Obtaining a pre-trial release could be very complicated, especially if you do not have the finances to bail yourself or a loved one out of police custody in Canyon Lake.
Therefore, you want to secure the services of a bail bondsman who can help post bail on your behalf, and you will only be required to pay them a non-refundable fee of 10% of your bail amount.
At Bail Bonds, our bail bondsmen are readily available 24/7 to help you post bail and ensure that you attend all court hearings without the constraints of being in jail. Contact us today for more information.
The Legal Definition of Bail
Under California law, bail refers to the money that you can pay to the court for you to be released from police custody while your criminal case is still pending.
Bail serves as a financial warrant that you will attend all the court proceedings for your trial. However, it is not considered a punishment but rather a mitigation measure that ensures you appear in court sessions without being detained.
It also serves as a way to balance the principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' with the need to ensure the legal process's smooth progression. The presiding judge determines your bail amount based on the severity of your alleged crime and the perceived risk of you fleeing.
Bail is refundable, and you obtain your money back if you attend all court proceedings. However, you will forfeit your bail and could be liable for additional penalties if you fail to appear in court proceedings or for your trial. Also, non-attendance could lead to your being re-arrested, and you could remain in jail until their trial.
What are Canyon Lake Bail Bonds?
Once you are arrested, you could secure temporary freedom before a verdict for your case is made by being released on bail. However, if you do not have the financial capability to pay cash bail, you could engage a Canyon Lake bail bonds company that will post the bail on your behalf.
Bail bonds are a means by which you can secure your freedom even if you do not have the finances to do so, as sometimes the bail amount is set so high that one cannot afford it. The money for your bail is paid on your behalf by a bail bond company.
To secure a bail bond, you must sign collateral with a bail bond service. The bail bondsman will pay the total amount of your bail, and you must appear in all court proceedings that you are supposed to attend. Failure to which the bail bondsman will forfeit the payment of the whole bail amount.
Once you sign the collateral, you must pay the Canyon Lake bail bonds service provider a fee, usually ten percent of the total bail amount. For example, if your bail amount is $200,000, you will pay a fee of $20,000. This non-refundable fee acts as the profit gained for the bail bondsman’s services.
Once you attend all the court hearings, the court will release the bail amount and refund the bail amount back to the bail bondsman. Thus, you will only incur the cost of the fee you will pay to the bail bondsman.
Bail Bonds Service
This is the company that pledges money as a guarantee that you will attend your court trials. They pay the bail amount on your behalf; therefore, your family or friends do not have to suffer looking for money to pay for your bail.
Types of Bail in California
Some of the common types of bail include the following:
1. Cash Bail
Cash bail is the sum you give the court in cash without engaging a Canyon Lake bail bonds firm. You can post bail using this method through a legal check or in cash.
Once you have deposited the cash or check with the court’s clerk, you are released from jail and advised on the court hearings. If you make an appearance in all the proceedings, the court will return the money to your account once the trials are over, minus court fees, regardless of whether the verdict will lead to your conviction or acquittal.
However, if you do not attend the court proceedings, the court will not return the money to you, and you could be re-arrested or lose your driver’s license.
Cash bail is usually used for petty offenses, and the bail amount is ordinarily low. For serious offenses, however, the bail amount is usually set so high that many defendants cannot pay in cash. Therefore, you must seek other options, such as property or bail bonds.
2. Bail Bond
You can secure a bail bond from a licensed bail bondsman. A bail bond is an agreement between you, the bail bond company, and the court. The bail bond service declares that they will pay the bail amount on your behalf to the court, and you commit to attend all court proceedings. You also commit to adhere to the terms set by the court upon your temporary release.
A bail bond is secured once you or another person, a cosigner, pays a 10% fee of the bail amount to a bail bond company. This fee is non-refundable and varies from company to company. Most Canyon Lake bail bonds companies charge a fee of 8% to 10%, while others charge 15% of your bail amount, depending on the company’s policies.
3. Property Bond
With this type of bail, you use your property as a guarantee that you will make an appearance at all the court hearings. This is done by depositing property title deeds that are equal to or exceed the bail amount that the judge has set for your release.
Property ownership will be transferred to you once the trial ends, regardless of whether you receive a guilty or not guilty verdict. However, you will receive your property if you adhere to all bail conditions and appear in all court hearings.
Property bonds are risky, and you want them to be your last resort while posting bail because if you fail to attend any court hearing, you will forfeit the property. Therefore, you should secure legal counsel to advise on the best option before posting bail.
