Facing an arrest and criminal charges in California can be a devastating experience. After being arrested for engaging in a criminal act, you will be booked and detained in jail while your criminal case is pending. Under California law, defendants can be released with a pending trial by posting bail. Bail is the money you pay in court to guarantee your return for trial after release with a pending criminal case.
The seriousness of your charge plays a significant role in the bail amount needed for your release. Even for less serious offenses, California courts set significant bail amounts. This makes cash bail unaffordable for many defendants. If you are financially incapable of posting cash bail, you could use other forms of bail, including bail bonds.
A surety company will offer the financial assistance you need to post bail in exchange for a 10% premium fee. In addition to posting your bail, the surety company will offer the guidance you need throughout the bail process. If you or a loved one is detained in a jail cell in Thermal, CA, for lack of bail money, you will require the expert services we offer at Fausto's Bail Bonds.
Overview California Bail Bonds
Bail is the monetary commitment between a criminal defendant and the court for release from a pending criminal case. You must pay the court a certain amount in exchange for an early release from jail. This amount guarantees that you will return for scheduled court proceedings.
For the defendant, bail allows you to go home and spend time with your family as you strategize on fighting your charges. The bail process begins when you are arrested for violating California law. You will be booked into a jail cell, where you can remain while awaiting your trial.
The judge will set your bail amount during your first arraignment. The judge will refer to the standard bail schedule when setting your bail. A bail schedule indicates different offenses and the amount required for each crime. The court will use the bail schedule amounts as a base and adjust it while considering these factors:
- The gravity of your charges. California courts set your bail depending on the gravity of the offense for which you are charged. A defendant facing charges for a serious crime like murder will have a higher bail amount than one facing minor charges like petty theft. If you are charged with an offense that carries a sentence of life imprisonment or capital punishment, you could be held without bail.
- Your criminal history. All your criminal convictions enter your permanent criminal record in California. In addition to impacting your sentencing, your past criminal convictions can affect your bail release. The court sets high bail amounts for repeat offenders.
- Your flight risk. Bail money guarantees the court that you will return for your scheduled proceedings and trial. Flight risk is the likelihood of escaping after a bail release to avoid the repercussions of your conviction. The judge sets a high bail amount for defendants with a significant flight risk to discourage them from fleeing after a bail release.
- Threat to community safety. A bail release helps you move on while your case is pending. The court’s decision on your release will also consider the well-being of other people. Sometimes, the court will hold you without bail to protect the victims of your offense and other community members.
Types of Bail
If you or a loved one is detained in jail after an arrest, you can use these ways to secure their release before trial:
Own Recognizance Release
You will not always need to post bail money to the court for an early release. An own recognizance release allows defendants facing charges for minor offenses to secure a release without bail. Instead of paying the court, you can promise to return for scheduled court dates as scheduled. This is done by signing a note provided by the court.
An OR release is the most desirable form of bail. This is because you will not deal with the financial aspects of the bail process. However, an own recognizance release is only an option for some. The court will accept your request for an OR release if you are a first-time offender facing charges for a minor offense.
Although the OR release does not require you to pay money to the court for a release, you may need to follow release conditions similar to those imposed on other defendants. The conditions of this type of release will be specific to your charges.
Cash bill
Posting bail in cash is the easiest and fastest way to ensure a defendant’s release. This type of bail entails presenting the full amount in court before a defendant is released. If you have the financial capacity to pay cash bail, you can ensure the fast release of your loved one without using a third party. You will recover the full amount you paid when the defendant appears in court and their case ends.
While cash bail offers many benefits, you must understand the following setbacks of this type of release:
- Increased financial scrutiny. When you present a high cash bail amount in court, the prosecution or court may be suspicious of its source. This results in a financial investigation, which can delay your loved one’s release.
- Need for full payment. Your loved one will be released from jail if the court clerk receives the full bail.
- Likelihood of loss in bail forfeiture. If a defendant skips bail after posting bail, the full amount is lost in a forfeiture.
Property Bonds
You can buy a release using property bonds if you lack enough money to pay cash bail. When you present a property bond, the court will put a lien on the property and release it after the defendant appears for trial and the case ends. If the defendant skips bail, you could lose the property, like cash bail.
California courts accept different forms of property as bonds, including vehicles, commercial property, and residential homes. However, the property must be up to 150% of the bail to be accepted as a bond. The court holds a property bond hearing before accepting your property for a loved one’s release.
The property bond hearing is a chance for you to prove property ownership. You can present the property's title deed and other documents establishing ownership. If the property is jointly owned, all individuals whose names appear on the title deed must be present at the hearing.
