Being arrested can be a frustrating experience, leaving you feeling isolated and helpless. The stress can intensify if you cannot afford bail to secure your pretrial release. JR’s Bail Bonds recognizes that you are innocent until proven guilty and can pay your surety bonds in return for a ten percent fee of your total bail amount. If you cannot afford the premium, we can offer you a flexible repayment plan, allowing you to return to your life quickly. We can also explain to you how Buena Park bail bonds work and ensure you understand your bail terms and conditions.
Decoding the Term Bail
Bail plays a key role in the criminal judicial system by ensuring defendants have a chance to secure release from detention pending trial. It is rooted in the legal principle of presumed innocence until proven guilty.
Some of the benefits of the pretrial release include the following:
- You can meet with your attorney more often and have access to resources, allowing you to prepare your criminal case defense
- You can maintain your employment
- It will enable you to provide support and meet your family responsibilities
- It reduces jail overcrowding.
Bail Schedule
A bail schedule is a list of fixed bail amounts for different offenses that superior court judges of a given county determine. It serves as a guide for magistrates and law enforcement officials to determine bail amounts immediately following an arrest. It standardizes the bail process, allowing a suspect to be released on bail without spending days in police custody waiting for the judge to set bail at the arraignment hearing.
How Much Does the Judge Set Bail
The judge sets bail during your arraignment using different factors, including the following:
- The nature of the offense —The severity of the alleged crime is the first factor considered. Typically, more serious offenses, like violent offenses or those involving significant harm to people or property, result in hefty bail amounts. It is because a defendant charged with a more severe crime is more likely to reoffend or flee the jurisdiction.
- Whether you are a threat to your community — The judge will set a higher bail amount or even deny bail if they think you pose a risk to society.
- Your community ties—The judge considers a person with strong community ties less likely to flee the jurisdiction and could set a lower amount. Examples of strong community ties include having family in the community, running a business, volunteering in the community, and having stable employment.
- Your criminal history—The judge can set a higher bail amount if you have a previous conviction.
- Flight risk—The court will evaluate whether you can flee the jurisdiction to subvert justice. The court can set a high amount or even deny your bail if it believes you will flee.
Unless you secure your release on your own recognizance, you should pay bail to the court before your release. You can post bail in cash, with the assistance of a bail bonds firm, or using property.
With property bail, you use your asset as collateral; you offer the property’s equity as a guarantee that you will show up in court. If you skip bail, the court could seize the asset to cover the amount.
Posting cash bail involves paying the entire bail amount to the court. In addition to the stress of raising the whole amount, posting cash bail could lead to financial scrutiny if the court suspects that the funds used originated from a felonious transaction. In this case, the court will hold the amount and require you to prove the origin of the amount in a PC 1275 hearing.
Consequently, most defendants choose to use a Buena Park bail bonds firm. The bondsman offers surety bonds to the court in exchange for a fee that is ten percent of the total bail cost. The premium is the service fee for your bail bond services and is nonrefundable.
Getting assistance from your bondsman is simple and involves the following:
- Once you learn of your arrest or that of a loved one, you should call your bondsman immediately. The bondsman will take your information and start processing your bail. Most Buena Park bail bond companies are available around the clock to respond to your questions and needs.
- Provide the required details — Your bondsman will need specific information, like the defendant’s name, alleged criminal charges, name of the holding facility, booking number, defendant’s address, defendant’s phone number, and the set bail amount to post bail. They can also require you to provide collateral or a cosigner. The company can guide you through the relevant steps to ensure a seamless process.
- Once the bondsman has the relevant information and you have paid the required premium, the company will handle the paperwork and post surety bail for you. Then the court will release you.
- Stay informed—Throughout your criminal judicial process, your bondsman will update you on the status of your bail. They will answer all your questions and ensure that you comply with the terms of your release.
Repayment plan
When you receive news of a loved one’s arrest, the financial shock of posting bail can be overwhelming. Judges set bail amounts ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, depending on your criminal record, flight risk, and nature of the crime. That is how bail bond payment plans become a financial lifeline for most families.
Repayment plans are financial arrangements that allow you to pay a manageable down payment and clear the rest via installment instead of paying the whole premium upfront.
The process of setting up your flexible repayment plan starts during a consultation with your bondsman. The Buena Park bail bond company will review your case, your financial situation, and the bail amount to determine whether you qualify, and if you do, highlight the terms that suit your case.
The amount your bondsman will require as your down payment depends on the following factors:
- The total set bail amount
- Your criminal history
- Job stability credit score
- Community ties
The question of whether you will require collateral for your repayment plan depends on your situation. Your bondsman might not need collateral if you have a lower bond amount or a strong cosigner. Nevertheless, collateral may be required to secure the bail bond amount itself, especially for high-risk defendants or those with high bail amounts.
