If the set bail amount is above your current means, you might need the services of a renowned local bail bonds company. The company operates through a surety form to offer Hemet bail bonds. Bail bonds are an agreement between the bondsman and the court to ensure that the company will be financially liable if the suspect fails to abide by their release conditions. At El Don Bail Bonds, we know the importance of securing a release and resuming your regular life. We can guide you in making decisions after your arrest. If the judge sets bail more than you can raise, we can help. For an affordable premium, we can work with you to develop an affordable payment plan, post bail with the court on your behalf, and facilitate your release.
Defining Bail
Bail is the money you should post with the court to guarantee you will attend future court proceedings and follow your release conditions. The court will refund the bail amount if you comply with your release conditions. Otherwise, the court will forfeit the bail amount.
The California judicial system allows different modes of paying bail, each serving different circumstances and needs. These methods are as follows:
- Cash bail — It involves the defendant paying the entire bail amount.
- Bail bonds — This is the most preferred option when the judge sets a huge bail amount that the accused cannot afford to pay in full. It involves a skilled Hemet bail bonds company posting the amount with the court and charging you ten percent of the entire bail amount. You can also use bail bonds to avoid public attention, mainly if accused of a high-profile criminal activity.
- Release on own recognizance — Judges grant an O.R. release in low-risk criminal cases or when the accused has strong community ties. The judge will consider your employment status, community residence duration, family connections, and whether you have a business.
- Property bond — You can use this type of bail when you have considerable equity in an asset and want to use it as collateral. Before granting this bail, you should present proof of ownership and the asset’s appraisal before the judge.
Usually, the bail process begins following an arrest. Once a police officer arrests, books, and holds you in detention, they will allow you to make a phone call to contact a family member and inform them of your arrest. Your loved one can contact a bondsman on your behalf.
A professional bondsman will ask about the jail location where you are being held and your case’s details. The details help the bondsman prepare for your release paperwork and procedure.
The law enforcers will present you before a judge for an arraignment (first court hearing) within 24 years of your arrest. The judge will consider several factors when evaluating whether you qualify for a bail release and, if yes, the bail amount. These factors are as follows:
- Flight risk —The judge will likely deny you bail if they believe you can flee the jurisdiction to subvert the judicial process. However, the judge can set your bail high as a deterrent against fleeing.
- The severity of the crime — If you committed a severe crime or that involved violence, the judge could deny your bail or set it high.
- The general public safety — If the court believes you threaten public safety, it will set a high amount.
Before your release, the judge could impose bail conditions that you should comply with. They include the following:
- Avoiding committing another crime
- Refraining from driving while drunk
- House arrest
- Electronic monitoring
- Avoiding specific areas or people
- Obeying curfews
Why Prefer Bail Bonds to Other Options?
Using a bondsman to post bonds comes with different benefits, including the following:
First, they enable you to post a bail amount that you would not have afforded. Bail can be as high as a hundred thousand dollars, which is costly for many people. The bondsman takes a small fee and then pays the bond on your behalf, recouping any losses when you attend all court dates.
Second, a bondsman handles all the paperwork for you. The paperwork differs considerably in each case, and the bondsman utilizes their expertise to handle the documentation.
Third, the bondsman offers you flexible payment plans. If you cannot pay the premium in a lump sum, you can request a payment plan that enables you to pay in small installments over a particular duration.
Finally, unlike other payment modes, you can enjoy confidentiality. Criminal cases can be emotionally draining and stressful. Maintaining privacy during this time allows you to focus on the case without unnecessary concerns. Seasoned bondsmen implement measures like secure communication channels, strict information handling, ethical standards, and privacy policies to keep clients; information secure and unrevealed to unauthorized individuals.
The Relationship between Hemet Bail Bonds and Your Criminal Trial
If it is your first time facing criminal charges, you may wonder how bail relates to your criminal trial. The section below discusses how the two relate.
Release on Bail Helps With Case Preparation
Obtaining pre-trial release increases the capacity to build a solid criminal defense. It also helps you continue working, allowing you to afford skilled and proven legal counsel to assist with your case.
