If you find yourself behind bars, you will appear before a judge who will consider your case facts to determine whether to grant you bail and at how much. Bail secures your release as you await your trial and guarantees you will follow your release conditions, including attending court. However, like most defendants, you might not have enough money to facilitate the process. A skilled Brea bail bonds company like Riverside Bail Bonds can come in handy in exchange for a non-refundable 10% of your bail amount. We can help guide you through the criminal judicial procedures, fill out your relevant paperwork, and offer flexible, affordable payment plans to drastically ease and accelerate the process.
How to Calculate Bail Bonds
A bond is a financial tool that enables defendants to lower their bail costs. Instead of paying the entire bail amount upfront in cash, bonds help you lower the cost by about 90 percent, allowing you to afford other needs, including legal assistance and food. Discounts can also lower the cost further.
Calculating bond amounts is simple and easy. In California, bondsmen charge 10 percent of the value of your bail. For instance, if your bail is $10,000, you will pay your Brea bail bonds company $1,000.
Factors that determine your bail amount include:
- The seriousness of the alleged criminal offense
- Having a prior criminal history
- Past violations of parole
- Failure to appear conviction
- Being a flight-risk
- Having no close family or business in the community
Dangers of Failing to Post Bail
Whether to wait for your trial date in detention or at home is a decision you have to make. Nevertheless, you should know all case-related facts to understand the whole matter better. For instance, awaiting court proceedings behind bars can lead to a loss of employment and livelihood.
Also, if you choose to secure your release pending trial, your lawyer could have a lighter task of changing the narrative of the trial to your advantage. They can do this by delaying the matter before heading to trial. A case delay can give your legal counsel ample time to discover proof that could clear you of any charges.
The prosecution team can use anything you say while in custody awaiting trial against you. Consequently, you should be cautious of your words if you remain detained. Those statements can be disclosed in court if you discuss your case with other jailmates or wardens.
Staying in custody can lead to mental or physical harm. Even if there are measures in place, the potential risk of the following is relatively high:
- Sexual assault
- Harassment
- Jail fights — The police have detained you alongside individuals who have committed various offenses.
On top of the likelihood of physical injury, it is also emotionally challenging to remain in jail. You will be separated from your family and friends, lose your privacy, and only be permitted outside for a restricted time. Staying in jail will also likely cause you stress, anxiety, and depression. These emotions can negatively impact the function of the immune system, resulting in sickness.
Can You Relieve Yourself as a Bail Bond Co-signer?
The motivation for accepting the role of a co-signer for a family member is evident because you want to assist in securing their release. Once this objective has been met, at some point, reasons may arise as to why you might want to terminate your obligation.
Typically, indemnitors, commonly referred to as co-signers, seek to terminate their obligation due to the following reasons:
- The accused is likely to skip bail or engage in another offense. You should end the cosigner status to safeguard yourself.
- The co-signer status has caused emotional stress if you used your house or car as collateral.
- There is a falling out with the accused, possibly due to some aspects of their case.
To terminate the agreement, you should first inform your Brea bail bonds company of your intention to relieve yourself of the responsibilities associated with the accused. Next, the bondsman will alert the court, and the agreement will become null and void. Finally, the police will rearrest the suspect.
The defendant can post their bail. Therefore, if you tell them of your intentions early, they can pay the bondsman the required premium. That is why working with a company that maintains communication between the involved parties is recommended.
Protecting Yourself as a Cosigner Before Entering the Contract
After agreeing to be an indemnitor, you become legally and financially accountable for the suspect. Luckily, there are ways to reduce the risks, including the following:
- Include conditions, like the accused should enroll and complete anger management classes. If they fail to satisfy the requirement, you will end the contract.
- Tell the accused that you expect them to repay the amount you have spent and that you will cancel their cosigner status if they fail to make the agreed-upon payments.
- Be keen on the defendant’s case developments throughout the criminal judicial process.
- Always know of the defendant’s whereabouts after their release
Repercussions of Jumping Bail
Jumping bail occurs when a defendant skips their court hearings. It also means that an accused has violated the conditions of their release. Attending your scheduled court hearing is one of the court-imposed bail conditions you must abide by after your release on bail.
