Upon facing arrest and detention, you lose your freedom for some time, resulting in unclear circumstances for you and your loved ones. However, the law allows you to exit jail under various terms, including by posting bail. Thus, you want to exercise your right to leave jail as soon as possible by contacting a bail bonds company to guide you through the process. Thanks to their involvement, you do not have to worry about overseeing various release procedures while still behind bars, as they are often cumbersome.
At Bail Bonds Company, we work hard to ensure our clients receive excellent bail bond services tailored to help them exit jail at the earliest opportunity. Our years of experience in bailing out detained clients have made us reliable and quick to remedy your problems. Over time, we have helped hundreds of clients in Santa Monica, California, regain their freedom and prepare for subsequent legal processes on time.
Understanding The Significance of Posting Bail
The rights of an arrested person include release pending trial, except for specific offenses. Therefore, the criminal procedures applicable in the state allow suspects to regain their freedom through various processes.
Among them include posting bail or bond, which is the most common option for release. The process involves forming an agreement with a relevant court whereby you deposit a specific amount of money as security for your freedom. Moreover, you agree to follow court guidelines and restrictions upon release or risk forfeiting the full bail amount you deposited.
All terms and conditions should be clear to the agreeing party to help them observe the rules. Further, the relevant court department should accept the bail payment and process your release as soon as possible to avoid delaying access to your rights.
The main distinguishing factor between bonds and bail agreements is that bail agreements include money as the security deposit for your freedom. However, bond agreements require you to deposit property lien documents equivalent to the bond amount that the court orders.
For example, if your bond agreement requires you to deposit security worth $5000, you should surrender lien documents of valuable goods or property worth the same estimated value. Hence, bond agreements are typically more expensive and raise the stakes for the release party to deter them from violating the conditions for release.
The bond or bail agreement with the court ends after your trial concludes. However, if you observe the release conditions, you will retrieve the deposited fee or property ownership documents. The main rule to comply with is to attend all court proceedings.
The judge emphasizes court attendance because criminal cases cannot proceed without the defendant present. Doing so would violate the rules of a fair trial, meaning the entire process would be null. Hence, your failure to attend translates to delays in attaining justice, which the court discourages.
Once the court department handling bail and bond payments verifies that you have adhered to all court attendance orders, they begin the recovery process. Depending on the office backlog, it may take days or weeks to regain your property documents or the paid money.
What to Expect During a Santa Monica Bail Hearing
Although the bail release process is straightforward, you must first appear in court for your bail hearing. This is important because you have the chance to plead for the accusations you face. Afterward, the judge will determine whether you qualify for bail in the first place, as not all defendants will enjoy the right to be released before trial.
Having established your eligibility for release, the judge then determines the exact bail amount to pay, as they hold the ultimate discretion to assign the specific figure. Therefore, attending the bail hearing is crucial and sets the pace for the rest of your case. Failure to comply can indicate to the court your non-compliance, and the judge may revoke your chance to exit jail on bail.
You need to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges as the first step upon appearing in court. Doing so will clear the way for the bail hearing because claiming guilty means accepting the payments. Hence, there would be no need for release as no trial would ensue.
Conversely, pleading not guilty means you deny the charges in question and are ready to prove your case in trial. Thus, you would require a preparation period, and your release from jail on bail becomes relevant.
You can request your attorney or your Santa Monica bail bonds agent to accompany you to the bail hearing, especially if you are unfamiliar with the criminal process. The professionals will disclose whether you must comply with specific orders before learning your bail outcome.
Factors for the Judge to Consider Before Allowing Release on Bail
Although exiting jail is a right to detained persons, the law also grants the judge discretion on whether to authorize the release. They do so by considering various factors and whether they apply to your case. In making these considerations, the judge will objectively grant or deny the bail order. Moreover, the elements can inform the judge on ordering a specific bail figure, depending on the case facts.
Some considerations before allowing a release on bail include:
Whether You are a Flight Risk
One of the main factors to establish is whether you pose any flight risks before your trial begins. Being a flight risk means the court is on high alert about your possibility of fleeing the country as you try to avoid attending court proceedings.
Arrested persons often do this to flee to another country beyond the court’s jurisdiction, as they cannot face trial in their new location. Moreover, some parties may flee the country to take on new identities to avoid future legal repercussions.
The court assesses your flight risk probability by checking the amount of money in your account, whether you have ready travel documents, and if your case involves international contacts. If you appear likely to escape, you must deposit your passport, visa documents, and credit cards in court to reduce your chances of fleeing.
Further, the court may issue a high-alert order to international airports in the country to ensure that your chances of leaving the country are slim even after depositing your travel documents. Despite this, the judge may decide to deny bail altogether if they strongly believe you may find other alternatives to flee the country.
Consequently, you will remain in detention throughout the case trial to ensure that you attend all proceedings without fail. Nevertheless, your Santa Monica bail bonds company can liaise with an experienced attorney to persuade the court to release you on objective grounds.
The Effects of Your Release on the Community
Moreover, the judge must ensure that your release does not pose any security risk to the community, as releasing a dangerous suspect can have serious repercussions. Subsequently, the judge may inquire about your overall personality tendencies because they often indicate a person’s likelihood to re-engage in harmful behavior.
Furthermore, the judge may request additional information on the community’s perception regarding your accusation. Based on the report, the judge can decide whether releasing you would be in your and the community’s best interests. This is because sometimes, the community may be enraged by your alleged crime involvement, meaning they are likely to participate in harmful mob-justice practices against you.
If the judge concludes that your release is inconsequential mainly to the community’s well-being, you can expect a disclaimer on the bail order. The opposite is true, meaning you may have to remain behind bars if your release negatively affects the community.
