Ojai

When the police arrest you in Ojai, you may be entitled to secure a bail release and walk out of jail while waiting for your trial date. If you cannot raise the needed bail amount, contacting a reputable Ojai bail bonds service is one of the most convenient ways to secure freedom. With a bail bonds company helping you, the process will be easier and more affordable.

At Bail Bonds, we understand your uncertainty and fear regarding your situation, and we will do everything possible to assist you in navigating the bail process so you can regain your freedom as quickly as possible.

Defining Bail

Bail is the amount you or somebody else on your behalf deposits as a guarantee or promise that you will attend all future scheduled court dates regarding your criminal case once released pending trial. Paying this money allows you to leave jail while waiting to appear on the scheduled court dates.

A judge sets the bail value, and the amount is meant to ensure you show up in court for the trial of your case. If you do not attend court proceedings, the bail value will be forfeited, and the judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest.

The Bail Process

The Ojai bail process starts with the arrest of a suspect. When you are arrested on suspicion of committing a crime, you will be taken to the closest jail, for example, Ojai Jail or Ventura County Jail. You may also be taken to the sheriff's department. While here, you will undergo the booking process.

Booking entails capturing your details, such as your name, date of birth, and address. The arresting officer will also record your fingerprints, take a mugshot, and conduct a full body search. They will also confiscate your items (which will be returned to you on the day you are set free) and check whether there are outstanding warrants against you.

Once the booking is over, the arresting officer will allow you to make one phone call. You could call one of your loved ones or your lawyer to inform them of your arrest. After your call, the police will take you to a holding cell as the D.A. decides whether they will bring charges against you. If the D.A. does not charge you, you will be released. However, if they do, the next step will be the arraignment hearing, where the judge will decide whether or not to set bail and, if so, the bail amount.

Ways to Make Bail

Once the judge posts bail, your lawyer or loved one can start finding a way to post the bail amount. You could post bail using cash, what is called cash bail, or via an Ojai bail bonds service. Sometimes, you could also post property as bail, which is known as a property bond.

Cash Bail

Cash bail means being released from custody by posting the entire bail value in cash. You will only receive the money back if you attend all the scheduled court dates for your case. If you show up on all court dates, the court will return your bail amount to you within two to three months.

You must demonstrate that you legally obtained the money you used to post cash bail. The judge can deny you the chance to make cash bail if they suspect that you unlawfully obtained the money. For example, if the prosecution has accused you of being involved with a money-making criminal enterprise, any money you use to post cash bail will be subject to a high level of scrutiny. If you post bail through a bondsman, it can draw minimal suspicion and attention that you are merely paying to secure your freedom and flee.

Ojai Bail Bonds

Based on various factors, bail values in Ojai often range between ten thousand and a hundred thousand U.S. dollars. Since many people do not have this kind of money readily available, many accused persons opt to make bail via an authorized Ojai bail bonds service rather than depositing their money.

The bail bond company will require you to pay an advance premium of ten percent of the total bail value to secure a bond. This premium is a fee for their services. Remember that the premium is nonrefundable, whether you prevail in your case or are found guilty. The money may only be refunded if, for some reason, the bail bond company cannot post the bond.

In most cases, a bail bondsman will request that you comply with more conditions to ensure you do not flee before posting your bail. For example, some Ojai bail bondsmen will require you to provide valuable property as collateral to secure a bond. Others will need you to wear an ankle monitor to be able to track your movements. Generally, the higher the bail value, the more requirements a bail bondsman will need you to comply with to cover themselves.

Ojai bail bond services also frequently offer lower fees to defendants taking steps toward preparing for their court hearing since this indicates they are not planning to flee. For example, defendants who have hired a defense lawyer will often pay a lower premium than those who have yet to do so. Other people who may qualify for a lower bond premium are:

AARP members.
Teachers.
Union members.
Military members.
Homeowners.

After you have paid the premium or another person has made the payment on your behalf, the bail bondsman will post the bond to the jail holding you or the court. Once the court or jail receives the bond amount, they will free you.

