Since the bail amount for most crimes is often unaffordable, staying behind bars while waiting for your charge's judgment is not an option. If you or your loved ones cannot afford bail, you can work with a bail bondsman to obtain fast Lemon Grove bail bonds.
The sooner you retain the services of a bail bondsman, the higher your chances of securing your release from the detention facility as quickly as possible. While a bail bondsman cannot offer you legal representation in court, he/she can ensure you are out of police custody without delay to go back home to your loved ones.
At Justice Bail Bonds, we understand arrests are often unexpected events, and we can assist you in securing your freedom on bond if you are arrested or charged with any offense, regardless of the time. Our 24/7 bail bond services make us credible and the most preferred bail bondsman for people seeking bail bonds after an arrest.
Factors to Consider When Finding a Dependable Bail Bondsman
A bail bondsman is a licensed expert you could require if you are under arrest and cannot afford the bail price for your offense. A bail bondsman will agree with the court to clear your bail price at a certain fee when you fail to appear in court (skip bail) after your release.
While they play a crucial role in the legal justice system, finding a reliable bail bondsman when you or a loved one is under arrest could be a daunting and overwhelming task. Below are factors to consider when looking for a reliable bondsman for quick Lemon Grove bail bonds services:
Whether the Bondsman is Licensed
Ensure the bondsman you choose is legally licensed and ready to provide documents to prove the license is up-to-date and legitimate. If your bail bondsman is unlicensed, you should treat him/her as incompetent and find a different, reliable bail bondsman.
Whether the Bondsman Provides 24/7 Services
If you are behind bars as a suspect for any crime, time is of the essence. Hence, you should find a bondsman who can provide quick Lemon Grove bail bonds service to obtain your freedom without delay. If your prospective bondsman does not provide 24/7 services, you should find another professional who does to avoid spending more minutes or hours behind bars.
The Bail Bondsman Services Fee
Generally speaking, a bail bondsman will charge you ten (10) percent of your bail as a premium for speedy bail bond services during your time of need. If your prospective bondsman's fees for his/her services are more than 10% of your bail amount, you should find a different bondsman because that is a red flag about the quality of his/her services.
The Bondsman's Reputation
Look for a bondsman with a credible reputation from his/her past clients. To know whether your prospective bondsman's reputation is credible, you should check his/her past client's reviews on his/her websites. If most feedback comments or reviews about the bondsman's quality of services are negative, you should find a different, reliable bondsman.
Information That You Bail Bondsman Will Require to Begin Lemon Grove Bail Bonds Process
Once you, a relative, or a friend contacts a bail bondsman to help you obtain your freedom after an arrest, the bondsman will require the following information to begin the bail bond process:
Your Full Legal Name and Jail Booking Number
To begin the Lemon Grove bail bonds process, a bail bondsman will require your full legal name and the booking number of the jail where you are in custody. Your jail booking number is the only form of identification you have while behind bars for any criminal offense.
Therefore, your bondsman will require your booking number to know who he/she is posting the bond for, ensuring no mistakes occur.
The Name of the Jail You Are in Custody
To process your bail bond as soon as possible to obtain your freedom, the bondsman will require you to tell him/her the name and location of the jail where you are in custody. Ensure you provide the bondsman with correct information about the jail where you are in custody, including the city and zip code to where exactly his/her bail bond is going.
Your Total Bail Amount
When you provide your bondsman with information about the jail holding you in custody, your name, and your booking number, he/she can check to know how much bail they need to post on your behalf. However, you can save your bondsman the hassle of checking your bail price by informing him/her about the predetermined or court-set amount on your initial call with him/her.