Collateral protects the bondsman if you skip bail; after jumping bail, the court holds the bondsman financially accountable for your set bail amount. To recover the incurred loss, the bondsman will seize and sell your asset. Common types of collateral include stocks, jewelry, vehicles, and real estate.
When agreeing to enter into a repayment plan for your Buena Park bail bonds, you should understand what you are signing up for and the amount you should pay monthly. Most defendants assume that making a payment means only paying interest monthly. However, you should pay both interest and principal monthly until the full amount is paid off. Additional fees apply to defendants who fall behind on their payments.
Finally, ensure that you read and understand all documents before agreeing to the terms. The contract is legally binding and may affect your credit score if you fail to comply with its terms.
Consequences of Missing Your Bail Bonds Repayment Plan Payments
Here are the repercussions of failing to make flexible repayment plan payments as agreed upon:
- The bondsman will notify the court of your payment, resulting in your bail revocation. It can lead to the judge issuing an arrest warrant against you.
- If you have used collateral, the bondsman can seize it to recoup the losses incurred.
- The bondsman can take legal action against you to recover the amount you owe them. It can result in collection methods, including wage garnishment and lawsuits that can affect you financially and damage your credit score.
What to Do If You Cannot Make Payments as Agreed Upon
If you cannot meet your repayment plan requirements, you should contact your bondsman to discuss the matter. Ensure you explain the financial issues respectfully and honestly. Most Buena Park bail bond firms are willing to work with defendants, as they do not want to waste money and time on debt collection.
Since most bondsmen accept various payment options, inquire about a payment method that may be more manageable for you, like a credit card.
You can also request your bondsman to extend your repayment duration or reduce the monthly installments.
Cosigning Bail Bonds
Cosigning a bail bond involves signing a promissory note or indemnity agreement, which financially obligates you to pay the full bail amount if the suspect fails to attend their future court hearings. After cosigning the bail bond, the bondsman will work to ensure the accused is released from custody pending the resolution of their criminal case.
Not everyone can be a cosigner. While the specific requirements vary from one bail bonds company to another, here are the general requirements:
- Must be above 18
- Have a good credit score
- Should have identification
- Should have stable employment and can financially pay full bail money if the court forfeits bail
Typically, relatives and close friends serve as cosigners. Nevertheless, for massive bail amounts, a bondsman might require at least one cosigner.
When you agree to cosign bail, the bondsman requires you to pay ten percent of the bail premium. That means, for instance, if the set bail amount is $8,000, you should pay a premium of $800. Please note that the premium is nonrefundable; you will not receive a refund once the criminal case is closed, irrespective of its outcome.
If you use a repayment plan to pay the premium, you must adhere to it. You should pay the required down payment and clear the outstanding balance in installments as agreed upon.
Typically, cosigning can involve pledging a valuable asset as collateral. The bondsman will seize the asset and sell it to recoup the loss incurred if the defendant fails to appear in court.
In addition to paying the premium, some Buena Park bail bond firms charge extra fees, including processing costs, a facilitation fee, and travel expenses. Before signing the contract, inquire with the company to determine if it charges any additional fees. The law bans bondsmen from charging hidden charges.
After securing a bail bond for a loved one, ensure they attend all required court appearances. For instance, you can make transportation arrangements if the accused lacks the necessary means.
You should also ensure the accused abides by the release conditions. These terms can include the following:
- Refraining from driving a car while under the influence
- Surrendering weapons
- Restricted travel
- Staying away from the alleged victim
- Avoid violating any other law
If the defendant fails to follow the conditions, the judge can revoke the bail and issue an arrest warrant. The law allows you to revoke the contract if you believe the defendant is less likely to abide by their release conditions.
Here are tips to fulfill your cosigner role effectively:
- Collect all relevant documentation and information before signing.
- Ensure you know and trust the defendant
- Keep open lines of communication between you, the bondsman, and the defendant
- Ensure you understand the implications and repercussions if the accused jumps bail
Police Department, Court, and Jail Contact Details
Buena Park Police Department
6640 Beach Blvd
Buena Park, CA 90622
North Justice Centre
1275 North Berkeley Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832-1258
Garden Grove City Jail
11301 Acacia Pkwy
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Find a Compassionate Bondsman Near Me
Bail is a legal right that allows the criminal judicial system to release a defendant from police custody while ensuring their appearance at scheduled court hearings. At JR’s Bail Bonds, we recognize that most people who contact bail bonds companies do so for the first time and are stressed when arranging bail for themselves or a loved one and could be more confused if they cannot afford the set bail amount. You can turn to us for 24/7 support, and we provide courteous, confidential, reliable, and prompt Buena Park bail bond services. We can also guide you throughout the process and answer any questions you may have. Please call us at 888-577-2245 to schedule your initial consultation.