Remaining in custody could limit your ability to retain the best lawyers. You may then settle on a public defender. Unfortunately, most public defenders have a massive caseload and will not dedicate quality time to your criminal case preparation.
Bail Increases Your Chances of Most Favorable Plea Bargain
The period an individual is in detention pending trial negatively affects the defendant going through the criminal judicial process. The prosecution team knows the suspect has less leverage and could offer them a less favorable plea deal.
If you obtain a pre-trial release, you will have more bargaining power. The prosecution team can only offer you a favorable plea deal in this case.
Furthermore, the judge granting you bail demonstrates to the prosecution team that they do not have a watertight case against you and cannot force you to accept a harsh offer. If anything, the prosecutor will fear losing your criminal case in the trial. Therefore, they will likely suggest a favorable plea deal to secure your conviction.
A Pre-trial Release Reduces the Likelihood of a Conviction or Severe Sentence
If the judge denies you bail during the arraignment, the possibility of a conviction is high. The prosecution team will also prove why the court should deny bail during your bail hearing. If their arguments are persuasive and have strong proof against you, the court may deny you bail. The decision could reflect in your criminal case’s final verdict to result in a conviction and severe penalties.
However, securing a release on bail and abiding by its condition reduces the possibility of a conviction or a harsh prison sentence.
How to Accelerate the Release Process
Calculating your release duration is tricky after your bondsman posts your Hemet bail bonds. Each case is unique, and the time before your release from police custody depends on the holding jurisdiction and the alleged crime. If you or your bondsman have completed all the paperwork, the police could release you within thirty minutes and two hours after posting bail.
There could be more steps that the jail staff should take before the release. It could entail procedures like fingerprints or drug tests, which could be time-consuming. Some jurisdictions also have waiting times regulations. Therefore, it is crucial to know the relevant laws in the jail to estimate correctly how long the process will take.
You have no control over the bail bond process; law enforcement authorities, the court, and the jail personnel are in charge. Therefore, you should cooperate with the authorities to guarantee a smooth and efficient process. The following tips can help speed things up:
Inform a Loved One or Friend
Following your arrest, you are entitled to a single phone call. Select a trusted loved one or friend who will work to secure your release. You might require them to be your co-signer. It is a matter that requires a greater level of mutual trust. You can also request them to call a bail bonds firm to process the necessary paperwork.
Remain Calm
Keeping calm streamlines the arrest phase, arraignment, bail hearing, and posting Hemet bail bonds. The law enforcement officials and the jail staff do not have your best interests at heart, and giving way to anger or panic does not help your case. Maintaining your calm and speaking clearly without self-incriminating yourself can come in handy.
Enlist the Services of a Bondsman
Your bondsmen know how different jails and bail bonds work. They are also responsive at any time and can provide you with relevant information, fill out paperwork, and process bail payments online immediately.
Collect Information
Collect every piece of information about your arrest and criminal case. Your relative or friend will require the following information to complete the necessary paperwork:
- Your legal names
- Date of birth
- The specific jail where you are detained, including address, phone number, and zip code
- A detailed description of your alleged offenses
- Your bail amount
- Your booking number or inmate ID
- The circumstances of your arrest (For instance, whether there were any aggravating factors like intoxication, resisting arrest, or inflicting the victim injuries)
Consult a Defense Lawyer
You do not require a lawyer to begin your bail bonds process or pay the money needed. Nevertheless, criminal defense attorneys understand bail schedules and could estimate your bail amount before the judge sets it. Therefore, a criminal attorney can assist you in planning your bail payment and work to reduce the amount. They will also help you navigate through delays in scheduling the bail hearing.
Bail Forfeiture
Bail forfeiture occurs after a defendant fails to appear in court for any hearing or when required without a valid reason.
The main legal repercussion of bail forfeiture is the court forfeiting your bail amount. It means your entire bail bond amount becomes a financial liability. The judge will require your bondsman to return you to court within 180 days. If the company arrests and returns you to detention, the court will not forfeit the bail, and the financial responsibility of paying the entire bail money will not fall on it. If the bondsman uses a bounty hunter to locate you, you will incur the related costs.
