higher the bail was set, the more expensive you will find the bail bond service. Due to the prevailing norm, you could face difficulties clearing the fee as you may not have the cash available.
Therefore, our bail bond service accommodates clients by creating a flexible payment plan. By negotiating for a reasonable payment duration, you will lessen the stress and worry of completing the payments at once. Instead, you can spread out the installments over an agreed period to help you focus on equally critical financial responsibilities in your life.
Jail and Court Information
After facing arrest, you may require additional information from direct sources. These include court officials and jail department heads who have reliable details to provide. Thus, you can contact the following offices for support:
Superior Court Service Center
Mission Viejo, California 92691,
Mission Viejo Police Services
Mission Viejo, California 92691,
Intake/Release Center(Central Jail Complex)
Find a Bail Bonds Service Near Me
Although an arrest may blindside you, you do not have to stress about posting bail or bond on your own. There are various options to use, including bail bond services. With your Mission Viejo bail bonds agent's help, you will have a smooth release process. Although many bail bond services are available in California, you want to ensure that your company of choice provides valuable support. The relationship should also continue after your release to help you make service payments seamlessly.
At Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, you will receive high-quality services geared towards promoting a faster release process. Over the years, we have supported hundreds of arrested clients in Mission Viejo by posting bail or bond on their behalf. Additionally, the team comprises diligent bail bond agents keen on meeting court deadlines and including all crucial details when posting the amount. For more information, reach us today at 800-834-8522.