Bail bonds
Using a bond is the most common form of release for defendants in California. An arrest is an unexpected occurrence. However, most individuals have no money set aside to pay bail. Instead of letting your loved one remain in jail, you can explore the services of a Thermal bail bonds service. Bail bond companies offer financial assistance for defendants seeking bail release.
Instead of paying the full bail amount, you will be responsible for 10% of the total, a non-refundable service fee. Securing a loved one’s release on a bail bond begins when you contact the surety company for help. You must have the following information when you contact the surety company:
- The defendant’s name.
- Name of the jail and county where the defendant is held.
- The defendant’s booking number.
- The details of the offense for which the defendant is charged.
- Amount of bail required for a release.
Using this information, a bail bondsman from the surety will assess your loved one’s case and determine their suitability for a bail bond. This will be done by assessing the defendant’s case circumstances and your financial ability to commit to the release.
When you seek bail bond services for a loved one or friend, you will be a co-signer on the bail bond. Your responsibilities as a cosigner in this case include:
- Paying the service fee. You must be able to pay the service fee before entering into the bail bond agreement. While the bail bond premium is a fraction of the total bail, the amount may be unaffordable for some individuals. You can negotiate into a bail bond repayment plan. This is an option if you cannot pay the full-service fee before your loved one’s release. The bail bond agreement allows you to pay the service fee and the rest in manageable installments.
- Ensuring that the defendant returns to court for trial. If you co-sign a bail bond for a loved one or friend, you will ensure they do not skip bail.
- Providing collateral. In addition to a bail bond premium, a thermal bail bond company may require you to provide collateral for the bail bond. Collateral could be property, real estate, or other valuable items like jewelry. The purpose of collateral is to ensure that the surety company does not lose money in a forfeiture.
Benefits of Working with a Thermal Bail Bonds Service
Some of the benefits of posting a bail bond include:
Saves your Money
California is known for its high bail amounts. Unlike cash bail, where you post the full bail amount, a bail bond company will post your loved one’s bail if you opt for bail bonds. You will only be responsible for a small fraction of the bail amount. This helps you save your money and use it to hire a defense team for the defendant.
Faster Release
The court may take a while to schedule your trial. For people who cannot afford cash bail, the alternative to a bail bond release is remaining behind bars. This could have devastating effects on your life. When you contact a surety company for assistance, securing your loved one’s release will begin immediately.
You Can Repay the Bail Bond Service Gradually
If you choose to pay a cash bail and you lack the entire bail amount, the defendant cannot be released from jail. If you do not have enough money to pay for your bail bond services, a Thermal bail bondsman can allow you to gradually enter into a repayment plan to pay the bail bond premium. This makes a bail bond affordable and accessible to many defendants.
Avoid Asset Liquidation
No one wants to watch their loved one sit in jail for lack of bail money. Therefore, you may be tempted to liquidate your assets. Selling your assets at this time could cause you to fetch a lower price than the assets are worth. You will not need to liquidate your assets when you seek bail bond services.
Keeps your Financial Life Private
The financial scrutiny you attract by posting a cash bail will be avoided when you seek the services of a Thermal bail bondsman. The courts understand that surety companies have the financial capacity to post high bail amounts. Therefore, they will not be concerned when the bail bonds company posts a high bail amount for your loved one.
An arrest in Thermal, CA, could result in detention at the following facilities:
Thermal Sheriff Station
Palm Springs Jail
Courts serving Thermal, CA, include:
Moreno Valley Courthouse,
Find a Thermal Bail Bonds Company Near Me
Being notified about your loved one’s arrest can traumatize you and your family. Also, spending time behind bars with a pending case can take a toll on the mental and emotional well-being of the individual. While in jail waiting for arraignment and trial, you could miss out on family time and sometimes lose your employment.
Criminal cases take time to resolve. Therefore, your trial may not be scheduled for weeks or months, meaning more time spent in jail. In California, most criminal defendants can secure a release before trial through bail. Bail is not punishment for your crime. Instead, the amount you pay assures the court of your return to court as scheduled.
Not all defendants can afford to post cash bail. Therefore, you will need the help of a surety company to post a bail bond for you or your loved one. At Fausto’s Bail Bonds, we understand the impact that spending time in jail can have on your personal and professional lives. Our Thermal bail bondsmen offer our clients fast, affordable, and reliable bail bond services. Call us today at 951-445-4455 and allow us to guide you through the bail posting process.