Once your bail bondsman knows your bail price, he/she will tell you how much you need to pay for Lemon Grove bail bonds services you require to obtain your freedom. Fortunately, most bail bondsmen have several payment options you can use to settle their premium, including:
- Bankers cheque
- Western Union
- Bitcoin
- Paypal
- Cash
How to Obtain Your Freedom After an Arrest Without Bail
If the charge you are up against is non-severe, the court could award you an Own Recognizance (O.R.) release, meaning you do not have to post bail. However, the court will require you to sign an agreement to appear in court on the scheduled dates and adhere to all other terms and conditions of your release, including:
- Stay arrest-free
- Stay alcohol-free
- Avoid contacting or visiting the protected individuals
- Avoid associating with certain people
- Surrender your weapon
- Consent to random drug tests
- Agree to wear a GPS tracker
Unfortunately, not every arrestee qualifies for an O.R. release upon an arrest. To obtain your freedom without bail after an arrest, your attorney must provide the court with appropriate evidence to prove that you are an excellent candidate for this pretrial release from jail.
For instance, the court could allow you to obtain an O.R. release pending your charge outcome if your attorney can prove that:
- You do not have a criminal record
- Your offense is non-severe
- You do not have a record
- You are not a threat to public safety
- You have family ties
- You do not have the financial capability to clear or settle your bail
If you are not eligible for an O.R. release, an experienced lawyer can persuade the court to reduce your bail amount to obtain a pretrial release without breaking the bank.
Legal Repercussions of Skipping Bail
After an arrest, if you obtain your freedom on bond, you must abide by the terms of your release for the time period specified by the court (usually until your case trial is over). According to Penal Code 1320.5, failing to appear in court after your pretrial release on bond is illegal.
When you skip bail, the court will issue an arrest warrant, permitting police officers to arrest and detain you as the investigation of the case continues. When charged with a PC 1320.5 violation, your penalties will depend on the seriousness of the underlying criminal charge. If your underlying charge is a felony, your PC 1320.5 violation will attract felony penalties, including:
- Up to three (3) years of jail time
- A fine amounting to up to $10,000
- Felony probation
However, if your underlying charge is a misdemeanor, the prosecutor will file your PC 1320.5 charge as a misdemeanor, carrying the following potential penalties upon conviction:
- A jail term of up to six (6) months
- A fine amounting to up to $1,000
- Misdemeanor probation
As you can see above, skipping after securing a pretrial release from jail on bond will only make your current situation worse. If you have an issue making a court appearance after obtaining your freedom on bond, you should talk to your attorney or bondsman. Your attorney and bondsman can work together to reschedule your court dates for a later date to avoid bail forfeiture.
Importance of Seeking Legal Assistance When Posting Bail
Even if the charge you are up against is non-serious or non-violent, you should never risk handling your charge and facing the prosecutors and judges without a legal representative. The defense attorney you choose can help you with the following:
Obtaining a Reduced Bail Amount
Although bail is not a punishment for your charge, sometimes the court can set an unreasonably high bail for your offense. If your attorney believes your bail price is unreasonably high or excessive, he/she can help you request a reduced bail amount to obtain your release from jail without delay.
For example, he/she can present evidence to show the court that you are indigent and lack the resources to clear the set bail.
Understanding the Available Bail Options
Since you have several options to post your bail, you will rely on your attorney to know the best option to suit your unique case and financial situation. For instance, you can post bail using:
- Cash
- Bail bond
- Property bond
Understanding Your Legal Rights
Like any other defendant, you have constitutional rights that you ought to be aware of during the bail bond process and the entire prosecution process. Some of these constitutional rights include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Right to a speedy trial
- Right to a fair bail amount
- Right to stay free from warrantless or unreasonable searches by law enforcement officers
- Right to have a public defender offer you legal representation if you cannot afford a personal attorney
- Right to know the charges you are up against
- Right to stay or remain silent during police questioning
- Right to humane treatment
A reliable defense attorney can increase your chances of securing a pretrial release on bail, winning the charge you face, or obtaining a lighter sentence.
