subject: All About Santa Ana Bail Bonds [print this page] All About Santa Ana Bail Bonds All About Santa Ana Bail Bonds
When someone is arrested and taken to the Santa Ana jail, it is because they are suspected of a criminal act. The range of criminal charges varies greatly. Before that person can be released from jail, they must either wait until their trial date or find a bondsman and a cosigner to help bail them out. The following will identify some important aspects of commonly asked questions dealing with Santa Ana bail bonds.
What Are Bail Bonds?
A bail bond is what is used to get a defendant out of jail under the acknowledgment that they will come back when their court date is scheduled. When the defendant is in jail and a bail has been set, they will find a bail bond company and a cosigner to help them get out of jail.
After all the necessary paperwork is completed and fees are paid, the bail bondsman will go to the Santa Ana jail and post the bond which will release the defendant. However, if the defendant does not show up to their court date, the bail amount and original bond is forfeited to the court and the cosigner could be responsible for a lot more money.
Where Do You Find A Santa Ana Bondsman?
Normally, a licensed bail bondsman located in or near Santa Ana would be the best suggestion. Licensing, location and experience are things you should consider when hiring a bail bond company. Bail bond companies are licensed by the California Department of Insurance. Licensing is on a state-wide basis. So, any California bondsman can help you in Santa Ana.
To find a bondsman, most people will look in the yellow pages, get a referral from a friend or attorney or search online. The online option is easiest for most people because it is available 24 hours a day and allows not only for confidentiality, but also for the opportunity to research the company you may work with.
Costs, Fees & Charges
A legally working bail bond company will generally charge 10% of the overall bail setting. The fee should not exceed 10%, otherwise it is not legal.
The cost of the actual bail is set by the court system on an annual basis depending on the criminal charges and has nothing to do with the bail bond company. The 10% fee is charged to use the bondsman's service and is not refundable once the defendant is released from jail.
What Do Bail Bond Companies Do?
Typically, bail bond companies will offer the following:
Copies of all documents that were signed
Receipts for everything that was paid for
All changes and status updates of the bail bond
Return of collateral if used
Additionally, bondsman do offer different services, so you may want to look for the following options:
A bondsman who will interact with the jail to get all necessary information
Flexible payment plans, if needed (with no interest charges!)
The ability to meet at the Santa Ana jail, your location or complete the bail bond virtually by email or fax
No collateral bail options
Someone who will take the time to answer all your questions
The bottom line is that Santa Ana is the busiest city in Orange County for bail. This is because there is the Santa Ana Police Department Jail as well as the Orange County Jail. With this in mind, you will want to find a bondsman who will meet your needs. Many bail companies have been around for decades and the traditional way of doing bail is cash up-front and most often collateral. If that doesn't meet your needs, shop around for your best options.
