Being arrested and detained by the police as a suspect in any crime can be a confusing and scary experience, especially if you are a first-time offender. In addition to this confusion, you must figure out how to remain out of legal custody as your case progresses through the confusing legal justice system.
One of the ways you could do that is by paying the set of predetermined bail for your unique offense. Bail is an important part of the legal justice system because it ensures a defendant or arrestee makes his/her court appearances after an arrest while allowing him/her to remain free before his/her case trial date.
While you can clear your charge bail using cash or equivalent property, many arrestees prefer using bail bonds to clear their bail amounts. That is where we at Bail Bonds intervene to offer you the speedy Saticoy bail bonds services you need to obtain your release from jail as your case continues. In this article, you will find more information about bail bonds, including factors that can make you ineligible for this pretrial release option.
Reasons Why the Court Could Hold You in Jail Without Bail
Never assume that bail is an automatic right whenever the police arrest you for any offense. While every arrestee or defendant has a right to post bail to protect his/her presumed innocence before his/her case trial, sometimes the court could hold you in the detention facility without bail. Before allowing you to secure your freedom on bail or bond, the judge will consider several factors, including:
The Chances that You Can Flee Upon Your Release (Flight Risk)
One of the primary purposes of bail is to guarantee future court appearances once you step out of jail. That means the judge presiding over your case must ensure you are not a flight risk before allowing you to post bail. If there is a high chance that you could leave the state or country after clearing your bail, the court will hold you in jail without bail.
For instance, the court could likely hold you in jail without bail if you are a non-citizen, have a record of skipping after posting bail, and have no community ties.
The Type of Charge You Are Up Against
According to Penal Code (PC) 1275(a)(1), one of the main factors the court must consider when making a bail decision is whether the defendant is a threat to public safety. Therefore, the nature and sophistication of the criminal charge you are up against will play a crucial role in determining whether you are a flight risk.
If releasing you on bail could pose a threat to the safety of the public, the court will hold you in jail without bail until you receive a verdict on your case. For instance, if the charge you are up against is a capital crime like terrorism or treason, the court will hold you in legal custody without bail.
Similarly, if the charge you are up against is a felony like embezzlement, murder, or fraud, there is a high chance the judge will deny your bail request.
Your Criminal History
Generally, the court will assess and review your criminal record before granting your bail request. The chances of obtaining your freedom on bail will be low if you have a record of violent crimes. Similarly, if you have a record of several bail requests for the same offense, the judge could hold you in jail without bail because that shows you are a notorious offender who is unwilling to learn from past mistakes.
Your Conduct in Court
Many people do not know it, but the court will also consider your conduct in court when deciding whether to grant your bail request. Some rude behaviors, like yelling and shouting at the judge, could make you stay behind bars without bail until your case's trial.
While these are the primary factors the court will consider when deciding whether to accept your bail application, your attorney's mitigating arguments can influence the judge's final decision. Ensure you have an attorney familiar with the bail process and the entire legal justice system to help convince the court to accept your bail application.
Whether You Were in Probation Before Your Arrest
One of the critical rules you must comply with while on probation or parole is to stay crime-free. If you are under arrest or in legal custody as a suspect for any offense while on probation, there is a high chance the court will hold you in jail without bail because that shows disregard for the law.
The Advantages of Securing Saticoy Bail Bond Services Upon an Arrest
You cannot undermine the importance of obtaining Saticoy bail bonds services upon an arrest as a suspect in a criminal case. Some of the advantages of being out of legal on bail or bond upon an arrest include:
You Will Have a Chance to Participate in Your Legal Defense
One of the most important benefits of posting bail or bond is the ability to participate in your legal defense. While you can still work with your attorney to build legal defenses for your charge while behind bars, obtaining your pretrial release on bail will give you ample time to work with your attorney to create the best defenses.