The entire process of securing and posting a bail bond and being released from custody can take between thirty minutes and four hours, depending on the location of the arrest and the jail in which you are held.

If you attend court on all your scheduled dates, the court will return the entire bond amount to the bail bond company that helped you post bail. If you fail to attend court, the bail bond service will forfeit the bond amount. That is why some companies request collateral from defendants to sell and recover the bond amount if they do not appear on their court dates.

However, before the bail bondsman can determine their next step upon your missing court, they are allowed 180 days to look for. In this case, the bondsman can hire a bounty hunter to track you down. If the bounty hunter catches you, they will hand you over to the authorities, and at this point, the judge may decide to revoke your bail and have you stay in jail until your trial.

What Will Happen If You Do Not Pay Your Bail Bond On Time?

If you fail to make your bond payments promptly, your bail bondsman could sue you to recover the money you owe them. Additionally, they will revoke your bail bond if your case has not ended.

If you cannot have another Ojai bail bonds service take charge of your bail, the authorities will rearrest you to await trial in jail.

Property Bonds

A property bond is a type of bail where the accused, or someone else, on their behalf, posts their valuable property as collateral for the bail value. If you fail to attend court after posting a property bond, the judge could foreclose on the property to cover the bail value.

Setting Bail

Not all crimes require bail posting. A judge determines the bail amount to set after considering various factors, like:

Whether you are deemed a flight risk—the judge will set a higher bail if there is a chance you will flee the country before your court date than for a person who is not a risk.
Your criminal history—you will be subject to a higher value of bail if you have an extensive criminal record compared to first-time offenders.
The type of crime you committed—the judge will set a higher bail amount if you committed a violent crime like rape than if you committed a minor violation like shoplifting.
The community connections you have—if you have strong community connections, you may be subject to a lenient bail amount than if you lack any community ties.
Your crucial family responsibilities—judges know that accused people are also caregivers, husbands, wives, and parents, and look at this when setting the bail amount.
Whether you are a threat to general public safety—whether the judge will grant bail and the bail amount set will depend on whether or not you pose a danger to society.

Reducing Bail Amount

You could ask the judge to lower the bail amount they have imposed or contest the district attorney's effort to increase the value. A decision regarding whether to reduce your bail value will depend on factors like:

The seriousness of your crime.
Whether anybody sustained an injury during the commission of your crime, and if they did, how severe it was.
Whether you have been accused of threatening a witness or victim,
If weapons or drugs are associated with the violation,
Your employment status.
Whether you pose any danger to the public.
Your business and property interest your community.
Your criminal history.
The possibility that you will make all court appearances as scheduled.
Your ability to post bail.
Whether you live locally.
Whether you are an active member of local community projects, religious groups, or volunteer programs,
Whether you have a family that lives nearby.

Regarding the element of serious violations like kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, and robbery, the judge must discover unusual facts to justify lowering your bail value, like changes in the elements surrounding your case or the discovery of new evidence.

A Judge Can Deny Bail

Note that a judge might not grant bail all the time. There are cases in which a judge can deny bail, for example, those involving sex or serious violent offenders. In these scenarios, the judge decides whether or not they should deny bail depending on various factors.

If the court presumes you are criminally liable for such an offense and convincing evidence exists that you may hurt somebody if set free, the judge might decide not to grant you a bail release.

If the judge grants or reduces bail, they can impose various conditions. Your lawyer could propose various conditions when persuading the judge to grant or lower bail. Some conditions may be more applicable to your case, while others may not. They include:

Wearing a SCRAM to demonstrate your sobriety.
House arrest and electronic monitoring.
Surrendering your passport and driver’s license.
Prohibition from exiting the state.
Isolating yourself from the alleged victim.
Do not drive with any amount of alcohol in your bloodstream.

Release Without Bail

The judge can order your release without posting bail if the prosecution accuses you of a minor offense or nonviolent misdemeanor violation. This is known as a release on your own recognizance or own recognizance (OR) release.

