subject: How Much Does A Bail Bond In Orange County, Ca Cost? [print this page] Bail bonds in Santa Ana, CA follow strict regulations set by the California Department of Insurance. A bail bond is a legal measure that allows a person accused of a crime to stay out of detention while his case is on trial. The amount of bail is not just picked out of thin air as California has released a tariff schedule specifying each amount according to the years of jail term associated with the crime.
What is the California schedule?
The 2012 bail schedule lists down all the offenses and their corresponding bail amount. There is also a category called enhancements which covers special situations that warrant special amounts. For example, if the offense carries a penalty of a top term of three years, the bond is set at $20,000, four years at $25,000, five years at $30,000, six years at $35,000, seven years at $40,000, eight years at $45,000, nine years at $50,000, 11 years at $65,000, 12 years at $70,000, 13 years at $75,000, 14 years at $80,000, 15 years at $90,000, 16 years at $100,000. All crimes that carry a reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment term will require a bond of P1 million. Generally, if the person is charged with two or more offense, the amount will be based on the highest bail schedule. Premiums for Santa Ana bail bonds are 10% of the total amount.
What are the enhancements?
Enhancements refer to the cost added to the presumptive bail. For example, if the defendant committed the crime while in gang, another $40,000 is added to the bail. If the offense is categorized as financial crime and the amount of losses exceed $20,000, the total that was embezzled for example will be computed into the presumptive bail. If the offender used a gun and the victim is killed, another $1 million is added. If the victim is not killed another $200,000 is considered an enhancement. If the offender has prior convictions, say for narcotics for example, just add $30,000 for each conviction, if its a sex offense or violent felony, the enhancement is $50,000 for each conviction. If the offense is considered a hate crime, another $25,000 is added to the presumptive bail. Bell bail bonds premium is set at 10% of the total amount.
Why the fixed amount for surety bond companies?
All bail bonds in Santa Ana, CA are regulated by the California Department of Insurance. There are special cases when you get special rates, for example if the offender is referred by a lawyer and second is if the offender is a union member.