Fleeing town and skipping court will lead to a severe punishment in addition to your original charge. Missing your court hearings hurts your possibility of obtaining a favorable ruling from the judge. The police could also return you into their custody while the court could deny you another bail pending your court proceedings.
Skipping bail can be prosecuted as a felony per California PC 1320.5. The penalties can include a maximum fine of $10,000, a jail term not exceeding one year, or both. Remember, these punishments enhance the consequences of your original charge.
If you fail to attend court, the court could issue a bail-skipping warrant in your name. If a Brea bail bonds company was involved in securing your release, it risks losing the amount they post with the court on your behalf. Therefore, it will try to find and return you to police custody to recoup their funds. It can track you itself or hire a bounty hunter. Locating you might involve them raiding your home without prior notice and presenting you in court.
The court can reinstate its decision if you appear in court within six months with a valid excuse, like:
- An emergency
- A severe illness
- An unavoidable natural disaster
Please note that not feeling like you want to appear or failing to attend court because you believe you are innocent are not valid excuses.
Online Bail Bonds
Due to certain advancements in online money transfers, your bail bond company can accept payments through the following:
- Bitcoin
- Cash
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Debit cards
Your Brea bail bonds firm's primary objective should be offering accessible payment plans that suit your needs. Before the advent of these online forms of payment, defendants experienced challenges while paying for their bail bond services and were limited to paying in cash or through debit cards.
A bond company that uses online platforms also reduces the hassle of clients traveling to their physical location to transact in cash. Instead, you log into your online platform and perform the service charge transaction.
The bail bonds firm has accountability measures that correctly track all payments and offer you receipts once the service fee is remitted. Therefore, without restrictions, you can access the financial documents online or physically if needed.
If you choose to pay the bail bond company in cash, you can also do so by communicating with your bondsman. They will guide you on how to do it and offer you a receipt immediately upon transaction completion.
Other features of online bail bonds include the following:
- Signing crucial forms virtually in minutes — If you want to sign documents before completing the bail procedure, you can still do it online. The procedure is simple and takes a few seconds to complete. The bond company has various online options allowing clients to create a digital signature or e-signature. After the bondsman receives your signature, they will work on completing the paperwork to finalize your release.
- Fast and seamless payment options — Thanks to the various payment options that are available to you, there is no need to stress about trying to raise a bail bond amount on your own. Your seasoned bail bond firm has well-structured methods to help you quickly transfer the bail amount to your appropriate department to secure your release.
- You can post bail via your phone — In some cases, an arrest could happen before a significant event in a defendant’s life. Under those circumstances, you will require a bondsman to intervene immediately and secure a release from custody. The bail bonds procedure should be accessible even if your arrest happened after normal working hours. That is why a bondsman is well-trained to post a client’s bail via telephone for a quicker process that caters to urgent matters.
- Affordable and flexible payment plans allow you to secure a release even when you cannot afford the required premium amount. You should pay a downpayment of the amount and then clear the balance later.
- Prompt release — You should rest assured that your bondsman is skilled and experienced to address the issue adequately, enabling you to leave custody within a short period. The bondsman will stay in contact with the detention official to learn about the nature of your charges and the bail amount required.
Finding a Loved One’s Bail Amount Online
You can discover your loved one's bail amount by doing the following:
- Finding out the jurisdiction of arrest — Your first step is to discover the county, city, or district of arrest. Knowing the jurisdiction is crucial, as each location could have a specialized database for holding records.
- Search for the arrestee — You could try searching for the arrestee’s name in the database. However, sometimes you might require additional details like inmate number or date of birth.
- Log on to the police department’s website — Many city and county jails have official websites for the police department or local jail facility. These websites have a feature called “inmate search,” “jail lookup," or “a detention facility roster” tool.
- Assess the inmate’s profile — Once you locate the individual you seek, click on their profile. The profile will contain details like booking pictures, charges, booking date, and bail amount.