Whether You Have a Criminal Record
Checking whether you have committed previous criminal offenses is also essential for the judge, mainly because it ties in with the last point on how the community receives you. After establishing an existing criminal record, the judge will assess the nature of your past crimes to establish their severity.
The information can help establish whether you have genuinely reformed from past convictions, especially if you face the exact charges of your past offense. For example, repeat DUI offenders will be under extra scrutiny to establish whether the rehabilitative orders helped them reduce their DUI tendencies.
If the judge observes a lack of remorse and reform from previous criminal charges, they may be stricter with the bail release orders, meaning they may order the highest bail limit for your release. Moreover, based on your record, they may deny your freedom altogether if they strongly believe you show signs of impunity.
The Nature of Your Charged Offense
As discussed, not all offenses entitle you to release on bail because some are too severe to have the suspect return to their everyday life. Thus, the law prohibits a bail release order for anyone facing murder or manslaughter charges.
Naturally, the charges are severe as they involve ending another person’s life. Thus, releasing the suspect may negatively impact the case, as they fear the outcome and decide to flee. Moreover, some suspects may threaten witnesses and tamper with evidence, especially if they are guilty. Thus, your Santa Monica bail bonds representative may face restrictions in processing your release if you face any of the mentioned charges.
The Strength of the Prosecutor's Case
Notably, posting bail enables you to regain your freedom while waiting for trial and allows you to face trial without remaining in detention. Therefore, establishing whether your case is triable is also essential, as it directly affects the need for bail or bond.
Usually, the judge establishes the strength of the prosecutor’s case in the preliminary stages if there is reasonable suspicion of violating any law applicable in the state. This is because the prosecutor can proceed with the trial to establish elements of the crime.
However, if there is no written law prohibiting your alleged actions, the prosecutor’s case lacks merit, meaning no trial can proceed. Hence, bail or bond orders would also become irrelevant.
How Your Santa Monica Bail Bonds Agent Processes Your Release
While you can post bail or bond using your cash or property documents, the reality is that most suspects are unable to access the large sums of money that the court orders. The primary reason is that most arrests are unpredictable, and you may understandably lack the financial muscle to meet the bail or bond demands.
Therefore, contacting a Santa Monica bail bonds service provider is the most convenient option, as you can access bail bond professionals who work around the clock to post bail for you.
The basic bail bonds business structure involves taking on a client and helping them post bail. Your bail bonds company will use their funds as the security deposit for your release, and the assigned agent will work on the documents necessary for your release.
In return, you will need to provide collateral for the services you receive, as the Santa Monica bail bonds agent will have put their funds at risk depending on whether you follow court orders. Nonetheless, you will receive the collateral back from the bail bonds company after your trial is over, provided you follow the court attendance requirements.
Information to Provide Your Bail Bonds Agent
Once you contact the Santa Monica bail bonds agent after being arrested, they will request specific information to help them process your case faster. Learning the expected information will help you have it readily available to reduce the chances of a delayed release. Thus, the following are the crucial details that your agent will request:
Your Full Name and Date of Birth
Since many suspects have the same details as yours, you distinguish yourself by providing accurate information when necessary. Therefore, you should give the agent's full and official name to improve your chances of being distinguished from other people with similar surnames or first names.
Additionally, your date of birth serves as information to further identify you from other arrested persons with similar names as yours.
Your Detention Location
Furthermore, you want to disclose your detention location to help the Santa Monica bail bonds agent establish communication with the officers at the station if necessary. Moreover, disclosing your location details can help the agent if they need to visit the station as they try to process your release.
The Charges You Face
Explaining the nature of your charges is also advisable, as the bail bonds agent can classify your case accordingly, depending on the severity of the charge. Moreover, they will determine how to prioritize your case based on the time they need to apply to secure your release. You can look forward to being released sooner, provided the bail process runs smoothly.
The Estimated Bail Amount
Although the bail bonds company you contact has access to sufficient funds for your release, disclosing the estimated bail amount you will need can help with planning. This is because the company receives several calls per day, so prioritizing cases requiring a specific figure becomes easier when they know the possible amount needed.
Bail Bond Service Fees
Once your Santa Monica bail bonds company completes the release process for you, they will charge a small service fee for the procedures. A standard service fee is applicable in the state, entitling the company to ten percent of the total bail amount ordered in court. Thus, each client’s charges vary depending on the initial bail amount they were to pay to secure their release.
Although a 10% fee on the bail amount is fair, some clients may still grapple with high payment demands. The situation occurs because their service fee charges are directly proportional to the bail order from the court. Hence, you can discuss several payment options with your bail bonds company to ensure you receive a manageable payment plan for their services.
Jail and Court Information
Keeping track of a detained loved one is essential, as you can provide and obtain helpful information from them to aid in their release. The following jail and court information are therefore crucial for reference:
Santa Monica Police Department
Santa Monica Courthouse
Los Angeles County Sheriff
Find a Bail Bonds Company Near Me
When you or a loved one loses their freedom from arrest, they may struggle to exit jail without the help of a bail bonds agent. This is because of insufficient funds to post bail through cash payments. Further, following through with the bail-out process without help from an experienced professional may delay your release to your detriment. Thus, you should consider working with a bail bonds service provider for the best chances of a smooth release process.
At Bail Bonds Company, we understand the importance of leaving jail as soon as possible to prepare for an upcoming trial. Moreover, we have a team of skilled and highly experienced bail bond agents conversant with the bail release process. Therefore, you can trust us to provide excellent bail bond services to help you return to your everyday life. If you or a loved one needs bail bond services in Santa Monica, California, call us today at 323-579-1415.
