After the police arrest you, the judge will give you the option to pay bail, a financial guarantee to ensure you attend court when required. Bail bonds could be viable if the judge sets a huge bail amount. At Alana’s Bail Bonds, we recognize the right to bail under the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and we believe your release process should be affordable and straightforward. We can guide you through the complicated process and offer reasonable, flexible financing plans. We are committed to offering reliable and efficient Santa Barbara bail bonds, so we have prepared this article to help you understand how bail and bail bonds work.
A Guide on Bail and Bail Bonds
After posting bail with the court, a defendant is released from police custody following their arrest and before trial proceedings. It involves incurring monetary costs as an insurance policy that guarantees you will attend your scheduled court hearings. Otherwise, you risk the court forfeiting your property or money.
Most defendants are bailable except for crimes where there is proof that the accused is a flight risk or threat to the community or themselves.
In a nutshell, the bail process involves the following steps:
Police Custody and Booking
After your arrest, the police will transport you to jail and initiate the booking process. During booking, the police will ask you to provide your basic personal information, mug shots, photographs, and fingerprints.
Bail Proceedings
You can secure your release immediately after booking by posting the amount on the bail schedule. All California counties have bail schedules that list different crimes and the required bail amount.
On the other hand, you can wait for your arraignment (first court hearing after the arrest) for the judge to set bail. Judges set bail on a case-by-case basis, depending on factors like your financial ability, the nature of the charges, the severity of the alleged crime, your criminal record, your community ties, and whether you can flee the state.
Different ways of posting your bail include the following:
- Cash bail — It entails paying the entire bail cost upfront before your release.
- Own recognizance release — The judge releases the accused without making any payment. However, the suspect should attend all required court hearings or risk an arrest warrant and additional criminal charges.
- Bail bonds — Although the law requires bail not to be excessive, raising the amount can sometimes be daunting. That is where Santa Barbara bail bonds come in. The company will post the entire amount with the court at a non-refundable premium. Most companies charge ten percent. Due to the huge financial risk involved, some bail bondsmen require collateral.
- Property bonds involve using a valuable asset’s lien to post bail. Common properties include cars, real property, jewelry, stocks, and artifacts. To use property bonds, the value of the asset should be higher than your bail amount.
After posting bail, the release process can range between thirty minutes and eight hours, depending on how busy the jail is that day. You can speed up your release process by providing your skilled Santa Barbara bail bonds company with your personal information early.
The process of posting Santa Barbara bail bonds can be overwhelming, making it easy to make mistakes. The most effective thing to do is to ensure you know how bail works. Here are other things to remember:
- Most bail bondsmen require cosigners. A cosigner is a contact between you and the Santa Barbara bail bonds company when the bail bondsman cannot reach you, the accused. The cosigner is accountable for the defendant complying with bail conditions, including attending court proceedings. You should not cosign for a person you do not trust. Should the suspect skip bail, the court will forfeit the bond, and you will be liable to pay the entire bail amount.
- Mistakes can occur. If you miss your court hearing, contact your bail bondsman immediately. They can ensure the court schedules another court hearing without issuing an arrest warrant. A missed court date is an easy fix, provided you maintain an open line of communication with the company.
How Long Will Your Santa Barbara Bail Bonds Last?
Under California’s Department of Insurance regulations, your bail bonds will last until the court closes your case. The regulation prevents cases where law enforcers would force suspects back to detention before the criminal case is resolved, resulting in innocent persons serving an unnecessary prison/jail sentence.
The only significant caveat after your release on bail is that your bail bond will last until your criminal case ends, as long as you are in your best character and abide by your release terms. Common bail conditions include the following:
- House arrest
- Restricted travel and surrendering your passport and driver’s license
- Not contacting the alleged victim
- Not violating another law
- Not visiting specific places or interacting with particular people
- Maintaining or seeking employment
- Not operating your car while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
So what occurs when your Santa Barbara bail bonds end?
It depends primarily on the factors affecting the ending. If they ended because you violated your terms of release, the bail bondsman will require you to pay your entire bail money to the court. The judge will issue an arrest warrant against you and file a new criminal charge, which could lead to the need to find a new bail bond.
On the contrary, if your case ends, the court will either release you as innocent or order you to serve time. The court will refund your bail money regardless of the outcome of your case. The court will refund the company if you used a Santa Barbara bail bonds firm. The bail bondsman will also keep the charged service fees.
Courthouse, Jail, and Police Department Address and Telephone Number
Superior Court of California County of Santa Barbara
1100 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
City of Santa Barbara Police Department
215 E Figueroa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Santa Barbara County Jail
4436 Calle
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Contact a Knowledgeable Bail Bondsman Near Me
Paying bail after your arrest facilitates a pretrial release as you await your trial, allowing you to build your legal defense and focus on other aspects of life like employment and family. Regrettably, like most defendants, the set bail amount could be too high and cause undue financial hardship. You can secure your release promptly when you consult Alana’s Bail Bonds. You only need to pay a ten percent premium, and we can assume the liability of your bail amount. If you cannot afford the premium upfront, we can allow you to spread your monthly payments over an extended duration. If you have questions about the process or require assistance posting your Santa Barbara bail bonds, please contact us at 619-468-9333.