- Alternative databases — Please note that the police department’s database might not offer the relevant information or has no search function. In that case, use third-party databases or platforms to fill in the gaps.
Who Should You Call First: a Bondsman or Criminal Defense Lawyer?
Who to first call is a concern that many families often contend with when a close relative is arrested. The most practical thing is hiring both, as long as your finances allow. Nevertheless, most families live from payslip to payslip and cannot afford to employ a bondsman and legal counsel.
When you hire a defense lawyer following an arrest, they will develop a strong defense, navigate the justice system, and assist you in winning the case. On the other hand, a bail bond company helps you secure a release from custody. Bondsmen work at a commission to free you from custody, day or night, 24/7. Therefore, you should contact a bail bonds firm if you only have the finances to retain one. After all, the court could provide you with a public defender if you cannot enlist a defense attorney.
The crucial reasons for choosing to partner with a Brea bail bonds company include the following:
- A Brea bail bond firm can help you avoid serving time — Once a defendant is apprehended, they are permitted to post bail within a few hours. It is essential to understand that if an accused is not bailed from the local jail promptly, they could be transferred to a county jail. The last thing you want is to spend time in jail; many county jailhouses are harsh environments, and being in detention at a county jail is a horrible experience. Fortunately, you can avoid the experience with a Brea bail bonds company that can secure a fast release from prison.
- Hiring a lawyer does not guarantee freedom — A lawyer assuring you they will help you obtain the most favorable case outcome or prevail in the criminal case is not a watertight guarantee. That is a red flag because no lawyer should ever make assurances of winning a case. Professionally, an attorney cannot condition any payment on guaranteed results of an accused’s case. Nevertheless, a bondsman can immediately get you or your family member from detention. Following your release from jail, you can resume your daily routine and other work-related matters pending your court dates.
- A release on bail offers you leverage — It is not a secret that prosecutors achieve most plea bargains because they know the accused wants a release from jail. The plea bargains offered chiefly work like this: take a deal, and you are free to go. Nevertheless, the prosecution is less likely to provide a plea deal once an accused is released on bond.
Hidden Cost of Brea Bail Bonds
When posting bail bonds, many consider the upfront amount, which is the 10 percent fee the bail bond firm charges. Nevertheless, there are more things you should consider, including the financial implications, any hidden costs, and consequences that most people do not anticipate. Although bail bond firms offer essential services by permitting people to obtain release from custody without posting the entire bail amount, knowing the bigger financial picture is crucial.
To minimize your financial burden, consider the following before enlisting the services of any bail bonds company:
All Visible Costs
The cost many individuals associate bail bonds with is the 10 percent fee. For instance, if your bail is $8,000, the bondsman will charge about $800 to post your bond. The money is non-refundable even if you obtain a criminal charge dismissal or case acquittal. While the fee is openly stated beforehand, most people fail to factor in other costs that could arise while processing bail.
Risking Assets through Collateral Requirements
Bond companies may often ask for collateral on top of the non-refundable fee. Collateral could be cars, real estate, stocks, jewelry, and boats, among other valuable belongings. The potential risk is that the court could forfeit the collateral if you fail to attend court dates or abide by your bail conditions. Losing a vehicle or a home because of non-compliance could cause devastating repercussions, making it essential to fully understand the potential cost before signing up for a bond.
Courthouse, Jail, and Police Department Contact Information
Brea Police Department
1 Civic Center Circle
Brea, CA 92821
Superior Court of California
North Justice Center
1275 North Berkeley Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832-1258
Theo Lacy Facility
501 The City Dr S
Orange, CA 92868
Contact a Skilled Bondsman Near Me
You must post the entire bail amount with the court without a Brea bail bonds firm. When you partner with a bondsman, you only pay ten percent of the amount, enabling you to channel the other 90% to other needs, including seeking legal assistance. For many years, Riverside Bail Bonds has served thousands of defendants and can help you through the process and answer your questions to speed up your release. We can also help you overcome bail obstacles like lack of premium, warrant issues, out-of-state arrests, and absence of collateral. For more information about us, contact our office at 951-788-2663.
