An arrest and obtaining bail can be overwhelming for you and your family, especially if it is your first time facing legal trouble and you are not familiar with the criminal judicial process. Bail bonds can help you secure a prompt pretrial release without paying your full bail amount, allowing you to return to your family and work. Fausto’s Bail Bonds can handle your paperwork, explain the process, and offer affordable Coronado bail bonds services.
Bail and Bail Bonds
Bail is the court-ordered amount of funds that permits you to obtain a release from detention while awaiting your trial. It guarantees the court that you will make your scheduled court appearance after your pretrial release.
After the court resolves your criminal case, the judge will exonerate the bail, and you will receive a refund of the money. Nevertheless, when you violate your release conditions, the court will forfeit the bail amount and issue an arrest warrant against you.
Please note that the judge can deny you bail if any of the conditions are true:
- You are a repeat offender —Before granting bail, judges typically review the defendant's criminal record. If you have at least one arrest for the same crime, it means you have not learned from your mistakes. Nonetheless, the bail judgment on repeat crimes can depend on the category of your offense. For example, it is hard for the judge to approve bail for murder offenses as compared to a minor crime.
- You are a threat to your community—The judge will deny you bail if there exist complaints or negative remarks about you, or if your reputation in your community is bad. After your arrest, the court will investigate your reputation and criminal history to know more about you. The judge will most likely deny bail if your case shows that you have inflicted mental or physical harm on other individuals. Additionally, you might be denied bail if you have threatened the alleged victim.
- You are a flight risk — The judge might deny you bail if there is a perceived risk you will flee the jurisdiction to avoid trial. The judge makes the decision based on your criminal history, whether you have a passport, whether you have strong community ties, and the severity of your criminal charges.
- Nature of your alleged crime —Typically, charges involving serious or violent offenses result in strict scrutiny. The judge might deny you bail when accused of any of these crimes to avoid potential harm to society.
- You have previously failed to comply with your court date —When you apply for bail, the court will check your record to see whether you have previously attended your court hearings. If you have previously jumped bail, the judge will not approve the application out of fear that you will skip bail again.
- You have been disrespectful in the courtroom — Even if you do not have a prior record of missing court hearings or severe offenses, conduct such as yelling or shouting at the court can lead to your bail being denied.
The judge sets the bail amount based on various factors like the severity of the crime, your criminal record, whether you are a flight risk, your community ties, and whether you are a threat to the community.
Since bail can be expensive, paying the set amount in full can be a financial burden for many defendants. That is why many turn to bail bond services.
Coronado bail bonds involve a bail bondsman posting surety bonds with the court. The bail bondsman guarantees that you will appear in court when required. If you jump bail, the court will hold the bail bondsman financially accountable for the whole bail amount.
Securing bail bonds after your arrest is a multistep process. Below is an overview of what to expect:
Booking Process
Following your arrest, the police will take you to their police station for booking, where the police will do the following:
- Record your crime
- Scrutinize your criminal history
- Take mugshots and fingerprints
- Check your health
- Search you for contraband
Consulting Your Bail Bondsman
After the booking process, you have the right to make a phone call. You can choose to contact a reliable bail bondsman to assist you in securing your release or a loved one who can contact a seasoned Coronado bail bonds firm on your behalf. When contacting the bail bondsman, ensure you have gathered the following details in advance:
- The accused's full name
- The defendant's birthday
- The defendants' address and phone number
- The booking number
- The location and name of the holding facility
- The set bail amount
- The alleged offense
Having this information can expedite the release process. The more complete your details, the faster your Coronado bail bonds company can prepare the paperwork.
After you call the bail bondsman, they will review the risk of offering you their services, guide you through the process, and explain how to pay your premium. Premium is a bail bondsman's service fee, typically 10% of the total bail amount. For instance, if your bail is $87,500, you will pay a premium of $8,750. The fee is nonrefundable regardless of the criminal case outcome.
Although the preferred premium payment method could vary with different service providers, most companies accept payment using credit cards, cashiers' checks, PayPal, cash, debit cards, and Western Union.
If you cannot afford to pay the premium upfront, you can inquire from your bail bondsman whether you offer flexible payment plans. Under the payment plan, you first pay a percentage of the premium as a deposit, then pay the balance in installments as agreed. When deciding your installment amount, choose what you can comfortably afford to avoid getting into trouble with your experienced bail bondsman.
Please note that you must clear outstanding balances, even if your criminal case is closed. Also, you should contact your bondsman immediately if you have difficulty making your payments as agreed. Most service providers are friendly and considerate.
Release Process
After paying the premium, your Coronado bail bonds service provider will travel to the jail to post the surety bond.
Typically, the release process takes between 30 minutes and 8 hours. Many factors impact how fast the jai processes your release process after posting bail. While most factors are outside your control, knowing them can help you set realistic, practical expectations. These factors are as follows:
- Jail volume and staffing—A busy facility with limited employees will process your release more slowly.
