Faced with both the uncertainty of how to proceed and what the outcome might be, it can be a distressing and nerve-racking experience to find out that someone you care about is in jail. If your loved one is in a jail in Riverside County, we have put this guide together to give you the insight and step-by-step gameplan you need to get through the bailout process.
What Is Bail?
First, let’s define some of the key terms and concepts.
Bail is money that is paid to the court in order to secure a defendant’s release from jail until their trial takes place. This is to make sure that the defendant will make all of their court appearances; if they don’t appear, then a warrant will be issued for their arrest. However, if the defendant makes all of their court appearances, and they have kept each of their bail conditions, then they can be refunded the bail money once the legal process is completed.
Conditions of bail are based on the criminal charges involved. For example, some defendants may have to go through rehab, anger management, or therapy in addition to making all of their court appearances.
Securing a Release from Jail
1) Get Information
Only once you’re armed with certain facts can you know how to proceed. First, you will need to know your loved one’s booking number as well as provide their full name in order to find them in the system, know which jail they’re being held at, and how much bail has been set for.
The arrestee paperwork should have the booking number, or you can reach the police or jail to find out this information as well as the bail amount.
2) Figure Out How You’re Going to Post Bail
When it comes to paying out the bail amount, you can do so by cash, bail bond, or property bond:
- With cash, if you can pay for the full amount of bail, this will be the fastest way to get someone out of jail. When the defendant’s legal case is wrapped up, you would get your bail money back, except for whatever was used for fees or fines.
- If bail is too much for you to pay for with cash, then a bail bond, supplied by a bail bond agent in Riverside County, can be used to get someone out of jail. You would pay the bail bond agent a non-refundable fee, which is just a fraction of the bail amount, and then the bail bondsmen would post bail on the defendant’s behalf.
- With a property bond, you could supply property to use as collateral. This can be an option in cases where bail is set very high, and the property is valued at a higher or equal value than the bail amount.
3) Post Bail
Whichever option you select, once the information has been gathered and the method pursued, you’ll have some paperwork to complete on top of everything else. You will also need to understand the bail conditions that must be upheld in order to prevent an arrest warrant from being issued, and to remain eligible for the bail money to be returned once the case has concluded.
4) Abide by the Conditions of Bail
The defendant must make it to all of their court appearances, else bail will be forfeited, and any collateral put up for a bail bond or property bond will also be forfeit. If a defendant is released on conditions that involve curfews, staying in California, going to rehab, or any other such terms, then these conditions must also be upheld, otherwise bail will be forfeited. A court may also impose fines or expenses, which is also something to follow through.
What Are Your Options If Bail Is Too High for You to Pay?
Even if you can’t make the full amount for bail, you have several options to still secure someone’s release from jail in Riverside County.
These options can include:
- Having your lawyer ask for a bail reduction hearing, where they can petition a judge to reduce the amount of bail
- Going through a pretrial release program, which would impose terms like check-ins with a pretrial officer and other conditions, but would not require posting bail
- Finding a bail bond agent so you’ll only have to pay a fraction of the bail amount
How to Find the Right Bail Bondsman in Riverside County
If you want to secure the services of a trusted bail bond agent, you should first ensure that the agent is licensed and insured. Next, looking through testimonials and checking out an agent’s reputation can be of great help to finding the right help. Then before you sign anything with the bail bond agent, make sure you’ve discussed fees, payment plans, or anything else you need to know. When you’ve found the right bail bond agent, you’ll find that they are straightforward and consistently provide clarity.
While securing a loved one’s release from jail can be a challenge, it is a surmountable one, and one that you don’t have to face alone. You have multiple routes available to you, as well as access to resources and guidance. As scary and upsetting as it can be to find out that someone you care about has been arrested, you may very well have several options by which to secure their release.