When one of your family members or friends is arrested and put behind bars, we understand that having them set free is your number one priority, as is ours. We have reliable San Dimas bail bondsmen you can trust. We aim to offer the best bail service in Los Angeles County. You can easily access our bondsman's offices near the primary detention facilities. Our strategic location and 24/7 availability allow us to begin bailing defendants out of custody quickly, unlike other bondsmen in the area.
We can handle any question anytime because all our bondsmen are available 24/7. You will receive a high-quality personalized service once you reach out to us. Not once will you receive an answering machine response. We will be glad to bail you or your loved one out of jail for the following crimes: domestic assault crime, misdemeanor crime, felony crime, possession of controlled substances, DUI, and others.
Understanding Bail Bonds In San Dimas
When the police arrest you, they will take you to the sheriff's station. The officer will take and keep anything you have until you are released or bailed out. Then, you will undergo a booking process whereby the officers will request your full legal name, date of birth, and place of residence.
The Booking Process
The officer will begin booking by taking your fingerprints through Live Scan Machine and a mug shot. Next, the officer will input your details into the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The booking officer will also send your fingerprints to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to verify that the details you provided match and to ensure you have no outstanding criminal charges. It can take 30 minutes to several hours for the officer to receive the Department of Justice results.
The officer cannot clear you for bail until they receive the fingerprint results. The result determines if you are wanted in any other jurisdictions. After clearing you for bail, the officer will define your charges and the court date.
If you decide to seek the service of a bondsman, your bondsman will locate you in the detention facility where you are locked up. First, you must complete essential bail paperwork to complete your release process. The bondsman will take the paperwork to the booking officer once it is completed. The officer will verify everything is correct, and you will be released from custody. If the jail is not busy, this process can take only 15 minutes.
The Arraignment Hearing
You will hear your formal charges at the arraignment hearing, and the court could arrange a defense attorney for you. Then, the judge will determine if you will remain in jail or have a pretrial release. However, the main issue is whether you will appear in court for future hearings. The following are the factors the judge will look into to determine if you are eligible for release:
- If you could pose harm to the society.
- The severity of your offense.
- If you are a flight risk for lack of substantial ties to the society.
- Your previous criminal history, if any.
You could qualify for a release on your own recognizance depending on the severity of your charges and other factors like ties to the community. In this case, you commit in writing that you will be available in court during the future hearing. You secure your freedom from jail without posting bail in your own recognizance release.
You could also secure your release on unsecured bail. If you fail to show up in court, you must pay bail after the fact. The advantage is that you do not have to pay cash bail to secure your release from custody. If you fail to attend court, the court will only order you to pay cash bail. The judge can use their discretion to deny or allow you to post bail and secure your release.
Bail Hearing
After your arraignment, the court could schedule a bail hearing to learn more about you; the hearing details vary from court to court. Often, the court will schedule a bail hearing to determine if you are eligible for bail. The court could set a bail hearing, during which it will consider the following:
- Any previous record/criminal record and a record of failing to appear in court.
- Your community and family ties and your period of stay in the community.
- Your capability to post bail and financial resources.
- Your mental and physical condition.
- Any record of alcohol and drug abuse.
The judge could also impose terms of release on you along with the financial bail determination. Common terms could include:
- Requiring regular, impromptu alcohol, drug testing, or
- Psychological testing or treatment.
- Medical treatment.
- Revoking your firearm ownership privileges.
- Enforcing a curfew.
- Limiting travel.
Once the court sets the bail amount, you must post it with the court. The court will then set you free from custody after you post bail.
Pretrial Bail Changes
The judge could decide to change bail because of the following reasons:
- If you change your plea.
- If your criminal charges are changed before the case proceeds to trial.
For example, new evidence could be presented, making the offense more severe and causing bail denial.
Post-Charge Bail Changes
Once the court charges and sentences you for committing an offense, some situations could still make you eligible for release on bail. These situations could include:
- When your attorney files a motion for reconsideration of your sentence.
