The California bail system has made it possible for arrestees to walk out of jail until their case is resolved. After an arrest in Spring Valley, the judge may give you the option to post bail, walk out of jail and attend court sessions on the stipulated dates. However, the challenge you may face is that the bail amount may be set too high that you cannot afford to pay it. Fortunately, a bail bond agency could help you solve this challenge.
If you hire a bail bond company, you will be able to post bail at an affordable premium fee, regardless of how high the bail amount is. At Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds, our agents will be at your service right away. We understand that being detained can be challenging and confusing. Thus, we strive to streamline the bond posting process.
Overview of Bail
The bail system works by enabling you to secure your release from custody in exchange for funds the court will hold until all the proceedings and the trial surrounding your case are over. The court trusts that you will attend all your court dates. Only after you appear in court as required will you recover the amount you posted as bail.
In most cases, court trials can start months or weeks after an arrest. If it were not for bail, most arrestees, some of whom may be innocent of their charges, would be forced to remain in custody until trial. At the least, this could cause financial hardships as the arrestee would be incapable of working. Additionally, they would miss their lives— holidays, family events, vacations, and other critical events. Not everybody who secures a bail release is ultimately acquitted. Therefore, various protections have been incorporated into the bail law to prevent specific dangerous offenders from being set free.
The Bail Process
The process of posting bail starts with an arrest. When a law enforcement officer suspects you of committing a crime in Spring Valley, they will arrest you and take you to the nearest local police station where booking will occur. When you are booked and processed, a law enforcement officer records details about you (appearance, birthday, address, name) and the crime allegedly committed. They will then conduct a background check to see whether you have a criminal history or outstanding warrants, take your fingerprints and photograph, and seize and inventory your personal effects, which they will return to you when you are released. After that, the officer will check to see whether you are drunk or high and allow you your right to a call. Finally, you will be transferred to a jail or holding cell.
The police may permit you to make bail right after booking if your criminal offense is less severe. Otherwise, you will need to wait (generally for not more than forty-eight hours) for an arraignment or bail hearing during which a judge determines if you are eligible for release on bail and, if so, what amount.
The bail amount varies depending on the seriousness of the offense and the judge’s discretion. All counties have their bail schedules that suggest a standard amount of bail. For instance, the Spring Valley bail schedule usually recommends 15,000 dollars for perjury, 100,000 dollars for the voluntary manslaughter crime, and 500,000 dollars for aggravated mayhem.
When determining the bail amount to impose, a judge might consider the amount indicated in the bail schedule, but they will also consider your criminal record, your history of appearing in court when required to do so, whether you are a threat to others, your community ties, and other factors that your lawyer may raise.
Types of Bail
We have five different kinds of bail. Some of these types are less frequently used than others. They include:
Own Recognizance Release (OR Release)
A judge could opt to release you on your own recognizance. This means that you are responsible for appearing in court as required, and you do not have to make bail. A judge will release you OR only if the charges against you involve a minor, non-violent offense and you are not considered as a flight risk or threat to others. Being a flight risk means it is highly likely that you will flee and fail to show up for your court dates.
Citation Release
In given cases, an arresting officer will not book you into the system at all. Instead, they will issue you with a citation saying that you must show up in court. Whereas citation release is not as thorough as taking you in and conducting the official booking process, it permits the police to focus more on arresting more dangerous offenders.
Bail Bonds
Bail bonds are also called surety bonds. You can use a bail bond for any bail amount, but it is useful, especially when you cannot afford the set bail amount. This form of bail usually involves your relative or friend contacting a Spring Valley bondsman/bail bond agent/bail agent. A bondsman is backed by a special insurer, known as a surety company. They pledge to post the total bail amount if you promise to make court appearances. In exchange, they will charge you a ten percent fee, called the premium, and collect some type of collateral (it could be electronics, jewelry, a boat, car, or house).
By wanting your relative or friend to be involved, the bondsman hopes that you will feel compelled to attend court because the relative or friend is perhaps paying the premium, and the collateral they provided is at stake. The bondsman bond amount is also on the line. If you do not show in court (referred to as jumping or skipping bail), it will be them who become responsible for repaying the total bond amount. In other words, they will forfeit the money they posted for you as bail. If you skip bail, the bondsman and even your friends and family may hire a bounty hunter to look for you. The bounty hunter will track you down, and if they find you, they will arrest you and take you back to the jurisdiction from which you fled. Bounty hunters are paid a fee of 10 to 20 percent of the bond amount.
Cash Bail
Posting cash bail means paying the full bail amount in cash. Sometimes jail facilities or courts accept credit cards, checks, money orders, or even traveler’s checks.
