If your arrest falls on a weekend, it could be devastating thinking that you will spend your entire weekend in jail. However, that does not have to happen since you can post bail over the weekend. Your friends or family can bail you out of jail by paying cash bail. If that is impossible, they can seek the help of a bail bondsman to process your bail. Thus, spending an entire weekend in jail is not an option when you can post bail and obtain your pretrial release. What matters is that you are eligible for bail. Once you determine your eligibility for bail and the amount you should pay, processing your release should be easy, even on a weekend.
What to Do When Arrested on a Weekend
The police do not have a specific day or time when they make an arrest. If you are caught in the act of crime or a judge issues your arrest warrant, it can happen anywhere, anytime, and any day. Thus, weekend arrests are not unusual. They are as common as weekday arrests. However, since most government offices are closed on weekends, the legal processes can change slightly over the weekend. However, this does not mean you must spend the entire weekend behind bars to process your bail on an official day.
Remember that bail is necessary to reduce your time in detention. The law prohibits the police from holding a suspected offender long before a criminal court judge declares them guilty of their charges. Thus, you qualify to post bail, regardless of the day or time of the arrest. You can also process your bail immediately after your arrest to enjoy the same privilege as those arrested on official days. You must not remain behind bars for more than 48 hours because your arrest occurred on a weekend. The police and courts have established a way through which defendants can post bail immediately after their arrest, even on weekends.
Thus, if you are arrested on a weekend, the first thing to do is determine your bail eligibility. You can find out about that after your initial arraignment. In addition to setting your bail, the judge will determine how you must pay bail to obtain a pretrial release. You could be given several options, including posting cash bail, using a property bond, or seeking the help of a bail bondsman. Your choice will depend on your financial situation and preference.
The advantage of bailing out on a weekend is that it allows you time to prepare for your trial. Criminal cases can be tricky because judges rule cases depending on available evidence. The district attorney will gather enough evidence to support your charges to obtain a conviction. You need sufficient evidence to counter the prosecutor’s case so the judge can favor you. Thus, preparing well for the trial gives you an advantage in the case. A quick release from jail also reunites you with your family. The support of your family will come in handy once you start attending your trials. You need to spend as much time with them as possible, especially considering the uncertainty of criminal trials.
The Judge Can Deny Your Bail
Although the law advocates for bail for all defendants, criminal court judges deny bail to some. Determining your eligibility for bail should be your main priority after being arrested over the weekend. This will inform your next step after the booking process. If you do not qualify for bail, you will remain in jail until the judge hears and determines your case. That could be days, weeks, or months, depending on how long your case will last.
Judges consider several factors to determine a defendant’s eligibility for bail. The most common of these factors are as follows:
Your Flight Risk
A defendant’s flight risk is determined by the ability to remain within a court’s jurisdiction after a bail release. You are a flight risk; you will likely flee once freed on bail. This makes you ineligible for bail. Defendants who are flight risks are mainly those with weak ties within the community. Nothing will tie you to the community if you do not have a family, permanent job, or business. You can use that weak tie to flee the community once out of jail. This forces the judge to keep you in custody as a guarantee that the court will solve your case within the set time.
The Facts of Your Case
Not all criminal cases are the same because some are graver than others. A person facing charges for an infraction or misdemeanor will likely enjoy more leniency than one facing felony charges. The bail for misdemeanor offenses is usually not as expensive as those for felony offenses. Some felonies are graver than others. For example, if you face charges for a violent felony like murder or rape, the judge can deny you bail, especially if you are a danger to your community. Judges also deny bail to defendants who will likely put the safety of their victims or eyewitnesses at risk.
Your Criminal History
The judge will also consider your criminal history when determining your bail eligibility. Defendants who are facing charges for the first time will likely enjoy leniency. If you are a first offender and face a simple misdemeanor charge, the judge can release you on your recognizance, whereby you do not post bail to obtain a pretrial release. However, the judge can deny your bail if you are a habitual offender and will likely offend again while on bail.
The judge will also consider how well, or otherwise, you performed on your previous bail releases. If you failed to appear after bail in the past, the judge can deny you bail.
How to Post Bail on a Weekend
Your options to post bail remain the same when your arrest happens on a weekend. The judge will inform you of your options during your first arraignment. You can choose your most preferred choice depending on your financial ability and preference.
Cash bail is usually the primary option for posting bail in California. When you choose cash bail, you must pay the full bail for the court to process your bail. Most defendants use cash bail because it is quick and easy. However, it can be challenging if you cannot afford your full bail. While there are many ways to raise enough money for cash bail, including fundraising from family and friends or selling some of your assets, this will delay your release from jail. Additionally, paying cash bail on a weekend can be tricky if all your money is in a bank accessible only on official days and hours.
Cash bail usually has several advantages and disadvantages. You must carefully consider your other options to ensure you choose an option that always favors you. The good thing about cash bail is that you receive a full refund after the case, regardless of the judge’s verdict. However, you can lose the entire amount if you fail to appear and the court forfeits the bail.
Your second best option, which is becoming very popular in California today, is bail bonds. Independent companies offer bail bonds for a small fee. It is an excellent option because bondsmen post your bail and help process your release from jail. When working with a bail bondsman, you do not need to worry about the complex bail process. Once you contact them for assistance, the bondsman will come to your rescue without your involvement and process your bail in minutes. Bondsmen also help even when your bail is expensive. They can help regardless of your charges, provided you are eligible for bail.