- If you were released but did not adhere to the conditions of your sentence — for example, failing to attend counseling, leading to a re-arrest.
Bail Charges For Criminal Lawsuits
The bail amount for a criminal charge is determined based on the severity of the offense. The greater the risk of incarceration, the more likely the arrestee is to skip bail. Serious crimes attract higher bail, while less severe criminal charges attract lower bail.
Most criminal bail amounts are usually not high, but some arrestees cannot even raise the smaller payments. This means that most poor arrestees remain in custody awaiting trial.
Bail Bond Scams That You Should Avoid
After an arrest for a crime in San Dimas, you can secure your freedom if the court grants you the option to post bail. Once you are temporarily free from custody and awaiting trial, you can discuss with your attorney the best way to work on your case.
When you are in custody, your family and friends could feel vulnerable. Individuals with ill motives could use this vulnerability to pose as bail bondsmen. You need to keep the following in mind to avoid being a victim of a bail bond scam:
Run An Online Background Check
Currently, most people have some kind of online presence, including businesses. Before choosing their service, you must conduct some background research on a San Dimas bail bondsman. It is the same way you check restaurant reviews before deciding where to eat.
Filling Out Paperwork
The service of a bail bondsman requires you to fill out some paperwork, just like with any legal transaction. A trustworthy bail bondsman will sit you down to fill out paperwork and request your I.D., among other documents. You should be cautious if there is no paperwork whatsoever.
Work With Licensed Bail Bondsmen Only
Not every person can provide a bail bond service. A reliable San Dimas bail bondsman needs a license to offer bail service. Therefore, bondsmen are required to carry their licenses any time they go out to provide service.
Avoid A Bondsman Offering Extensive Discounts
Generally, bail is cheaper compared to posting bail yourself. You will only pay 10 percent of the actual bail amount rather than posting the total bail. The bondsman will cover the entire bail amount, but you will get a refund once you attend all the court hearings.
However, an individual posing as a bail bondsman could still offer you a discount even though bail bonds are affordable. You need to be cautious with these individuals because a discount can sound like a good idea, but you will pay too much. Some bondsmen are quick to advertise attractive discounts while concealing additional fees.
Be Careful With Fraudulent Tactics
Frauds happen everywhere, and if you are in desperate need or panic, you could be an easy target for fraudsters. Therefore, you must know what to look for to avoid falling prey to bail bond fraud. Fraudulent people engage in all kinds of fraud, but some of the common tactics include:
- Abusive and threatening behaviors — Some San Dimas bail bondsmen could resort to drastic tactics to extort money from clients. Assert your rights if a bondsman exhibits offensive and harmful behaviors. For example, if a bondsman attempts to detain you, it is a red flag. The law allows you to ask for a warrant of arrest.
- Phone payments — Signing a contract over the phone is not advisable. You should also not give money over the phone to an individual posing as a bondsman. Most bondsmen are located near local detention facilities, so they always request clients to visit their offices to discuss the details.
- Solicitations — Bondsmen do not prowl detention facilities, looking for arrestees or relatives in despair. You should contact a San Dimas bail bondsman. You should be cautious if you find a bondsman looking for arrestees.
- Cold calls — If an individual calls you and alleges that your spouse is arrested, you could quickly panic and do as you are told. In your conversation, the individual could claim to be a bondsman seeking to help you. Legitimate bondsmen do not make cold phone calls. Fraudsters often make cold calls to acquire money from frightened family members.
Qualities That Define a Good San Dimas Bail Bondsman
It can be hard to complete the bail process, mainly when handled by an inexperienced and incompetent bondsman. Therefore, the first step you should consider when arrested is contacting a good and reputable San Dimas bail bondsman. It is easier to reach a bondsman via the phone. However, you should be careful when looking for a bondsman via phone.
It is not always a good idea to pick up the phone, call a bondsman, and ask questions. Instead, try your best to go out of your way and solicit the expertise of a bondsman known for providing exemplary bail service.