- Day of the week and time of the day —Typically, release is faster during business hours of a weekday when every court employee is on duty than during weekends
- Open holds or outstanding warrants— Your release process could take longer if you have an outstanding warrant in a different jurisdiction, a pretrial or probation hold, or an immigration hold. Posting bail will not clear your holds. Your seasoned bail bondsman should check for your potential hold during your intake process so that an unexpected delay does not blindside you.
- Your criminal cases' complexity—The more complicated your criminal case, the more steps it requires before your release from detention. More paperwork and more verification steps imply more time.
- The jail’s processing and paperwork volume —Every jurisdiction operates independently. Some jurisdictions have state-of-the-art systems, hence faster processing, while others are slower and paper-heavy. Your bail bondsman has proximity to and established relationships with the holding facility and can work to speed up your release process.
Some of the things your family can do to evade unnecessary delay are as follows:
- Respond promptly to requests or calls from the bail bondsman. If the company requires you to answer a specific question or sign a form, your prompt response will keep the process moving.
- Cooperate with the bail bondsman and remain relaxed.
Making Your Schedule Court Appearances
Appearing in court when required after your release is vital. When you attend every court hearing, the court will exonerate your bail once your case is closed, and your Coronado bail bonds company will no longer be obligated to ensure you make court appearances.
Nonetheless, if you jump bail, the court will forfeit your bail and hold your bondsman financially liable for the full bail amount. To avoid the loss, your bail bondsman will seek to recover the funds from you or your cosigner. The company can also employ bounty hunters to locate you and return you to custody.
Please note that you should also comply with your other release conditions, including the following:
- Curfew restrictions
- Travel imitations
- Avoid interacting with specific persons and visiting specific places.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and driving your car
- House arrest
- Electronic monitoring
- Regular check-ins with your Coronado bail bonds service provider
- Avoid committing another crime
Electronic Monitoring as Your Pretrial Release Condition
Electronic monitoring is the technique that California's criminal justice system uses to monitor defendants on pretrial release. Most defendants wear a bracelet or an ankle monitor that tracks movements. The monitors use any of the following tracing technologies:
- A radiofrequency transmitter that notifies law enforcers whenever you leave home
- Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring that detects alcohol
- A global positioning system (GPS) that monitors your locations and movements
Electronic monitoring assists you in complying with your release conditions by sending real-time details to your Coronado bail bonds firm and law enforcement.
You will not qualify for electronic monitoring if you are charged with violent, multiple, or serious crimes. In other words, you must not be a safety risk and meet the following:
- You do not have a previous criminal record of a violent crime
- You must have a home phone
- Agree to adhere to regulations for electronic monitoring
Please note that electronic monitoring does not replace bail; instead, it is a release condition. Courts impose monitoring to oversee defendants released on bail, especially if there are concerns about flight risk. Sometimes the judge might release a defendant on their own recognizance but require them to wear an ankle or wrist monitor. It depends on your community ties and the nature of the crime.
Here are the rules that your bail bondsman and the court might order you to abide by while you are on bail.
- You should always wear the ankle monitor — The electronic monitoring device should stay on, regardless of where you are. Your house should have a unit that connects to your phone and communicates with a monitoring center. The unit sends information from your gadget and notifies the bail bondman when you leave home. If that occurs, the police will arrest you. While the main regulation of house arrest is that you should remain at home, that does not mean you can never leave. You must ask for permission first. Some of the places under home arrest include attending religious activities, doctor's appointments, work, school, and counseling sessions.
- You should refrain from drugs and alcohol — If you are charged with driving under the influence or drug possession, the court might require you to avoid drugs and alcohol. Aw, enforcers might require you to submit to random drug tests to ensure you comply with the conditions. Sometimes, you might be required to wear a SCRAM gadget that detects drug or alcohol abuse.
- Comply with curfew rules — A curfew limits your capability to engage in scheduled activities outside your home at specific times. Nevertheless, the court can adjust the curfew time if you have vital responsibilities that run late, such as overtime.
Tampering with the electronic monitoring device could result in your rearrest and the forfeiture of your bail.
Police Department, Courthouse, and Jail Address and Contact Information
Coronado Police Department
San Diego
San Diego Central Jail
Contact a Reliable Bail Bondsman Near Me
If you have been arrested, it helps to know that you can secure your pretrial release before your trial. Bail is the amount you pay to guarantee that you will attend your court hearings. Nonetheless, bail can be costly, prompting you to seek alternative pretrial release options. Fausto’s Bail Bonds can help you secure a prompt release at a pocket-friendly cost. We can also guide you throughout the process in Coronado. Please contact us at 951-445-4455 to learn how we can assist you.