When someone close to you is arrested, you will probably not be at peace until they are back home with you. Unfortunately, the California justice system is a bit complex, with no certainty of what will happen to them until their return. It could take days, weeks, months, or even years until they come back. Fortunately for you, your kin could be eligible for bail. It allows defendants earlier freedom from incarceration, granting them time to plan for trial.
You’ll be expected to guarantee their freedom, though, and assure the court of their willingness to abide by all bail conditions. At Bail Bonds, our agents could help you ensure a quicker release of your family in Laguna Niguel if you cannot raise the required bail amount. Our services are fast, reliable, and affordable.
How Bail Works in California
After one is arrested in California, the standard procedure is to remain in police custody until the conclusion of their case. However, this has been seen to weigh heavily on the California justice system, which depends on taxpayers’ money to care for all inmates. Additionally, detention facilities in California are not enough to hold every arrestee in the state. That’s why the law permits local courts to allow those arrested to return home and only appear in court for their case hearing. A defendant can only be incarcerated after conviction and if their sentence calls for incarceration.
But there are exceptions to this law. People who are seemingly dangerous to themselves or public members might be detained before trial for safety purposes. The same goes for those who have high flight risk. A California court will not release a person before trial if the judge is unsure of their willingness and ability to show up for trial on the set date. Thus, you might want to determine your kin’s suitability for bail before making plans to secure their freedom from police custody. The police might be able to tell you of your relative’s suitability for bail, or you might have to wait until their first arraignment.
The first court appearance occurs almost immediately after arrest. The law does not allow the police to keep a suspect in custody for long periods before they are brought before a judge. Thus, the first court appearance could happen shortly after your relative’s arrest. This first appearance before a judge is mainly to determine the defendant’s suitability for bail and how much money they must pay to secure their release. The judge’s decision will depend on the nature and severity of the alleged offense and your relative’s criminal history. Thus, it can be higher or lower than what appears in the predetermined bail schedule of courts within Orange County.
The most important thing is that your kin is allowed to post bail for their freedom. As previously mentioned, some defendants could be denied bail because of their alleged offenses’ nature and criminal history. For instance, if someone has a history of failing to appear, the court might not be comfortable granting them bail since the chances are high that they might fail to appear again.
Sometimes the court might allow a defendant to go home without posting bail. It is called release on their own recognizance. If your relative is lucky enough to be released on OR, you will not worry anymore about their bail amount and how you will raise the money. The defendant will sign the release forms and will be out of imprisonment shortly after their arrest. However, this happens mostly to first offenders that face minor misdemeanor charges.
If not, the judge will provide details on how you will post bail for your kin’s release. If you’re unable to raise bail, the defendant might remain in incarceration until their hearing. It means that they will not be around to plan for trial. Their life will also be highly interrupted since they were not prepared for the arrest. It helps to know your options beforehand so that you’ll be well prepared to help your kin out of imprisonment when the time comes.
How To Post Bail in Laguna Niguel
You have several options to post bail for your family member’s release from incarceration in Orange County. The option you choose will depend on several factors, including your personal choice and what’s more convenient for your family. The primary options include:
Cash Bail
Cash bail is a prevalent means to secure a relative’s release in California. It entails paying the full bail amount in cash to the court, and then the defendant will sign the release form before their freedom is granted. It is a straightforward way to post bail, but only for families that can afford the entire bail amount.
Typically, bail is set high in California, even for minor misdemeanors. Not all families can raise the entire bail amount. They might need a few days to fundraise among family members and friends, which could prolong the defendant’s stay in jail.
That’s why most families do not opt for cash bail, even when it is the most accessible means to secure a relative’s release. Cash bail doesn’t cost anything, as long as the defendant shows up in court for trial as required. The court returns the total amount to the family after the determination of the case, despite the outcome. Thus, you do not lose a dime if all goes well. The only challenge is in raising the needed amount in a short period.
Property Bond
Property bonds work the same as cash bail, only that with a property bond, you use a valuable asset to secure your relative’s release. Property bonds could be the preferred option for families with valuable assets at their disposal but not the cash needed to post bail.
If the court allows, you will provide the required documents for the asset or assets with which you wish to secure your relative’s freedom. The court will appraise the property and conduct a background check to ensure it’s a legitimate asset.