With this knowledge, certain characters define the credibility and quality of a good bondsman when you require one. Some of the qualities include the following:
Being Fair In Offer
A good San Dimas bail bondsman would often strive to be fair, upholding the principle of good neighborliness when handling customers. A good bail bondsman provides bail service at a reasonable price and does not take undue advantage of your situation to make outrageous profits. If you contact a bondsman and discover their bail service is not in line with state guidelines, you must keep off and report to the relevant authorities.
Awareness About Offenses
No statute stipulates that bondsmen must be legal professionals. However, they should have basic knowledge regarding offenses, including descriptions and penalties prescribed for the crimes. This would assist a bondsman in working better with you while trying to secure your release from custody.
If you require a bondsman, you should avoid any bondsman without a basic knowledge of the offenses, including what the law outlines. You will not gain anything from a bondsman who tells you to hold on while he searches the internet for answers to the questions you ask him. Typically, a knowledgeable bondsman can always act faster when the need arises.
Eye For Details
Often, a good bondsman will pay attention and have a keen eye for small details, provided they are relevant to the case under review. A bondsman should pay attention to the details and avoid making mistakes since they will complete loads of paperwork for various clients at different intervals. You should therefore dismiss or avoid any bondsman who ignores even the tiniest details because that could lead to the denial of bail.
Patience
An experienced and genuinely professional bondsman will often demonstrate the highest level of patience and tolerance. However, a bondsman should be aware that the clients are tense and their hope of getting out of custody is high, especially if they believe they are behind bars for no justifiable reason.
An experienced bondsman must consider that, at some point, the tempers of these clients will flare. Therefore, he/she must also control their temper while bearing patiently with the provocative clients. A good bondsman should avoid turning provocative clients away because of their unnecessary aggression and abusive conduct. You should avoid any bondsman who cannot tolerate clients who are under pressure.
Adequate Skills
A good bondsman must have the relevant skills required to handle and manage people's bail applications. These skills are crucial since they help a bondsman interact professionally with law enforcement officials and clients. Effective interaction will make the client understand the bail process faster and secure bail quickly. A bondsman's interactive capability requires interpersonal skills.
Excellent Reputation
The internet has made it easy for people to access credible and relevant information regarding businesses or companies of their choice on the internet. When you search online, you can secure the service of a reliable and experienced bondsman. You can find the bondsman of your choice by reviewing the reviews written by clients who have used the bondsman's service.
You need to look for a top-notch bondsman with good ratings. Look for the positive feedback about being informative, helpful, dependable, and professional. Avoid stressing yourself by avoiding the bondsmen who are unprofessional, take a long time to pick up your phone calls, and always show up late. A bondsman with these behaviors can make your bail process hard to complete.
Relevant Experience
The worst mistake you could make is to secure the service of an unprofessional, incompetent, and inexperienced bondsman to secure your release from custody. This bondsman will only worsen your situation by delaying the bail process by being unable to communicate appropriately and adequately.
An experienced bondsman will initiate a faster bail process and your chances of securing your freedom from custody without difficulties. A good bondsman understands the nitty-gritty and different technicalities that govern the justice system. Therefore, he/she should always be ready to walk with you, understandably in challenging and stressful times.
Availability
A good bondsman should be open to calls and questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A bondsman must have a toll-free phone number, which you can call at any time without expending a fortune on telephone costs. Your call should go through at any time and be immediately received at the other end. You do not need to stay behind bars at night when several bondsmen are ready to bail you out, no matter the time of day.
Jail Information
San Dimas Sheriff's Department
Court Information
Los Angeles County Superior Court
Find a San Dimas Bail Bondsman Near Me
Are you searching for a reliable San Dimas bail bondsman?
We invite you to contact the Bail Bonds Company. We have licensed, well-trained bail bondsmen located strategically in San Dimas. We will be there to bail you out, whether you are arrested at night or during the day. Contact us at 323-579-1415 to talk to one of our bondsmen.