Bail bondsmen are very popular today. They work closely with courts and jails to bail defendants who cannot bail themselves out of jail. You can contact them via email or on the phone through a friend or relative immediately after your arrest to start the bail process. Once you agree with them, your bondsman will handle everything on your behalf, eliminating the stress of navigating the complex legal processes. The bondsman will stay by your side after your bail release for support and to ensure you appear for trial and other related hearings.
However, the services of bail bondsmen are not for free. They charge a fee, usually a small percentage of your bail. The typical rate for California bail bonds is generally 10%. You can stick to that rate or negotiate a lower rate with your bondsman. In addition to paying the fee, the bondsman will set some conditions for you to abide by. For example, you must make all your court appearances to avoid bail forfeiture. If the court forfeits your bail, the bondsman will suffer a significant financial loss. The company can transfer that cost to you or your family.
The Benefits of Working with a Bondsman
Many defendants choose bail bonds for various reasons. Understanding these benefits can help you make a good decision after your arrest on a weekend. Here are some of the benefits you should consider when choosing bail bonds:
Bail Bonds Are Available Over The Weekend
One of the things that stands out about bail bonds is their reliability. Bail bond companies have availed their services 24/7 or around the clock to ensure that defendants needing financial assistance can receive it regardless of the day or time of their arrest. You cannot always say reliability about your bank or family members and friends, especially when you need a substantial amount. It could take time for your family to raise the required amount for your bail. This will prolong your jail stay and disrupt your life in many ways.
If you have money in a bank and can quickly post cash bail, this would be impossible on the weekend. Most banks are closed during the weekend and public holidays. You must wait until your bank’s official operating hours to access your funds. However, a bail bondsman will be with you right after your arrest. You can start the bail process immediately to minimize delays and ensure you are back home within no time.
Bail Bonds Are More Affordable
When looking for a substantial amount of money within a short period, your choices of lenders are usually limited. Any lender willing to give you the money you need will raise their rate and give you a strict repayment deadline. All these seem unfavorable, especially when you desperately need to bail yourself out of jail.
Bail bondsmen are an excellent alternative to other loan lenders for their affordability. Remember that the average rate for a bail bond in California is 10% of the bail. You can even negotiate a lower rate to make the charges even more reasonable. Reliable bail bondsmen will allow you to pay the money in flexible installments if you cannot raise it all upfront. Their primary aim is to help you out of jail as soon as possible and not to gain from you.
Additionally, reliable bail bondsmen do not have hidden costs that could increase the overall fee of their services. They communicate their charges upfront to ensure you know what to pay before signing an agreement.
Bail Bondsmen Help With The Bail Process
In addition to raising your bail after a weekend arrest, you will face another challenge of navigating the complex bail process. Remember that most government workers are unavailable over the weekend. You will have few options when looking for someone to guide or assist you with paying your bail. Bail bondsmen are exceptional in that they help you with the bail process.
Once you contact them for help and sign the agreement, your bondsman will handle everything else. They will locate your jail, speak to the police and the court, and process the paperwork needed to bail you out of jail.
This is helpful, especially for defendants who prefer to handle bail matters independently. If you do not have anyone to assist you with the bail, or you like to keep your arrest to yourself, a bail bondsman can help with everything you need. Once you hire them, they handle everything without involving you, removing your worry and stress.
Requirements for Bail Bonds on the Weekend
Bail bondsmen have specific requirements that you must fulfill to access bail bonds. These requirements do not change with the time of the arrest. Thus, your bail bondsman will expect you to meet some criteria that you would be required to meet if your arrest was on a weekday. These requirements include the following:
Collateral for Bail Bonds
Collateral is a security you offer a bail bondsman as a guarantee that you will make all your court appearances. The bail bondsman holds the collateral for the period of your trial and sentencing and returns it to you once the judge concludes your case. Bail bondsmen need collateral to cover their losses in case of bail forfeiture. This happens if a defendant fails to appear, and the court charges the bail bondsman their full bail. When that happens, the bail bondsman can liquidate the collateral to raise your bail for the court without incurring a financial loss.
Bondsmen do not have a specific requirement for collateral. They accept any valuable item you can surrender as security for bail bonds, including your car, home, art collection, and jewelry. You must ensure that the value of the collateral is slightly more than your bail.
Your Court Appearance
The most crucial assurance when obtaining bail bonds is your willingness and readiness to appear for your trial and sentencing. The judge will not grant you bail if they are unsure of your court appearance. Also, a bondsman will only help with bail if they know your readiness to appear. Failure to appear is an offense that can result in a rearrest and more criminal charges. The bondsman will also be charged your full bail by the court, requiring them to make a substantial payment to the court.
Thus, you must assure the bondsman of your readiness to follow through with all the court processes regarding your case. They will support you to ensure you do not violate the terms of your bail release.
Find a Reliable Bail Bondsman Near Me
An arrest over the weekend in Temecula can cause you and the people you love a lot of stress. This will likely happen if you doubt whether you should bail yourself out of jail. Fortunately, this is usually possible if you have enough money to post cash bail. If not, a reliable bondsman can offer you bail bonds over the weekend.
Justice Bail Bonds offers 24/7 bail bond service, so you can count on our reliability and affordability if you are arrested on a weekend. We understand how stressful an arrest can be, especially if it will likely disrupt your life. We also help ensure you have enough time to prepare for trial as you return to work and care for your loved ones. Call us at 714-541-1155 for more information and help with bail.