Property bonds are good, too, since you do not lose anything if all goes as planned. However, the defendant must show up in court for trial to avoid forfeiting bail. If that happens, you might lose the valuable asset to the court.
But if the defendant honors the end of his/her bargain, the court will give back the asset to its owner after the judgment of the case, despite its outcome.
Surety Bond
Surety bonds are the best alternative for families that cannot afford cash or property bonds. It involves engaging the services of an unrelated company in raising the required bail.
The advantage of surety bonds is that they work very fast. Bail companies are always prepared with ready cash. They can secure your kin’s release in minutes. If you or your family does not have the entire bail in cash, and you do not want to wait much longer to raise the amount, this could be the best alternative. It ensures that your kin is back home hours after arrest, with no delays.
But bail companies charge a small amount for their services, about 10% of the total bail. It is easier for most families to raise that smaller amount than the total percentage of the bail. That’s why this might be the ideal bail option for your family.
To obtain a surety bond for your relative, identify and contact a reliable bond dealer in Laguna Niguel. An agent will begin the bail process immediately after receiving the required information regarding the case. The process is fast and straightforward, and your family member could be out in no time.
Reasons to Engage a Laguna Niguel Bond Dealer
The arrest of a family member is mind-boggling. It happens so fast, with not enough time to react or save the situation. You might not do much until your kin is granted bail. That’s the time you could begin the bail process. It might seem an eternity between your relative’s arrest and the time the court gives them bail. It is hard to imagine what would happen if nothing changes and they are left in incarceration. But a blond dealer can change the situation in an instance.
Many families are caught unaware when a member is arrested. Thus, it is impossible to have the required bail in cash. The court allows you enough time to raise the money. But it means that the defendant will remain incarcerated until the money is enough. It could take several days or even weeks to raise a higher bail. But it could take a bond dealer only a few minutes to complete the release process.
Most Laguna Niguel bond companies operate round the clock. They do so to ensure that their clients can find help soon after arrest. That could work to your advantage if your family is apprehended at night, very early in the morning, or over the weekend. You’ll not have to wait for office hours to contact a bond dealer and begin the bail process. The process can start right away, regardless of the time of day.
Additionally, bond dealers in Laguna Niguel offer flexible payment terms to ensure that all their clients can make payments without experiencing issues. You won’t have to worry about how you will make payments for the premium, which is also a tiny fraction of the bail the company will charge as fees for its services. You can make payments conveniently.
Laguna Niguel bail bond companies are very reliable. You can count on their help and quick processes to obtain a release for your kin from jail. A reliable company will send an agent right away to ensure that the bail process is in progress.
What If The Defendant Fails To Appear?
Failing to appear is a severe offense in California. It will lead to new criminal charges, on top of the underlying charge your kin is facing. Failing to appear occurs when you miss the set court date for your hearing without a justifiable reason. Once a judge grants you bail, he/she sets a court date for your hearing, which you must comply with. The judge does so, hoping that the defendant will comply with the court order.
Failing to appear could also cause the defendant to forfeit the bail. You will likely lose the money or valuable asset you used to secure their release when that happens. It means that if you paid cash bail for their freedom, the court might not return the money after the determination of the case. And if you use the services of a bond company, the dealer will lose money, and you will incur the costs.
That’s why you might be required to provide collateral to the bond dealer to guarantee your relative’s appearance in court. Bond dealers will always try to protect themselves against any foreseen losses. A guarantee assures the dealer of recovering any losses the company might incur if the defendant fails to appear. A guarantee could be the title of valuable property like a car or real estate property., its value could be more than the bail money.
Laguna Niguel Jail and Court Information
Jail Information
Laguna Niguel Jail
30232 Crown Valley Pkwy, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Court Information
Superior Court Service Center
27573 Puerta Real, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Find a Trustworthy Bail Bonds Company Near Me
If someone close to you is facing arrest in Laguna Niguel, it could help to engage the assistance of a reliable bond dealer that could help obtain their release. Bail bond companies work pretty fast, are affordable and dependable. They also operate 24/7 and could begin the bail process even at odd hours. At Bail Bonds, we have the best rates in town for families that might not afford cash or property bond. Our bail agents are always ready to take you through the process to speed up your kin’s release from incarceration. Contact us at 323-579-1415 for more details regarding our services.