If the judge deems you low risk, they may grant you an OR release even if the bail schedule has an established bail value corresponding to your charges. The decision regarding whether or not to grant an OR release will typically take into consideration:

Your charges.
If you are considered likely to flee the country,
Whether you are a repeat or first-time offender.
Your community connections.
Whether anybody was threatened or injured during the commission of your offense.
Whether you pose any danger to society.
Your criminal record.
Your financial capability to post the bail funds or pay bail bond premiums.
Any pending warrants.

Other Consequences of Skipping Bail

Failing to attend court proceedings after securing a bail release can be a felony or misdemeanor violation based on the crimes you were originally accused of with the initial court dates. Failing to appear could weaken your case, and you are unlikely to be granted a second chance at release on bail. After being re-arrested, you will likely wait for your trial in jail. Failure to appear after making cash bail means you will not receive your money back or the property you put up as collateral.

FAQs About Co-Signing Ojai Bail Bonds

The following are the most frequently asked questions about co-signing bail bonds in Ojai:

What Are the Requirements to Post Bail for Someone?

The conditions for posting bail for someone are simple. Firstly, if you are posting bail for someone, you will be referred to as the cosigner. As a cosigner, you must be eighteen or more years old and a legal United States resident. Apart from this, there are three things you will need to carry along when making bail.

Proof of income, such as your latest paycheck stub.
A valid ID, like a state identification or driver's license.
The latest utility bill to indicate proof of residency.

You also must provide this information:

The jail in which the accused is held.
The types of charges the accused is facing.
The date the accused person was born.
The defendant's jail booking number.

What Are My Cosigner Responsibilities?

If you are willing to make bail for someone, you assume certain responsibilities beyond your financial obligations. You will also be in charge of:

Ensuring the accused attends court on the scheduled dates.
Ensuring the accused person informs the Ojail bail bonds service they contracted of future court days.
Paying the necessary premiums.

What Payment Method Can I Use to Pay Bail and Bond Premiums?

You can pay an accused person's bail or bond premium using various methods, including money order, credit card, cash, personal check, traveler's check, et cetera.

What Are the Defendant’s Responsibilities?

A defendant out on bail is responsible for their actions. They are anticipated to do the following:

Report to the bail bond company to complete the required paperwork after release from custody. At this stage, they will be informed about approaching court dates.
Report any newly scheduled court dates to their bail bondsman over the phone or in person.
Appear in court on all the scheduled dates.

As a Cosigner, Must I Accompany the Accused Person to Court or Complete Paperwork?

No, it is not your responsibility to ensure the accused person obeys the terms of the bond agreement. But, if you are worried they will not, being there to be certain may be a good idea.

Advantages of Posting Bail

There are many legal and personal benefits to securing a bail release:

You can resume your work or school life and continue maintaining your family life.
Securing a bail release allows you time to develop a compelling defense strategy against the criminal charges against you.
Your loved ones will be able to show you love and support as you strive to prove your innocence.
It prevents you from being penalized before a formal conviction.

Jail Information

Ventura Pre-Trial Detention Facility,

800 South Victoria Avenue,
Ventura, California 93009,

Phone No. 805-654-3335.

Ojai Jail,

402 South Ventura Street,
Ojai, CA, 93023,

Phone No. 805-646-1414

Court Information

Superior Court of Ventura County

800 S. Victoria Avenue
Ventura, CA, 93009

Phone No. 805-654-9511

Find a Professional Ojai Bail Bonds Service Near Me

If you have been arrested in Ojai and need help from a reliable bail bondsman to secure your release, we at Bail Bonds, can help you. We understand you are worried and stressed about your situation, and we will make the bond process as streamlined as possible so you can concentrate on what matters to you. We are available 24/7 to attend to you, including on holidays and weekends. Do not hesitate to contact us at 323-579-1415 for a consultation whenever you need to secure a bail release.