If you are not behind bars as your case continues, you can help your legal defense team in various ways for the best possible outcome on your charge. For instance, you can help your attorney by:
- Communicating with eyewitnesses in your criminal case, if any
- Collecting evidence crucial to your case.
- Contributing to a legal defense plan when appropriate.
You Will Have a Chance to Continue Your Employment
Being out of legal custody on bail allows you to continue with your employment and earn income to care for your household. Additionally, you will need money to hire an attorney and pay the bondsman premium, which could be challenging if you are not earning income as your case continues.
For all these reasons, you cannot overlook any chance you have to obtain a pretrial release, pending your case's outcome. Plus, for many individuals, their careers and jobs are a source of satisfaction and joy that can motivate and uplift them during challenging times.
It Ensures Family and Community Commitments are Unhindered
Securing your pretrial release on bond upon an arrest ensures that your obligations to your family and community are uninterrupted as your case continues. That is particularly true if you are the breadwinner in your family or a prominent community member.
Helps You Uphold the Legal Principle of "Innocent Until Proven Guilty"
Bail bonds enable you to uphold your fundamental legal right to stay free until the prosecutor obtains a conviction against you. In other words, they safeguard you against premature curtailment or restriction of your freedom when the wheels of justice are still rolling.
By allowing you to obtain a temporary pretrial release, bail bonds prevent the inherent unnecessary punishment that arises from being stuck behind bars without conviction.
Penalties for Skipping Bail Under PC 1320.5
Failure to appear in court after posting bail is a criminal offense that could attract grave penalties under PC 1320.5. to obtain a conviction against you under this statute, the prosecutor must have sufficient evidence to prove the following facts:
- You were arrested and have a pending felony or misdemeanor charge.
- You obtained your pretrial release through bail.
- You willfully and willingly failed to make your court appearances.
- You had the criminal intent to evade the criminal court process.
If your underlying offense is a misdemeanor, a PC 1320.5 charge will attract misdemeanor penalties. Similarly, if your charge is a felony, a PC 1320.5 charge will attract felony penalties. When charged as a felony, a PC 1320.5 charge will carry the following penalties upon conviction:
- A fine amounting to up to $10,000.
- Up to three (3) years of jail time.
To avoid the harsh legal penalties of skipping bail, you should comply with the terms of your release until the court exonerates your bail. Other terms you should abide by aside from making your court appearance include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Stay-crime free.
- Avoid contacting the protected individual, especially on domestic violence cases.
- Stay alcohol or drug-free.
- Consent to regular check-ups with a court-appointed probation officer.
Ensure you speak with your attorney or bondsman if you are unsure of what is lawful and unlawful while you are out of legal custody on bail.
Steps to Take When You Skip Bail
Whether you skipped bail accidentally or knowingly, you could face the penalties mentioned above under PC 1320.5 if the prosecutor has sufficient evidence to prove all elements of the crime. However, you could avoid or reduce these penalties when you take the proper steps on time.
Explained below are some of the most thoughtful steps you can take when a court date slips through the cracks after posting bail:
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Immediately Communicate With Your Bail Bondsman
If you had to work with a bondsman to obtain Saticoy bail bonds services, you should promptly communicate with them once you skip or miss a court date. Since a bail bondsman is responsible for ensuring your appearance in court after obtaining a release on bond, he/she will track you down and surrender you to the police when you miss a court appearance to avoid bond forfeiture.
To avoid all these unnecessary issues, you should communicate with your bondsman once you miss a court date. Communicating with your bondsman shows transparency and willingness to make your court appearances.
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Hire a Skilled Defense Attorney
Since skipping bail is a legal issue that can result in serious penalties, you cannot undermine the need for an attorney once you miss a court date. A skilled attorney can equip you with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions and help you challenge the allegations you are up against for a desirable outcome.
Some of the legal defenses your attorney could raise to challenge a PC 1320.5 charge include:
- You did not act willingly.
- You did have the intent to avoid the criminal court process.
A seasoned attorney could help you avoid the harsh penalties of a PC 1320.5 violation conviction and possible bail revocation.
