California has a set bail system that enables arrestees to be released pending the resolution of their case. Once you are arrested in Santee, you may be allowed to make bail, leave jail custody, and appear for hearings on the specified dates. But the challenge here is the judge may set the bail amount so high that you may not be able to raise it within the short period given. A Santee bail bonds company can help you deal with this challenge.
Should you reach out to a bail company for help, you can make bail quickly and affordably, irrespective of how expensive bail is. At Justice Bail Bonds, we boast professional bail agents ready to serve you as soon as you reach out. We know that spending time in jail and away from loved ones or daily routine can be stressful. Therefore, we do all we can to speed up the bail posting and release process.
Bail Overview
The state’s bail system aims to enable certain defendants to secure their release from detention pending the resolution of their case after paying a stipulated amount of money. The court holds onto this money until every proceeding associated with the defendant's case, including the trial, is complete. To release a defendant on bail, the judge trusts they will make all court appearances as required. Only after a defendant attends all their court dates will they recover the money they used as bail.
Mostly, court trials begin weeks or months once an arrest is made. If there were no option for posting bail, most people, some of whom could be innocent, would have to stay in detention until they undergo the trial process. This would cause financial challenges since the suspect would be unable to work. Furthermore, they would be unable to lead their everyday lives— going on vacations or holidays, attending family events, and other crucial events. Not everyone who secures release on bail is eventually acquitted. Thus, the bail system has various protections to prevent violent offenders from walking free.
The Bail Posting Process
The bail process begins with someone being arrested. When the police suspect you have committed an offense, they will place you under arrest and transfer you to jail for the booking process. Booking entails the police recording your personal details (such as your name, address, birthday, and appearance), fingerprints, your supposed crime, and taking your mugshot.
The police will then do background checks to see if you have any outstanding warrants or a criminal record and seize your personal belongings, which will be returned once you are set free. The booking process continues with the law enforcement officer checking whether you have been drinking or are high. They will also check for any weapons that can cause harm to the other inmates or yourself. Once the booking is over, the police officer will transfer you to a holding cell or jail.
If your crime is minor, the police officer may allow you to post bail immediately after the booking process. If not, you will have to wait (usually for a maximum of 48 hours) to be arraigned in court, during which point a judge will determine if you qualify for a bail release and, if you do, set the amount you have to pay.
Bail amounts vary based on the judge's discretion and the severity of the crime. All counties in California have independent bail schedules, which recommend the standard bail amount for various offenses. Santee uses the San Diego bail schedule. This schedule, for example, recommends $100,000 for voluntary manslaughter, $15,000 for perjury, and 50,000 for mayhem. However, the judge can increase or reduce the amount the bail schedule recommends.
When determining whether or not to set bail or increase or lower the amount on the bail schedule, the judge considers several factors, such as:
- Your criminal history.
- Your likelihood of making court appearances as required.
- Your ties to the community.
- Whether you pose any danger to others.
- Whether you are a flight risk— you are highly likely to flee the city, state, or country and not make court appearances.
- Your ability to pay the bail.
- Any other factor your attorney raises.
Note that it is not automatic that a judge agrees to bail. Even though PC 1271 presumptively entitles an accused to bail, a judge can deny bail in given offenses, including:
- Felony crimes involving violent acts upon someone else.
- Felony sexual assault crimes on someone else.
In these two cases, the judge can deny bail when the facts are evident, or the presumption is great, and if they find there is a high chance the defendant’s release would lead to significant bodily injury to the victim or other people.
Bail Conditions
If the judge grants bail, they may need you to comply with various conditions if you wish to continue enjoying your freedom pending the resolution of your case. The judge expects you to hold onto the end of your bargain and cooperate when out of custody. The judge may impose general and specific conditions you must comply with to avoid forfeiting your bail money. Some of the requirements are:
Making Court Appearances for Proceedings
The primary condition to be released on bail is making all court appearances. A judge will only grant you bail if they are fully convinced you will voluntarily attend court for the proceedings of your case, including trial. If you promise to attend court and fail to do so once released, the judge will order that you be rearrested, and you will lose your bail money.
House Arrest
The judge may direct that you remain under house arrest after being released on bail. In this case, you will have to wear an electronic gadget. This gadget will notify law enforcement officers of your movements. Disobeying this condition will lead to your rearrest, and you will be denied bail.
Travel Restrictions
Should the judge grant bail, they will need you to stay within Santee until your case is resolved. They will therefore impose travel restrictions against you. If this happens, the judge will require you to surrender your driver's license, passport, and all other travel documents if they believe you might leave the country.
Adherence to Court-Issued Orders
The court may need compliance with specific court orders before granting bail. This is a specific condition a judge will impose depending on the nature of the violation you supposedly committed. For example, if you have been accused of a domestic violence crime, the judge might need you to comply with a court-issued restraining order before agreeing to bail. The restraining order may require you not to contact the alleged victim until your case is resolved.
Do Not Commit Any Other Crime
Not violating other laws is considered a general bail condition. In this case, the judge will require that you stay out of trouble with the law, at least for the period you will be out on bail. Breaking any other statute after your bail release will result in you being rearrested, and the judge may not grant bail this time.
Types of Bail
There are different types of bail, some of which are less often applied than others. These types are:
Release on Own Recognizance (OR)
A judge may choose not to set bail and instead release you OR. OR release entails being set free from jail after signing a promise to appear in court on the stipulated dates. A judge may set you free on your own recognizance if your charges are of a non-violent, minor violation, you have no or little criminal history, and you are not a danger to others or a flight risk.