4. Release on Own Recognizance (ROR)
You could be released from jail without posting bail to secure a temporary release. You just have to promise that you will attend all the court hearings and adhere to all conditions for your release.
However, this is only sometimes the case for everybody. The judge will act on their own discretion before granting you an O.R. release. To qualify for your own recognizance release, you must:
- Not pose any danger to the alleged victim or community.
- Not pose any risk of flight.
- Have community ties in that you are employed or a resident of Canyon Lake.
With this kind of pretrial release, you do not have the financial burden of posting bail or having a property bond. However, you could be re-arrested if you do not comply with all the conditions of your release.
If you are arrested again, you might not be re-released on your own recognizance. You should also note that this pretrial release applies to non-violent offenses only.
How do Canyon Lake Bail Bonds Work?
When you cannot afford the full bail amount, you can seek assistance from a Canyon Lake bail bonds service provider to post bail on your behalf. The bail bondsman will charge you a non-refundable fee of 10–15% of the total bail amount for them to post bail on your behalf.
This means that the bail bondsman assumes the risk of you not appearing in court and may take measures such as hiring bounty hunters to ensure that you comply with the conditions of your release.
Bail bonds ensure you resume your daily activities while fulfilling your legal obligations. If you appear in court as scheduled, the bail bondsman receives the full bail amount back from the court but retains the non-refundable fee as compensation.
What are the Conditions that a Judge sets Upon Your Release on Bail?
Before the judge releases you on bail, they set conditions you should follow to ensure the community's security and that you do not commit other offenses while on pretrial release. Some of the conditions include the following:
1. Complying With the Regulations
You must comply with the laws upon being released on bail to avoid being re-arrested. After posting bail, you are required to:
- Make an appearance at all court hearings.
- Stay within a specific area within Riverside County.
- To surrender your documents, such as a passport, to ensure you do not flee.
- In some cases, you may be required to wear an ankle bracelet to monitor your movement, and with this electronic device, you must be at your house at specific times.
- To be lawful and abide by all the state laws.
2. Stay Away From The Alleged Victim
If you were involved in a battery or assault crime, you could be ordered to stay away or have no contact with the alleged victim. This is done to protect the victim and avoid harming them further.
3. Alcohol or Drug Testing
The court requires you to avoid any drug or alcohol usage during the time you are out of jail on bail. This ensures that you do not engage in other crimes during this time. You will, therefore, be subjected to regular tests so that the court can ascertain that you are always sober.
You may be required to participate in the tests at any time at the court's discretion. The tests will be done using the following avenues:
- Breath testing - You will be required to have an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle that will prevent you from taking off if alcohol is detected in your breath.
- Blood testing - You will be required to do blood tests to test whether you have engaged in any drug or substance abuse.
- Urine Testing- You are required to submit urine samples regularly.
If it is determined that you have violated the no alcohol or drug use regulation, you will have gone against the terms of your pretrial release. This will lead to further consequences, such as being re-arrested and charged with other crimes that you committed while you were under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
4. Regular Check-ins with Pretrial Services or the Court
For the court to ensure that you comply with all its requirements, the judge, at their discretion, will require you to have regular check-ins with the pretrial services and the court.
Some of the check-ins you could be subjected to include the following:
- Electronic monitoring.
- Phone check-ins.
- Check-ins that require you to appear in person.
You should note that if you fail to attend any scheduled check-in, you could be re-arrested.
What Influences the Bail Amount in Canyon Lake City?
The following factors influence the determination of bail amounts in Canyon Lake City:
The Nature of the Offense
If you were involved in a severe crime, your bail amount would be higher than if you were involved in a petty offense that was non-violent.
Your Criminal History
If you are a repeat offender, you could face stricter bail conditions than first-time offenders.
Your Perceived Flight Risk
The bail amount could be higher if you pose a threat of fleeing to ensure that you do not have the financial capability to escape the city.
Jail Information
Southwest Detention Center
Robert Presley Detention Center
Canyon County Detention Center
Court Information
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside
Find a Canyon Lake Bail Bonds Company Near Me
If you or a family member are in police custody in Canyon Lake, you can secure your pre-trial release by posting bail in court. However, if you cannot afford the set cash bail, you want to engage a Canyon Lake bail bonds company to pay the bail amount on your behalf.
At Bail Bonds, we have bail bondsmen available 24/7, whom you can contact at 323-579-1415 to post your bail on your behalf. Reach out to us today for more details.
