The police can arrest people at any time of the day or night – whether it’s the weekend or not. But if you’re arrested on a Saturday or Sunday, can someone bail you out of jail? Here’s whether you can bail someone out of jail on a weekend and how to post bail.
What Is Bail?
Bail is essentially an agreement between a defendant and the court. In exchange for being released on bail pending their court date, the defendant agrees to follow certain rules (bail conditions).
Bail costs money – it’s not free. The judge sets a bail amount before the defendant can be released. And if the defendant breaches their bail conditions, they can be arrested.
How Much Bail Costs
The bail amount depends on various factors, including the crime committed and the defendant’s criminal history. In California, though, judges normally set bail in line with predetermined bail schedules.
A judge has some discretion to change the bail amount, depending on the case. In some cases, they may refuse to grant bail e.g. if it’s a non-bailable offense.
If a defendant breaches bail, the money paid is forfeited unless bail can be reinstated.
Can You Bond Out of Jail on the Weekend?
Yes. Just as police can arrest someone 24 hours a day, you can bail someone out of jail over the weekend. This includes using bail bonds to pay the bail amount. However, the bail process can take a little longer, depending on the jail.
Let’s break down how you might bail someone out of jail on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Posting Bail on a Friday
There’s usually no issue bailing someone out of jail on a Friday. Most jails have sufficient staffing levels to process bail during business hours.
However, you may encounter delays if someone is arrested on a Friday night.
- Bail can’t be set until the defendant appears for an arraignment hearing.
- If there’s no judge available to hold the arraignment hearing and set bail, the defendant can’t be released.
So, although you can post bail on a Friday, there’s no guarantee you will be able to do so.
Posting Bail on a Saturday or Sunday
If someone is arrested on a Saturday or Sunday, you can technically post bail right away. That said, these are difficult days to secure someone’s release from jail.
The reason is simple – if they haven’t had their arraignment hearing yet, it’s unlikely that they’ll have it on a Saturday or Sunday. Although defendants in custody should have their hearing within 48 hours of their arrest, the weekends don’t count.
Put simply, if someone is arrested on a Saturday or Sunday, there’s a good chance they’ll need to wait until Monday to be released. The exception is if they had their arraignment hearing on Friday. The paperwork can be completed over the weekend and the defendant can be released on bail.
Does It Take Longer to Bail Someone Out of Jail on a Weekend?
As noted, yes – it can take longer to be released from jail on a weekend. It all depends on various factors such as:
- Jail staffing levels
- Judge availability
- Number of cases
In some instances, the defendant may need to wait until Monday to be released on bail.
Can I Post Bail at Night?
Absolutely. Again, though, there’s no guarantee that the defendant will be released right away. If, for example, staff levels are low, your loved one may not be released until the morning.
If someone is arrested at night, there’s no need to wait until the morning to post bail. The sooner you post bail, the sooner you can secure their release.
How Do I Bail Someone Out of Jail?
First, make sure you know where your loved one is being held. You may need to perform an inmate search to find out which jail they’re in. Then, find out the bail amount. If you can’t afford the full amount, you can purchase bail bonds
Contact us, Bail Hotline, to buy bail bonds around the clock. Once bail is posted, your loved one can be released.
Get Bail Bonds in California
Do you need bail bonds? Contact Bail Hotline. Our bail bonds company is open 24/7 to help you when you require it most. We can answer common questions you have about the bail process and we can help you perform inmate searches if required.
Let us help you bring your family back together. Day or night, contact us now to buy bail bonds in California.