Property Bond
If you do not have the money to pay cash bail or hire a bondsman, you could pay bail in the form of property. This is known as a property bond. In this case, the court secures a lien on the asset in the bail amount the judge set. If you fail to come on the required court dates, you will lose your property— the court will foreclose on the asset to recover the lost bail amount.
Dealing With Spring Valley Bail Agents
Even though bail agents may appear to be into a sordid business because they are constantly transacting with suspected criminals, they are still business persons like the people involved in other kinds of businesses. Just like you had to do with any other professional, request to have a look at a bail agent’s identification and license. Most bondsmen charge a 10 percent premium, but they may request additional charges. Demand that the agent explain the extra charges and present them in an itemized list.
Also, obtain receipts for anything you pay for and ask for copies of everything you sign (ensure to review all the documents you are requested to sign). Like with any kind of loan, do not be convinced into accepting financing you cannot afford.
If you are hiring a bail bond agent on your relative or friend’s behalf, the agent should always be available to you for help and questions. It is unlikely that they will not be available because they have a vested interest in ensuring their clients appear in court. Technically, the accused is in their custody, and they are (accused) their responsibility. However, if it is likely that a bondsman will not be available when you need them, find someone else.
Conditions for Release on Bail In Spring Valley
If the judge grants bail, they will also set various conditions that you should obey for your continued stay out of custody. The judge hopes you will fulfill your part of the deal and cooperate while out on bail. In many cases, the judge imposes specific and general conditions with which you must comply to avoid losing your bail amount. Some of these conditions are:
Attending Court Proceedings for Your Case
The primary bail condition is showing up in court. A judge will not sign the bail release form if you have not convinced them that you are willing to show up for your case proceedings and trial. You will be rearrested and lose the bail money if you fail to appear.
Do Not Violate Any Other Law.
Not committing other crimes while out on bail is a general condition. The judge will require you to stay out of trouble with the law at least for the period you will be out on bail. Violating any other law while out on bail will lead to your re-arrest, and you will not be granted bail.
Compliance With Court Orders
The judge may require you to adhere to specific court-issued orders, such as a protective order. It is a specific condition that judges impose based on the type of crime that you are alleged to commit. For example, if you were arrested for committing a domestic violence-related offense, the judge may agree to bail on the condition that you will not come anywhere near the supposed victim until your case is resolved.
Travel Restrictions
If the judge grants bail, they may require that you remain within the jurisdiction until your case is determined. Therefore, they will impose travel restrictions against you. If travel restrictions are imposed, the judge may need you to surrender your passport, driving license, and any other traveling document if they feel you may flee the country.
House Arrest
A judge may order that you be put under house arrest if they are granting bail. You will be fitted with an electronic device, which will be notifying the police of your movement. Violating this condition will have you rearrested and denied bail.
Why You Should Work With a Spring Valley Bondsman to Post Bail
An arrest occurs when you least expect it. It interferes with your personal and social life. If you stay in custody until your case is resolved, you will miss out on so many things. For example, you will not go to school, work, or interact with your family or friends. Your life need not come to a standstill even when you cannot afford to make bail. Bail agents help in many ways:
A Bail Agent Saves You Money
Because arrests occur when we are least prepared, you are never ready to make bail to secure your release. At times the bail amount is set so high that you cannot afford it, however much you try. Reliable Spring Valley bail agents offer affordable bond services, thus saving you so much money. As we mentioned, bail agents provide their services at 10 percent of the set bail amount, which is the money you will need to come up with for release. So, for instance, if your bail amount is $10,000, you will not have to pay the whole $10,000 but only $1,000 to secure your release.
A Quick Release from Jail
Nobody deserves to stay in custody longer than they should. The state’s law does not even permit a suspect to stay in jail for a lengthy period without going to trial. As we mentioned earlier, only in rare cases can suspects be released without bail.
The longer you sit in jail because you cannot raise the bail amount, the more valuable time you lose, which you might never recover. You also need enough time to prepare for your trial, and staying in jail longer will cut into this time. Instead of wasting your precious time in jail while trying to figure out how you will raise the bail money, contact a bail bonds company, and it will post bail for you within hours.
Jail Information
San Diego County Sheriff- Rancho San Diego Station
Phone: 619-660-7090
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Casa De Oro Storefront
Phone: 858-565-5200
Court Information
Superior Court North County Division
Phone: 760-201-8600
San Diego Central Courthouse
Phone: 619-456-4100
Superior Court East County Division
Phone: 619-456-4100
Find Professional Bail Bond Services Near Me
If you have been arrested in Spring Valley, CA, and need to secure your release on bail through a trusted bondsman, you can count us, the Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds. Our bail agents are professionals and responsive and will do all they can to secure your release within a short time. Call us right away at 844-400-2245 to talk to one of our bondsmen.
