We at Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell often get questions about bail. This blog post has been designed to answer many of the most pressing questions about bail. If you have other questions, feel free to contact Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell to schedule a free initial consultation about your case. Attorney Howell will be happy to speak with you about your specific case and offer you expert legal advice right away.
What is bail?
First, let’s start with the basics. Bail is money that some criminal defendants must pay to ensure they will return to court procedures if they are released from jail while their cases are pending. A judge determines the amount of money that a defendant must pay based on the type of crime committed, whether the defendant has previous arrests, and the probability that the defendant might move away or hide to attempt to avoid attending required court procedures.
The judge sets the bail amount, then while the trial is in progress, the defendant deposits the money with the court clerk or with a bail bond company. When the case is finished, the bail money is returned, but if the defendant is convicted, some of the money will be deducted by the court first.
What if a defendant can’t pay bail?
If someone has been arrested and he or she can’t pay the bail money and can’t find someone to put up the bond on the arrestee’s behalf, then he or she must remain in jail until the next court date. In most cases, the next court date will be within a few days. So if someone chooses not to post bail, it’s not terrible—but no one likes to spend time in jail if they can help it.
How is bail posted?
California law requires that judges provide at least two ways of posting bail. Frequently, the court will indicate that bail should be posted in cash or as an insurance company bail bond. The bond amount will often be higher than the cash value one because courts realize that bond companies generally accept much less than 100% of the face value of the bond as security.
If you’re interested in posting a bail bond, you will need to contact a bail bondsman that’s licensed in California. When you call Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell at 909-920-0908 for a free consultation about your case, we can put you in touch with a reliable bail bondsman so you can post bail and get out of police custody ASAP.
What to do ASAP
If you get arrested, either contact Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell at 909-920-0908 as soon as possible, or ask a friend of family member to contact us on your behalf. We will help you understand the bail posting process and assist you with every legal aspect of your defense. Attorney Howell is one of Southern California’s must trusted criminal defense attorneys—get him on your side today by calling 909-920-0908 or emailing torrence@torrencelhowelllaw.com.