An arrest of your loved one or yourself comes with mixed emotions. You may feel scared that you will be locked up for a long time, angry that you have been falsely accused, or helpless that your daily work will come to a standstill. However, if it helps, you should know that an arrest is not the end of the road for you. It does not mean you will stay in custody until you can prove your innocence. Fortunately, California laws allow an arrestee to be set free pending the resolution of their case. However, the release comes in exchange for bail, which guarantees that you will appear in court for case proceedings.
Bail is not always affordable for people to pay out of their pockets. However, this does not mean you will remain helpless in jail. You can reach out to a bail bonds company and request them to help you post your bail. If arrested in Pico Rivera, you can contact us at Bail Bonds Company for assistance. We offer professional and reliable services, so you will not have to stay locked up any longer than you should.
Bail Overview
Bail is the money or property an accused deposits with a court to secure their release from jail pending the resolution of their case. Bail is meant to act as a guarantee that the defendant will attend court. If the defendant fails to appear on all court dates, they may forfeit the money or property they gave as bail.
The accused can pay bail themself directly to the jail facility or court, or a friend or loved one can post the bail on their behalf. In other cases, the defendant can contract a Pico Rivera bail bonds service to post a bond on their behalf. Hiring a bonds company is the most common method that defendants go for. The bail amount a defendant must pay varies based on various factors.
Whereas bail is meant to ensure the accused appears in court for the proceedings of their case, it may also significantly affect a case outcome. For example, a defendant who is capable of posting bail will more likely access skilled legal representation and be capable of mounting a compelling defense than a defendant who stays in custody until their trial date.
Additionally, research shows that defendants who remain in custody until their trial are highly likely to be convicted than those who secure a bail release. Consequently, some have argued that the bail system unfairly favors wealthy defendants and penalizes those who cannot afford bail.
Bail is usually not meant as a punishment in itself. Rather, it is a way to secure an accused's agreement to obey particular conditions and attend court. In this sense, bail is just like collateral deposited with the jail facility or court to ascertain that, once the defendant is released from jail, they will present themself for their case proceedings.
Should the defendant fail to attend court or break the terms and conditions of their release, they may forfeit the bail amount deposited. If the accused posted a bail bond, the Pico Rivera bail bonds service they contracted would lose the money.
How Bail Is Set In Pico Rivera
When you are arrested in Pico Rivera and transferred to jail, you will first undergo booking before the judge sets bail. Booking is when the arresting officer gathers information regarding you and enters it into the station's database. The booking procedure lasts 45 minutes to a few hours, based on how busy the jail facility is.
During the booking process, the arresting officer will record your name, date of birth, address, and your alleged crime, take your mugshot, capture your fingerprints, and confiscate your personal belongings, which will be returned to you when leaving jail. The arresting officer will also check to see if you have any weapons that could be dangerous to you or other inmates. Afterward, they will check your name in the database to determine whether you have outstanding warrants against you.
The arresting officer will take you to a holding facility once they are done with the booking and take your case to the D.A. The D.A. will then decide what to do with your case. They will let you go if they choose to drop your case. But if they decide to file charges, you will be set to make your first court appearance, also known as the arraignment.
At the arraignment, the judge will tell you what you have been accused of and ask how you plead. Once you enter a plea, the judge may set or deny bail. Usually, the judge refers to a bail schedule for guidance when setting bail. They can set bail at the exact amount shown on the bail schedule, but they can also increase or reduce it. Every California county has a bail schedule that guides judges on the amount they should impose. Pico Rivera judges refer to the Los Angeles bail schedule.
When determining whether to increase or reduce bail or whether to deny bail altogether, the judge will consider various factors, including the following:
- Whether you are a flight risk— if there is any chance you would flee the state or country and fail to attend court, you will be deemed a flight risk. If the judge considers you a flight risk, they will set the bail higher.
- Your family obligations — when setting bail, the judge also considers your family responsibilities, including whether you are a parent, caregiver, or spouse.
- Your criminal history — if your criminal record is extensive, the judge will likely set your bail higher than if the vice versa were true.
- Your ties to the community — if you have strong ties to the community, for example, if you own a business that most people depend on, the judge might set your bail at a lower value.
- Whether you are a threat to the community or yourself— the judge also considers whether you pose any danger to the community or yourself. The judge will likely set your bail higher if you are a risk.
- The severity of your crime — generally, misdemeanor crimes have a lower bail amount than felonies.
- If your crime involved weapons or drugs.
- Your employment status.
- The likelihood that you will attend all future court appearances. Here, the judge looks at whether you have ever failed to appear in court before when required to do so.
Once the judge has set bail, you can call your friend, loved one, or a Pico Rivera bail bonds agency to help you post the amount. If the bail amount is too high, you can request a bail hearing through your lawyer and ask the judge to lower the amount.
The Pico Rivera Bail Bonds Process
Once you solicit Pico Rivera bail bonds services for help posting bail, a bail agent will attend to you. If you cannot reach the company, have your friend or loved one call it and transact with the bail agent on your behalf. In this case, your friend or loved one will be your co-signer. The information the bail agent will need from you or your co-signer includes the following:
- Your full name.
- The jail facility in which you are held.
- Your report or booking number.
- The charges against you.
- Any additional info you can collect regarding your arrest.
The bail agent will then require you or your co-signer to sign paperwork to secure their services. Once you have signed the paperwork, you will have to pay a given amount to the agent, usually 10% of the total bail value, and sign off on any collateral for the bond. The 10% fee is called a premium and is non-refundable.
