subject: What You Should Know About The Bail And Bond Process [print this page] If by chance you are arrested, you will be taken to the local police station for booking and arraignment. During the bail and bond process a bail amount will be set and you will have a few options to provide for your release. One option is to be released on your own recognizance for free, if this does not happen, you can use a bail bond, property bail or cash bail. Courts prefer bail bonds, in most cases,because they help guarantee your appearance in court and it is also an effective means of securing release before your court date.
Depending on the charges you are facing, your bail bond amount can be set beyond your financial means. To put it simply: the worse the crime is, the higher the bail bond amount. Judges use a variety of criteria to determine the amount of bail bonds as insurance that the defendant will appear at a later court date. Once the amount is set, the bail bond process begins.
Typically a family member, a friend or your attorney will speak with a bail bond company on your behalf while you are still behind bars. The agent will conduct a phone consultation to collect all of the pertinent details regarding the arrest, your contact information and the financial record of the person who will sign the bail bond.
At this point, you can choose to move forward with the bail bond process. To secure a bail bond someone must complete an application, agree to the Bail Indemnity Agreement and sign all of the legally binding documents. By signing a bail bond document, there is now collateral if you fail to appear in court.
Bail bond companies charge a fee that is equivalent to ten percent of the bail bond amount and is dictated by California state law. Do not trust a company that offers a different rate for bail bonds. Upon receiving payment and all necessary signatures, the bail bond agent will post bail for you and you will be released from the detention facility or jail.
The entire bail bond process usually takes about one or two hours to complete. The customer can complete these documents on-site or over email with a licensed bail bond agent. In a few short steps and hours, you can be released from jail. The responsibility of bail bonds is enormous and failure to pay or appear in court will lead to a myriad of legal troubles.
If you are unsure of which bail bond company to use, ask your attorney for a suggestion. With years of experience dealing with clients who need to post bail, your attorney has probably encountered the entire gamut of bail bond issues. Another option is to research local bail bond agents on the Internet, but that may prove to be difficult if you are behind bars. Understanding the bail bond process and the different local bail bond agents in your area is the best preparation for dealing with an unexpected arrest situation.