What it Means to Be a Cosigner in the Bail Bond Process
Securing a pretrial from jail on bond is straightforward if you have people ready and willing to offer you the assistance you need. To that end, your family, colleague, or friend can be a cosigner or indemnitor on your bail bond, meaning he/she will be responsible for ensuring your appearance in court.
When you skip bail, your bail bond cosigner will incur the cost of bail forfeiture. Unfortunately, not every person can be a cosigner on a bail bond. The person you will call to be a cosigner on your bail bond must meet the following requirements:
- Have the financial capability to pay the bondsman's premium and any other costs associated with bail forfeiture
- Have several forms of collateral the bondsman could require as security for your pretrial release on bond
- Have credible financial responsibility and be credit-free
If the cosigner you choose meets the above requirements, the bondsman will require him/her to sign a written agreement. This document is important because it indicates the cosigner's responsibilities and the consequences he/she could face when you jump or skip bail.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lemon Grove Bail Bonds Services
Before many defendants or arrestees obtain bail bonds services after an arrest, they will often ask some questions to know what to expect during the process, which is understandable and a wise idea. Below are some of the most common questions that many people ask about bail bonds and their answers:
i. Who is a Bail Bondsman?
A bail bondsman is a company or a person who pledges to pay an arrestee's total bail price to ensure he/she is out of jail before his/her case verdict. Ensure the bail bondsman you will retain is licensed to offer bail bond services and ready to show you the document to confirm.
ii. What Does Bail Bond Mean?
A bail bond is a payment that a bondsman presents to the court clerk in exchange for your pretrial release from jail after an arrest.
iii. Who is a Defendant?
A defendant or arrestee is a person arrested or charged with a criminal offense. In other words, you become the defendant once the police arrest and detain you as a suspect in a criminal offense. When that happens, you can post bail to secure a pretrial release and await your case's trial date while moving on with your life.
iv. What Does a Collateral Mean?
Sometimes, if your bail is high, meaning your case is grave, the bondsman will likely require you to surrender collateral on top of the ten percent premium you will pay him/her. Examples of collateral you can surrender to your bondsman to act as security for your pretrial release on bond include:
- Real estate
- Boat
- Vehicle
- Electronics
- Jewelry
When you fail or refuse to return to court as required, the bondsman will sell your collateral to cover your bail price.
v. What Does Bail Forfeiture Mean?
Bail forfeiture occurs when you fail to make the required court appearances after receiving your freedom. When bail forfeiture occurs, you will lose the cash bail you had to post to obtain your freedom. Similarly, if you had to obtain bail bond services, your bondsman would have to pay your full bail price when the court forfeits your bail.
vi. How Long Will the Bail Bond Process Take?
Knowing the bail bond process timeline becomes imperative when time is of the essence. Generally speaking, the duration it will take to obtain your pretrial release after an arrest will depend on the following factors:
- How busy the jail where you are in custody is and their procedures
- The number of defendants waiting for a pretrial release on bail
- The number of officers available
- The number of documents needed to process your pretrial release on bond
vii. Who is a Bounty Hunter?
Before the bondsman seizes your collateral, they will hire a well-trained bounty hunter to track you down and bring you to legal custody to challenge the charges you are up against. Once they bring you to the authorities after skipping bail, the bounty hunter will receive a certain percentage of your bail amount as his/her services fee.
Lemon Grove Jailhouse and Courthouse Addresses
Jail Address
San Diego Central Jail
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
Courthouse Address
San Diego Superior Court
Judgment Trackers
Find Lemon Grove Bail Bonds Services Near Me
Finding yourself in legal custody or learning that your loved one is behind bars as a culprit in a criminal offense can be upsetting and frustrating, but you have options. If you fear putting your money at stake for your freedom or cannot afford the required bail for your charge, a bail bondsman can help you.
At Justice Bail Bonds, we can help you obtain a release from the detention facility if you are under arrest and answer all your questions about Lemon Grove bail bonds. Call us at 714-541-1155 and let our reliable bail bondsmen help you secure your freedom on bond.