The court can also issue a court bench warrant for your arrest. The warrant authorizes police officers to arrest and return you to their custody. You could face failure to appear criminal charges on top of the underlying offense, complicating your legal issue further. Please note that the court is less likely to grant you bail in the future.
After bail forfeiture occurs, your co-signer could be held responsible for your forfeited bail amount. The judge could require your co-signer to pay the entire bail bond amount to the court or the bondsman based on the conditions of your contract. This could result in a substantial financial burden on your co-signer.
If you used collateral to secure your Hemet bail bonds, the bondsman is legally entitled to seize and sell your collateral to recoup the forfeited money. It could lead to losing your personal property. Common assets used as collateral include cars, real estate, or valuables.
Forfeiture could also result in increased costs on your future Hemet bail bonds. Bondsmen can interpret previous forfeitures as a potential risk, leading to imposing stricter terms or hefty fees for subsequent bonds. It could be more challenging and costly to obtain a future pre-trial release.
How to Deal with Bail Forfeiture
You can address the bail bond forfeiture by doing the following:
- Surrendering yourself or the accused —If you, the defendant, surrender yourself to the police before your arrest, the court could mitigate the bond forfeiture.
- Negotiating with your bondsman — Most compassionate bondsmen can negotiate a resolution. The negotiation may involve payment plans or other conditions to address the financial implications of the bail forfeiture.
- Seeking legal advice — You need legal assistance to deal with the repercussions of bail forfeiture. A lawyer can guide navigating the judicial system, mitigating the financial consequences of the forfeiture, and resolving active warrants.
Bail Bonds Reinstatement and Requesting New Hemet Bail Bonds
Bail reinstatement involves requesting the court to cancel the bail forfeiture. Your bondsman can help you explain why you skipped bail and establish the reinstatement.
While the court will consider valid reasons like you skipped bail due to an emergency, courts do not accept any reasons. Therefore, you should work with a professional who knows and understands the court system.
You can request new bail bonds after your reinstatement request is successful. It is only possible if you make the request thirty days after your failure to appear.
Please note that scheduling court dates is tricky, and courts do not reschedule dates to accommodate defendants.
Hemet Bail Bonds Services for a Warrant
There are three forms of warrants, including the following:
- Arrest warrant
- Search warrant
- Bench warrant
When issuing a warrant, the judge will specify the required bail amount. You can pay bail in some courts without going through the booking process. You do not qualify for release on bail if you are charged with either:
- A capital crime
- Felony crime involving sexual assault or violence
- Felony crime where you threatened another person with great bodily injury and is likely to execute the threat after your release
Different counties have their policies on clearing outstanding warrants. After posting bail, the jail will release you, and a criminal defense lawyer can convince the court to release you on your own recognizance or reduce your bail amount.
The cost of clearing the warrant is 10 percent of your charges rate. Depending on your criminal case facts, your Hemet bail bonds firm can research the warrant’s standing and your options. If paying bail is an option, your bondsman will post the surety bonds with the holding jurisdiction.
Suppose you believe there is a warrant against you. In that case, your bondsman can verify its existence and deal with the matter confidentially, avoiding the humiliation that comes with an arrest and speeding up the release process.
Jail, Courthouse, and Police Department Address and Contact Information
Hemet Jail
Hemet Police Department
Hemet Courthouse
Contact a Reliable Bail Bonds Firm Near Me
You should pay bail to secure your release from detention. The judge sets the bail amount during arraignment. Bail serves as a financial assuarance to the court, permitting you to resume your routine pending your trial. If you cannot afford the amount, you can contact a bondsman who can facilitate your release without paying the entire figure upfront. At El Don Bail Bonds, we can manage the legal procedure for you and stand with you. We can also help you develop a pocket-friendly payment plan if you cannot raise the required premium. Once you pay the premium, we can travel to court to coordinate your release. Please contact us at 760-342-0444 to learn about Hemet bail bonds, warrants, and navigating the California judicial system.