Families and friends are often caught off guard when their loved ones are arrested and brought into the custody by the Bakersfield Police. The arrested person may be detained throughout their trial unless they post a bail. Bail is important so that the detainee’s liberty will not be dismissed for a crime that has not been proven yet. We know that there could be a long delay in the proceeding and if the decision is in favor of the arrested party, the detainee has already lost a great time being kept in custody.
Understanding the process and knowing the jargons used by the Bakersfield courts can help the defendants and their loved ones to make a right decision.
Please contact our company if you have questions that are not addressed by our FAQs. We want to help you to get your loved ones out of jail the soonest.
What is a Defendant?
A person who is arrested for committing a violation of the law is called a defendant. This individual is required by the court to attend their hearings. The defendant may be temporarily released until their court date if they can pay their bail or hire a bail bond agent to pay the bail on their behalf.
What is Bail?
Bail is pledge given to a court in exchange for the temporary release of an arrested person in jail. A bail can be cash, property or a surety bond. The purpose of the bail is to assure the court that the defendant will appear in all of his scheduled hearings.
Who can post bail at the jail?
The defendant can post their bail if they are financially able. An adult family member or friend, at least 18 years of age, can also post the bail on behalf of the defendant. The bail paid by the defendant and their families or friends should be in cash and cover the full bail amount.
A certified bail bond agent, may also be employed by the defendant or his family to post the bail bond on their behalf.
What is Bail Bond?
Bail bonds are posted by Bail Bond Agents who acts as representatives of licensed surety insurance companies. Through bail bonds, the defendant or concerned parties only needs to pay a 10% of the required bail to the bail agents, instead of paying the bail in full. The full amount of the bail will only be payable once the defendant fails to appear in any of his court dates.
What is a Bail Bond Agent?
A bail bond agent is a company or individual that helps facilitate the release of the defendant through the posting of a bail bond in court. The bail bond agent pledges to pay the full cost of the bail to the court if the respondent misses any of this required court appearances. The California Department of Insurance certifies and regulates all bail bond agents in the state of California.
How much does bail bond cost?
The premium for a bail bond is 10% of the bail amount. This rate is regulated by the California Department of Insurance and applicable to all bail bond companies. So, for a bail set at $20,000, the premium you need to pay to the bail agent is only $2,000.
The California Department of Insurance also allowed a discounted bail premium rate of 8%. Here are the criteria to qualify for the discounted premium rate:
- You have retained a private defense attorney
- You are a member of a work union
- You are an active member or a veteran of the United States Military
The total bail amount, on the other hand, is determined by the County’s bail schedule. The severity of the crime and the defendant’s criminal history may affect the bail amount as well.
Remember that you will only pay a premium amount if you avail of a Bail Bond Agent. This is the most economical option instead of paying the full bail amount.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Bakersfield Bail Bonds Agent if you have other questions about the amount you need to spend. We have flexible bail bond payment options that you can choose from. We can also write the bond with little or no collateral at all.
What is a collateral? Do I need it to get a bail bond?
Collateral is a personal property such as a land, house, or jewelry that you pledge to the bail bond agency to secure the bail amount in the instance that the defendant fails to appear in court. This collateral will be returned to the owner once the case has been finalized.
At our company, the need for collateral is on a case-to-case basis. Sometimes, a co-signer is enough. In other cases, there would be no collateral required.
What happens when the defendant skips court?
The judge will forfeit the bail if the defendant misses a court appearance. The court will then issue a bench warrant for the defendant’s arrest. If you paid your bail in cash, it would no longer be returned to you. If you posted a bail bond, the bail agency will pay the court and seek reimbursement from the defendant or the Indemnitor.
If the defendant re-appears within the 180 days of the notice of bail forfeiture and provide a valid reason for the absence, the court may vacate and exonerate the bond.
How long is the Bail Process?
It would depend on where the defendant is in custody. If it is in a City Jail, it could take around an hour after booking (fingerprints, photograph, checks, etc.). If it is in a County Jail, it usually takes from two to twelve hours due to the number of persons being processed by the jail. No matter how long it would take, you can be assured that our Bail Bondsman in Bakersfield will be at your service until your love one is home safe.