A lot of people are arrested in the course of their day-to-day activities. Even if the arrests are made legally, it can be inconveniencing, especially if the arrestee has a job, a business to run, a family to take care of, and other essential things in life. The court understands this too well, which is why you can be released on bond awaiting the hearing of your case. This enables the arrested person to go on with their life until the case is determined. If you or your loved one is facing arrest in areas near Upland, California, you can consider Upland Bail Bonds if you do not want to remain in jail before the outcome of your case.
What Are Bail Bonds?
A bail bond is legally defined as an agreement that is made by a criminal defendant for them to appear for trial or make a payment of a certain amount of money that has been set by the court. The defendant and the court usually sign the agreement, then it is co-signed by a bail bondsman, which is a company or agency who agrees to guarantee that payment for a small fee as its profit.
Paying to get released from jail sounds like a straightforward thing to do, but that is not always the case. The idea behind it is simple; that after a person gets arrested, another person can pay some money to the court for the arrestee to be released. This is the basic idea behind it, but a lot more is involved in the entire process that you need to know.
People who have never been arrested do not know so much about bail bonds, and what they need to do in case they get arrested someday. A lot of people who find themselves caught up in the bail bond situation are those that are facing arrests for the first time in their life. It helps to know that there are bail bond companies or agents, commonly referred to as bail bondsman who is always willing to guarantee the payment as long as you show up in court on the set dates for your hearing.
In most cases, the bail amount set by the court is usually too high, and some arrestees are unable to pay it. If, for instance, after the arrest, you are asked to pay $90,000 in bail, it means that you might have to remain in jail if you are unable to pay the bail amount. The good thing is that someone else can pay the bail for you. You need to know about the services offered by Upland Bail Bonds, and then understand how they work, for you to benefit from their services in the end.
Who is a Bail Bondsman?
A bail bondsman also called a bond dealer or a bail bond agent is a person, corporation or agency that acts as a surety and pledges money or valuable assets to the court as bail for the appearance of an arrestee in court. A bail guarantor will charge a fee, which is usually 10% of the bond amount, for them to post the full amount of bond on behalf of the defendant. The 10% fee is nonrefundable and will represent the agent's profit for the services they have rendered.
If a defendant is allowed to post bail, they must list a deed of trust and give a name of a bail bond agency they would like as a beneficiary. This provides the surety with bondsman lien on that property, but the company can only assume ownership of it if the defendant fails to comply with the court rules and instructions.
Why Do You Need to be Granted Bail?
As mentioned above, arrests happen when one least expects it. This means that an arrest can significantly alter your life. Posting bail after an arrest should be the first thing you should think about as it is the only way to help yourself out before the court determines your fate. Before we get to the process, let us understand why this is important.
The bail posted will let you go home before your case is determined. This is, in fact, the primary purpose of bail. The court will release you in exchange for a bond, and then you can show up in court for the hearing. If bails were not allowed, many defendants would be waiting in jail until the beginning of their trials, which is not fair.
Upland Bail Bonds will allow you to go on with your life. Once you have successfully posted bail, the court will enable you to go back to your life. This means that you can continue working, living in your home, and meeting up with family and friends as you usually do.
You get to prepare for your hearing. If you need to gather evidence for our defense, the time between your arrest and the trial will be a perfect time to do so.
How is the Bail Amount Determined?
A lot of factors come into play in the determination of bail amount. First, the judge has total discretion on the amount of bail he/she can grant in a particular case. This is mainly influenced by several factors, such as the severity of the crime committed and whether the defendant has prior convictions. Other factors that influence the decision of the court are whether the defendant has permanent employment and also if they have close family ties or have a significant influence in the community.
Note that a judge can deny or grant bail depending on what he/she thinks is best for the community. If the court feels that the defendant will flee the jurisdiction before the determination of their case, they could be denied bail.
If the defendant is a threat to the community, the court can also deny them bail. Depending on the charges you are facing, the judge can determine the weight of your crime and whether or not you are safe enough to go back to the community where the crime was committed. If in any case you are considered as a threat to the community, you will not be granted bail.
Defendants facing charges for severe crimes are also not granted bail. A crime such as murder is viewed as a significant threat to a community; therefore, the defendant may be denied bail.
Bail Conditions
Like earlier mentioned, the bail process is not as simple as it seems. Some of the things defendants need to know about before they can even apply for bail are the conditions the bond will come with. The court sets the conditions of a defendant's release on bail, and the defendant is expected to comply with them. The reasons the court set these conditions is to:
- Ensure that the defendant will appear in court on the scheduled dates
- The community where the defendant is being released back to will be safe after their release
The most common bail conditions in California include:
- That the defendant should obey the laws. If this condition is not complied with and the defendant is arrested again, they may not be granted bail again
- That the defendant should not possess or use any drugs and alcohol. This is a condition that is set mainly for people who are facing drug-related charges. You may even be required to participate in drug testing
- That the defendant is not allowed to be in possession of a dangerous weapon. This means that you will not be allowed to handle a firearm after your release. This condition is mainly set for people who are facing crimes involving the use of weapons and other dangerous weapons
- The court may require you to keep off certain places or people. This condition will be set of the court feels that you are a threat to those people or people living in a particular area.
- You will also be expected to maintain regular employment. This will make it easy for the court to monitor you closely. Again, a person with a stable job will not run away too quickly.
- Some cases will require you to remain within the jurisdiction for the period of the case. For that reason, the judge will not allow you to travel anywhere out of the state during the period, and you will be out on bail.
- The court will expect you to keep in touch with a serviced office from time to time. This way, the officer will know whether or not you are complying with the court conditions, then he/she can keep the court updated.
Find an Upland Bail Bonds Near Me
If you are living in Upland, CA and you or your loved one is facing arrest, getting a suitable bail bondsman should be easy and quick if you do not want to spend more time in jail. Finding the best Upland Bail Bonds should be your priority, then you can carry on with your life normally as you await the decision of the court. Call us at 323-579-1415 and let us take you through the process today.