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Voluntarily Return to Court as Soon As Possible
While it could be tempting to hide or delay the often inevitable after skipping a court date, doing so will only worsen your case. When you voluntarily return to court after skipping a court date, the prosecutor and the judge presiding over your case could be lenient to you. In many cases, the court will view this as taking accountability for your mistakes rather than avoiding them.
If this move works in your favor, the court will set another court date to challenge the underlying charges you are up against for a desirable outcome.
Estimated Bail Amounts for Various Misdemeanor and Felony Offenses
Bail amounts vary depending on the nature and severity of the offense you are up against. In other words, misdemeanor charges will attract a lower bail price than felony charges. Explained below are various common misdemeanor and felony offenses and their estimated bail prices:
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DUI (Driving under the influence)
A DUI is a common misdemeanor offense that you can face when you least expect it, especially if you love consuming alcohol-related beverages while driving. Even if you can drive a vehicle cautiously after consuming an alcoholic beverage, the court could arrest you for DUI if your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeds the legal limit of 0.08%.
Depending on the facts of your case, the court could require you to pay a bail price ranging between $500 to $10,000 upon a DUI arrest.
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Shoplifting
PC 459.5 makes it a criminal offense to enter an open commercial shop or establishment during business hours with the criminal intent to steal items worth $950 or less. Although shoplifting is a misdemeanor offense, the court could require you to deposit a bail price of up to $500 if you are under arrest as a suspect in a shoplifting case.
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Assault
You commit an assault offense when you unlawfully attempt to cause a severe injury to another person while having the physical and mental ability to do so. Simple assault is typically chargeable as a misdemeanor, but your case could turn into a felony if:
- You had to use a deadly weapon like a revolver to assault another person.
- The victim sustained a severe bodily injury.
Depending on the facts of your assault case, the judge could request that you pay a bail price between $1,000 and $50,000 to receive your freedom on bond after an arrest.
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Child Pornography
PC 311 makes it unlawful to print, send, duplicate, transport, possess, and advertise child pornographic materials or persuade minors (someone under the age of 18) to play cast roles in pornographic content.
Depending on the facts of your case, a child pornography charge could attract felony or wobbler charges. Wobbler charges are those that can carry felony or misdemeanor penalties upon conviction. To obtain your freedom upon an arrest for a child pornography charge, the judge could require you to pay a bail price ranging between $25,000 and $500,000.
It is worth noting that the bail prices mentioned above for these offenses are estimated, meaning the figures could change depending on the facts of your case. The judge presiding over your case can raise or lower your bail price for your offense depending on the aggravating and mitigating arguments available.
Fortunately, you do not have to handle this unexpected financial problem alone. If you cannot afford the required bail price, you can work with a bondsman to receive fast Saticoy bail bonds services.
Jail and Courthouses Addresses You Require if You Need Saticoy Bail Bonds Services
When a friend calls or texts to help him/her with the bail process, your first step should be to find the location details of the jail facility holding him/her in custody and the addresses of the nearby courthouses. The courthouses and jail addresses listed above will come in handy if you need Saticoy bail bonds services:
Courthouse Addresses
Ventura County Superior Court
800 S Victoria Avenue
Ventura, CA 93009
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
1100 Anacapa St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Jail Addresses
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S, Victoria Avenue
Ventura, CA 93009
Find Saticoy Bail Bonds Services Near Me
The steps you take after an arrest can mean the difference between staying behind bars as your case continues and obtaining the freedom necessary to move on with your daily life. Although a bondsman will require you to pay ten percent of your bail as his/her premium, you cannot regret their intervention and much-needed services if you are behind bars as a culprit in a criminal case.
We invite you to call our ever-available and profound bail bondsmen at Bail Bonds at 323-579-1415 if you need speedy Saticoy bail bonds services. We can help you obtain a quick release from jail by posting your bail bond regardless of the severity of the charges you are up against.