For the collateral, the agent will return it to you once your case is solved, you have made all the court appearances, and the court has refunded them their bond money. If you fail to attend court, the agent will forfeit the bond money, prompting them to sell the collateral you signed off to recover their money. This means you will lose collateral if you fail to appear in court.
Once you have filled out all the paperwork and paid the required fee, the agent will travel to the jail where you are being held to post the bond for your release. As soon as the agent posts the bond, the process to have you released commences. Based on how busy and crowded the jail facility is, it can take between thirty minutes and a few hours for the whole process of posting bail and being released to complete.
Questions to Ask a Bail Bonds Agent
Knowing how the bail bonds process goes does not mean you understand all the details. There are some other things you must know concerning bail bonds. The following are some of the questions you can ask your bail agent when you meet:
Will You Assist Me In Understanding the Bail Bonds Process?
Considering you are paying bail because of criminal accusations, you would want to be sure you know about everything taking place. A bail agent should understand that you may not comprehend the bond process perfectly.
Ask your bail bondsman if they can explain what will happen if you do not pay your bond, and ask what the bonds company is charging you for and why. The process should be easy to understand and fully transparent. Knowing what could happen will assist you in managing expectations and keeping a clear head. The more you know, the more streamlined the process will be.
Is Your Bond Company Licensed?
A bond company can appear to be legitimate and still be unlicensed. You might think it is not critical for a company to have a license, but licensing ensures a bond service has the requisite expertise to perform its job correctly. If you are unsure if the company you have opted for is licensed, check the California Department of Insurance. Ask if the company you wish to hire has a license, and sign the contract only after you are sure the service is legit.
Do You Require Collateral For Bonds?
Most bail bond companies will not require the client to give collateral. Collateral is requested along with the bond fee to ensure the accused's release. Essentially, collateral is an item in the co-signer or defendant's name. It could be any property, like jewelry, a car, land, a house, or other valuable assets. In most cases, collateral is real property (land and everything attached to it), which could be seized if the accused does not show up on the stipulated court dates.
What Methods of Payments Do You Accept?
Some bond companies will need you to pay your bond a particular way. It is always good to consider which payment method your bail agent will agree to. A company that only takes cash might not accommodate you on short notice. Inquire from your agent if the company accepts debit or credit cards. Some companies allow clients to pay their bonds via payment plans.
How Much Does a Bail Bond Cost?
Earlier, we had said that your agent would charge you 10% of the set bail amount as their fee. A reputable bail bonds company will not charge you above 10% of the total bail amount. California laws mandate that a bail bonds company can only charge you 10 percent of your total bail value. For example, if your bail amount is $10,000 and the agent charges you 10% of the bail amount, you would pay them $1,000 for their service.
Some companies may charge extra fees for their service. If your agent requests additional charges, they should tell you what they are for and put together a list of all the required costs. Some bail agents may need collateral as a financial guarantee. Also, find out if the company offers reduced bond premiums or discounts.
How Soon Can You Guarantee Release?
One of the biggest concerns is how quickly a person can be set free after making bail. The period it takes for an arrestee to be released differs based on various factors, including how busy the jail is. The time you deposit your bail money can also impact how long it will take to be released. Sometimes it may take until the following business day for the court or jail to process the payment. The judge might also take some time to approve your release.
You can expect to be released within 30 minutes to four hours when working with a reliable bail agent. Rarely does being released after making bail take more than 24 hours.
Other Ways of Posting Bail in Pico Rivera
Apart from approaching a Pico Rivera bail bondsman for help making bail, you can post bail using cash (cash bail) or a valuable property (property bond).
Cash Bail
Cash bail entails posting the entire bail amount required in cash. For example, if the judge sets your bail value at $20,000, you must deposit the whole $20,000 with the court or jail facility to secure your release. Some courts accept personal, cashier's, traveler’s checks, and money orders.
Although cash bail is the easiest way to secure an arrestee's release, bail is usually set at a too-high amount, and most people do not have that kind of money readily available. Therefore, only a few people use this method. Additionally, if you deposit so much cash as bail, the court may become suspicious that the money originated from illegal activity. If the court suspects your finances came from criminal activity, it will place a hold on it until it conducts further investigations as to the legality of the money.
Property Bond
Property bond involves giving your valuable property to the court to hold onto it in exchange for releasing you. If you make all court appearances, the court will return your property. And if you do not, the court will sell the property to recover the bond amount. The property you can give out as a bond includes expensive jewelry, a car, a house, and land, among others. Usually, the court requires that the property's value be twice the total bail amount to be accepted as a bond.
Securing a property bond is usually lengthy and time-consuming because the court must first appraise the property and disclose all the liens. Additionally, various documents are required to prove property ownership. For these reasons, property bonds are rarely sought in Pico Rivera. However, it is an option if you cannot afford to pay cash bail or hire a bail bonds agent.
Jail Information
The Pico Rivera Sheriff's Department
6631 Passons Blvd,
Pico Rivera, CA 90660
Phone: 562-949-2421
Century Regional Detention Facility
11705 South Alameda St
Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA
Phone: 213-473-6100
Men's Central Jail
441 Bauchet St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
Phone: 213-473-6100
Court Information
Southeast District - Whittier Courthouse
7339 S. Painter Ave.
Whittier CA 90602
Phone: 562-907-3113
Find a Reliable Pico Rivera Bail Bonds Service Near Me
Posting a bail bond can be complicated, but a knowledgeable bail agent can help you ease it. A professional bail bond company will make posting bail as transparent and straightforward as possible. If you need help with bail in Pico Rivera and do not know who you can trust, call us, the Bail Bonds Company, at 323-579-1415. We are available round the clock to answer all your questions and help you secure a quick release.
