Can you bail someone out of jail at night?

It’s midnight, and the phone is ringing: your loved one got arrested, and they’re calling you for help, but one question come to mind “Can you bail someone out of jail at night?”. A million thoughts are running through your head. What did they do? Do you have the money to help? Can you trust them to show back up in court if you front the money to get them out?

In this blog, we’re going to discuss what to do when you’re loved one gets arrested, and we’ll answer the biggest question plaguing you… can you bail someone out of jail at night?

What Is Bail?

Bail is the amount of money required as collateral for someone to be released from jail. When someone gets arrested, the judge (or the courts) gets tasked with two things:

1. Keeping the community and the defendant safe.
2. Ensuring the defendant returns to court for their future court dates.

Bail is what allows them to handle these tasks.

You may have asked yourself if you can bail someone out of jail at night? The Bail process is very much the same, once the person has been arrested and booked at the jail, a decision must be made regarding their short-term freedom. If the accused offense is less violent or severe, they may not need to appear before a judge. The court has a “bail schedule” that outlines a fixed bail amount for common crimes.

The defendant must go before a judge for more serious or violent crimes. That judge will look at a variety of factors, including:

• What is the nature of the crime?
• Have they committed a crime in the past?
• If they did commit a crime, did they show up for the required court dates?
• Do they have dependents relying on care (children or elderly family members)?
• Do they have ties to the community, such as a job or volunteer responsibilities?
• Are they a danger to themselves or anyone else?

With the answers to these questions in mind, the judge will decide whether they’ll get released from jail, either on their own recognizance or by posting bail, or if they will have to stay in jail until their case gets heard.

Whether bail gets granted depends on the above factors; however, they also determine the amount of bail that gets set.

Can you bail someone out of jail at night and how do you bail someone out?

It is difficult to think clearly when you get that phone call late at night. So here are four steps you’ll need to follow to bail your loved one out of jail. (Can you bail someone out of jail at night)

1. Stay calm. It’s hard to do but essential. While it’s tempting to scream at your loved one, ask a ton of questions, or dissolve into a fit of hysteria, that will only worsen the situation. Take a few deep breaths, put your emotions on hold, and get to work. Don’t worry, you can cry a little bit later.
2. Obtain vital information… and nothing else. Once you’ve identified that your loved one is in jail, find out:
3. What were they charged with?
4. If bail was set, and if so, how much?
5. Where are they being held?
6. What’s their birthdate?

And that’s it! Can you bail someone out of jail at night is the main question. Please do not ask them questions about their guilt or innocence. Remember that these phone calls get recorded. The last thing you need is for your loved one to incriminate themselves.

Contact a bail bondsman.

There’s a good chance you do not have the money to lay out to bail your loved one out of jail. On the low end, you’re looking at a few thousand dollars. On the high end, you’re looking at tens of thousands of dollars. Not many people have this money lying around.

A bail bondsman will charge you 10% of the bail amount up front ($50,000 bail costs you $5,000) and then take the rest as collateral. This can include deeds to real estate, vehicles, stock and bonds, personal property, etc. Note: When the bail conditions are met, you will receive your collateral back. However, the 10% you paid up front is a non-refundable fee. This is the cost of doing business with a bail bondsman. If the bail conditions are not met, you will forfeit your collateral so the bail bondsman can recoup their losses.

• Pick up your loved one. Once the bail bondsman has posted bail on your loved one’s behalf and the paperwork has been processed, you can head to the jail or detention center and pick them up. Once they are home, you can discuss the next steps, like hiring an attorney to represent them.

Can You Bail Someone Out of Jail at Night?

But what happens if they get arrested in the middle of the night? Unfortunately, arrests don’t always occur during convenient work hours, and you want to get your loved one out of jail as quickly as possible.

Thankfully, bail bondsmen often work 24-7 and can get your loved one released quickly and relatively painlessly. However, it still depends on a number of factors.

1. Does your loved one have to wait to see a judge, or is their bail is set in accordance with the bail schedule? If they must go before a judge, they will have to wait for normal hours.
2. How busy Is the jail? If many defendants are being processed, it may take some time.
3. Does the jail have a full staff? The world is short-staffed right now, so as quickly as they may work, it could take some time to get to your loved one’s paperwork. They must also confirm that your loved one is not wanted for anything else (a separate arrest warrant) before they release them.

Be patient and know that when you hire the right bail bondsman, they’ll make this process as easy as possible for you. If your loved one gets arrested in Los Angeles, Van Nuys, or Rancho Cucamonga, California, contact Dan’s Bail Bonds. Dan has more than 20 years of experience, works 24/7, and is mobile. That means you can handle your loved one’s bail from the comfort of your own home. Call Dan’s Bail Bonds today and get your loved one home where they belong.