Cash Bail
Cash bail involves paying the entire bail value in cash. For example, if the judge has set the bail amount at $20,000, you should have $20,000 in cash if you wish to make cash bail. Some courts and jail facilities can accept money orders, cashier's checks, traveler's checks, personal checks, or even credit cards.
After you have posted cash bail, you will be released, and if you make all court appearances as required, the court will refund the money after the conclusion of your case. But if you do not attend court, you will lose your money to the court.
Surety Bonds
Surety bonds, also known as bail bonds, are the most convenient type of bail. You can post any amount of bail using a surety bond. This kind of bail comes in handy when you cannot raise the required bail amount. A bail bond generally involves a friend or relative contacting a Santee bail bonds company to post bail on your behalf. A bail bondsman or agent working for the bail bonds company commits to paying the entire bail value if you pledge to appear in court as required.
Promising to appear in court is usually not enough. The agent may need you to provide collateral so that they can sell and recover their money if you fail to attend court. Collateral could be a house, electronics, car, jewelry, boat, or other valuable items. The agent also charges a non-refundable fee for their services, usually 10% of the total bail amount. The fee is known as the premium.
By requiring your friend or relative to be part of posting your bond, the agent hopes you will be compelled to make all court appearances because the friend or relative has paid the premium, plus their collateral is at stake. Should you fail to show up in court, your friend or relative will lose the property they gave as collateral.
The bail agent will also lose their bond money if you fail to make court appearances as required. Consequently, the agent is motivated to keep an eye on you and ensure you attend court. They will even retain a bounty hunter to track you down if you skip bail. Once the bounty hunter tracks you down, they will rearrest you and deliver you to the authorities of the jurisdiction from which you fled.
A bounty hunter is usually paid between 10% and 20% of the bond amount, but only after successfully tracking down their target.
Property Bond
Where you lack enough money to hire a Santee bail bonds company or post cash bail, you could post bail using your valuable property. This type of bail is called a property bond. Here, the court requires the value of the property you wish to post as bail to be twice the set bail amount. Posting a property bond is time-consuming since the court must appraise the property to ensure it is valuable enough.
Should you fail to make the necessary court appearances, you will forfeit your asset— the court forecloses on it and sells it to recover the bail money.
Dealing With Santee Bail Bonds Companies and Agents
Although Santee bail bond agents may seem involved in a dirty business as they are constantly dealing with alleged criminals, they still are business people like any other business person. Request to look at the agent's license and identification, just like you do when dealing with other business people. Apart from the 10% premium, some bail agents may need you to pay extra charges. Request that the bondsman explains the additional costs and present you with a list of what they stand for.
Additionally, ensure you have receipts for everything you pay for and request copies of anything you sign (make sure you review any document the bondsman requires you to sign). As with any type of loan, you should not allow the bail agent to persuade you into agreeing to payment options you cannot keep up with.
You should constantly be able to access the bail agent for questions and any assistance you need. Although, it is doubtful that the agent will be unavailable as they are interested in ensuring the defendant makes all court appearances. Technically, the defendant is under their responsibility. But if, for any reason, the bail agent will be unavailable whenever you need their help, you should find another agent elsewhere.
The Importance of Working With a Santee Bail Bonds Company
An arrest happens at the least expected time. It will interfere with your social and personal life. Should you remain locked up until the court resolves your case, many aspects of your life, such as work, school, or interaction with your friends or family, will be impacted. Your everyday life should not stop because you cannot raise the money to pay bail. A bail bonds agent can help in several ways; for example,
They Guarantee a Quick Jail Release.
No one deserves to remain locked up longer than they should. California statute does not allow an arrestee to be locked up for an extended period without undergoing a court trial. Only rarely can arrestees be set free without bail, and only rarely can a person be denied bail.
The longer you remain in custody because you cannot post bail, the more precious time you lose— the time you may never recover. Additionally, you need ample time to gather evidence and prepare for trial; thus, being in custody longer will eat into this time. Rather than wasting your valuable time in detention while attempting to find ways to raise the bail amount, you can contact a bail agent, and they will help you post bail within a short period.
They Will Save You Money
Since arrests happen when a person is unprepared, you may not be ready to raise the required bail money to be released from custody. Sometimes the court sets the bail value so high that you may be unable to afford it. A bail agent offers affordable bail bond services, which could save you a lot of money and alleviate stress. Santee bail bond agents provide bail bond services at only 10% of the total bail value, an amount that you could quickly raise to secure your release. For example, if the judge sets your bail at 10,000 dollars, you will only have to raise 1,000 dollars to be able to post bail.
Jail Information
South Bay Detention Facility
500 3rd Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 213-1433 – Information and visitation
South San Diego County Sherrif’s Santee Station
8811 Cuyamaca Street
Santee, CA 92071
Court Information
South County Courthouse
500 3rd Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 746-6200 – General Information
Find Reliable Santee Bail Bonds Services Near Me
At Justice Bail Bonds, we are conversant with the state's bail process and how complicated it can be, especially if it is your first time facing arrest. If you have been arrested in Santee, and the judge has agreed to bail, call us at 951-445-4155 for help. We have served several clients seeking to be released on bail all around the city and, in so doing, created an excellent rapport with local prosecutors and judges. We speed up the bond process so you can have ample time to help develop your defense and so you can return to living your everyday life as soon as possible.
