Arrests barely happen during business hours, and when they occur, they find you without money. You must choose between paying your bills and exiting jail through bail. If you are torn between paying bills and paying bail, you should consult a Valley Center bail bonds firm to finance your bail so that the little money you have can foot your daily expenses. At Mr. Nice Guy Bail Bonds, we will answer your phone call when you need us most, fill out the bail forms, and deposit a bond with the court for prompt release.
Bail Purposes
Bail is a contract where the defendant guarantees the court to attend all court proceedings when released from custody pending trial. The defendant must also deposit a particular amount of money set by the judge or provided in the San Diego County bail schedule as a guarantee to keep their pledge. If the defendant fails to keep their word or pledge, they forfeit the funds. Nevertheless, when they stick to their word, the court refunds the deposit regardless of the case’s verdict.
You should know bail is not a penalty for your offense, even though it increases depending on the severity of your charges. Besides, the bail system does not intend to raise funds for the state. Instead, it is a guarantee of your pledge to the court to show up for all legal proceedings.
Bail Proceeding
How do you learn of the bail amount? Typically, you will learn of the bail amount after arrest, booking, and filing of charges. Once the prosecutor prefers a charge against you, the next step is to determine the money you must pay to obtain an early release. In most cases, the officer handling your case will refer to the bail schedule for bail determination. That way, you do not have to remain behind bars until the arraignment and bail proceeding to exit police custody.
However, when you have a serious charge, you should appear in a bail hearing for the judge or magistrate to determine if you qualify for bail and the amount you must pay. Besides, you will require this legal hearing if you are not satisfied with the bail amount provided on the schedule and want the court to lower it further.
The hearing usually happens within 48 hours of arraignment. In the hearing, the judge determines if your charge is eligible for bail and determines the figure guided by the bail schedule. The judge does not always follow the figure provided in the schedule, as they have the discretion to increase or reduce the amount but must do it legally, depending on the case’s circumstances. However, even though bail is a constitutional right, sometimes the court can deny you this right due to reasons like pending arrest warrants or a history of jumping bail.
If you plan to contest bail in a court proceeding, you must notify the prosecutor in writing. You must do this within 48 hours of arraignment. If your defense attorney presents solid arguments to compel the court to lower your bail, the court will grant your request. However, not all requests for bail reduction end well. You could present your case, and instead of reducing the amount, the court increases it. Therefore, if you are to seek a reduction, first consult with your criminal defense lawyer to evaluate your case and advise you accordingly.
Bail Reduction
Your defense attorney can file a motion requesting the court to reduce your bail after arraignment. It is advisable to have an attorney request because they know the law on which they will base the motion and the arguments that will convince the court to grant the bail reduction request.
In the bail proceeding, your attorney will argue that you are not a danger to the community and that, when released, you will not flee town. The assertion alone will not convince the court to reduce bail. Your lawyer must furnish the court with supporting evidence that you are not a danger to public safety. The proof they will need to prove this includes:
- Having a clean criminal history
- Having a good reputation
- Your charges are for a nonviolent offense
- You have no outstanding arrest warrant or are serving probation
Your lawyer will demonstrate that you are less likely to turn into a fugitive through the following evidence:
- Demonstrating that you have strong social bonds or connections like having a family, a stable job, or operating a business
- Offering to hand over your driver's license (DL) and passport to the court
- Agreeing to wear an ankle monitoring device
- Showing you have no immigration problems
- Demonstrating you have no history of jumping bail
Additionally, the attorney can suggest to the court that bail conditions be imposed, all to compel the judge to lower the bail figure. These bail terms the lawyer will recommend are:
- Home arrest
- Restricted travel
- Avoiding particular locations or contacting certain individuals
- Abstaining from controlled substances or alcohol
- Imposing a restraining order
If your attorney’s evidence is compelling, they will lower the amount. However, when the bail reduction motion is unsuccessful, you will stay in jail until you are eligible for a bail review, which normally happens within five days of the bail proceeding.
Valley Center Bail Bonds Service and Reasons You Should Hire One
Once the court reduces your bail as requested, you should contact your Valley Center Bail Bonds company. The company will deposit a bond to guarantee your pretrial release if you agree to pay a premium fee of 10% of the total bail. After the payment, based on the circumstances, you or your cosigner could be required to deposit collateral if it is agreed upon in the contract.
Many Valley Center bail bonds will require collateral to safeguard themselves from losses if the defendant jumps bail. Normally, the person cosigning the Valley Center bail bonds contract is the one that puts up collateral. That way, the indemnitor becomes responsible for your court appearances because when you skip court, they will lose the collateral to the bail bondsman.
The pretrial release comes with conditions you must abide by. Infringement of these conditions could also result in bond forfeiture. Your cosigner and bail bondsman stand to lose if you violate these terms. Therefore, they will be committed to ensuring you obey the terms, including attending court to avoid losses.
Jail and Court Info
San Diego Central Jail
1173 Front Street
San Diego, CA 92101
North County Regional Center
375 South Melrose Drive
Vista, CA 92081
Find a Competent Bail Bondsman Near Me
After an arrest in San Diego County, an effective and affordable way of exiting detention is through Valley Center bail bonds. The company eliminates all the worry that comes with not having funds to pay bail. At Mr. Nice Guy Bail Bonds, we are conversant with bail processes. We will finance your pretrial release and be on your side to offer guidance until you stand trial and the court issues a verdict. Contact us at 844-400-2245 for help with posting bail.
