Author: Bail Hotline Staff

The United States Constitution provides several rights for those accused of crimes within our country. The founding fathers wanted to ensure that the federal and state governments could not become corrupt and violate a person’s civil liberties without facing repercussions.

One of the rights that many people may only become familiar with after they or a family member is arrested is the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution. This amendment guarantees the government cannot impose excessive bail, and it also prevents cruel and unusual punishment. Many people become confused when someone is held without bail, so it is important to know some nuances of the Eighth Amendment.

Historic Roots

The Eighth Amendment was part of the Bill of Rights, which was adopted in 1791, but this is not where the idea of reasonable bail was originally conceived. Sheriffs in England were allowed to decide whether or not a person could be bailed out of jail, but they often abused this power. In 1275, the English Parliament thought it solved this problem by specifying which crimes were bailable and which ones were not.

The King of England then began subverting this law and claimed that he had the right to hold people in jails without bail at will. The back and forth between executive officers and the legislative body of England continued until 1689 when the English Bill of Rights stated that excessive bail shouldn’t be required. Americans brought this basic idea to the New World with them, and once they gained their freedom they held onto many laws that had made England a great nation.

What it Means Today

Many people wonder how the 8th Amendment applies to the modern day world. Some are surprised when they see TV shows where defendants are remanded without bail, thinking that this is a violation of the Constitution. Unfortunately for some people accused of crimes, it is not. The Eighth Amendment only guarantees that courts cannot set excessive bail; it does not, however, state that bail is required.

America in general requires high bail amounts that many people find excessive, creating the need for bail bond agencies and bounty hunters. It is obvious that America is different than other countries in its view of “excessive bail,” demonstrated by the fact that it is one of the few countries in the world where bounty hunting is actually legal.

There are numerous times when a person may be denied bail. If the Court believes a person presents a serious threat to others if they are released, then it is their duty to hold the person in jail. Bail is meant to ensure that a person returns for their court date, so if a judge believes there is no bail amount that will guarantee a person’s return, they can deny bail outright. For instance, this can be the case if someone is accused of a crime that could bring the death penalty if convicted. As mentioned previously, bail amounts in America are exceptionally high, but if a person feels their Eighth Amendment rights are being violated, they should contact a bail bond agent and lawyer as soon as possible.

The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is meant to protect those accused of crimes from corrupt governments. This amendment has been running through our forefather’s blood since before America became a nation. Just because the government cannot impose excessive bail on a person, however, does not mean that they must grant bail. A person who feels their rights are being violated will never be noticed if they do not speak up.

Many people who are thrust into the criminal justice system for the first time are often confused and unaware of their rights. Unfortunately, most police departments don’t inform people of information that could potentially help them out. One fact that many people do not know is that it isn’t mandatory to see a judge to receive bail after being arrested.

Bail Hotline in Orange County can usually have a person out of jail within a few hours of their arrest by utilizing the county’s bail bond schedule. There are numerous schedules throughout the state of California, but if someone is arrested in Orange County, they will have to follow Orange County’s rules.

Bail Schedules

Bail schedules are important in saving the county money and giving people a chance to prepare their defense. Orange County’s bail schedule has an almost exhaustive list of crimes that might be committed within the county. Each of these crimes has a set bail amount that a person can choose to post before ever having to stand before a judge. This saves the county money on housing an inmate for a few days – but more importantly, it allows the accused to work on his or her defense outside of jail walls.

Once a person is booked they can make a call to a bail bond agent, who will know the exact preset bail amount necessary for their release. This is also a good idea because once a person stands before a judge, the judge has the option of raising the preset bail amount after considering aggravated circumstances.

Crimes and Contingencies

Though Orange County’s schedule does have many types of crimes listed, the Orange County Superior Court realized when they passed the schedule that it would be nearly impossible to cover all contingencies. To deal with this issue, the Court included a list of bail amounts for crimes not mentioned within the bail schedule; these amounts are contingent on the maximum incarceration term that a person faces.

Someone who faces ten years in prison, for instance, will have a $55,000 bail amount. A person facing life in prison will have a bail amount of one million dollars. Prior strikes in the county also add another $100,000 to a person’s bail, so these amounts can get quite high.

A person accused of murder faces a one million dollar bail amount. The schedule, however, states that if special circumstances exist in the murder, then a person can be held without bail. This means that if presumption is great that a person committed the crime, they can be held until trial.   One crime that may not have been seen on many bail schedules before 2001 is using a weapon of mass destruction. If death is caused through the weapon’s use, then a person faces at least a one million dollar bail amount.

Being arrested can turn into a nightmare for anyone. Imprisonment, fines and court costs are all penalties that a person accused of a crime can face. Luckily, the Orange County bail schedule allows most people to get out on bail before ever having to see a judge – allowing the accused to gather information and evidence to use for their defense. It also gives them a better chance of reaching a positive outcome with their lawyer. Contacting your bail agent means the defendant may be released from jail within a few hours so that they have a better shot at a fair trial.

 Click here to download Orange County’s 2012 Bail Schedule in pdf.

The experience of being arrested in California is going to vary from county to county. The state itself has defined many types of crimes, but the bail amounts and penalties are usually left up to the county courts. It is not often necessary for a person who has been arrested to sit in jail until they see a judge. Each California county has a bail schedule set forth by its superior court, and bail bond agencies can use these schedules to have most alleged offenders released within hours of their arrest. Alameda County, however, has a bail schedule that is far stricter than some other counties when it comes to certain crimes.

What is the Bail Schedule?

The bail schedule in Alameda County lists offenses that may have been committed, as well as their possible sentence and preset bail amounts. This allows people to have bail posted for them before ever seeing a judge, which gives them time to properly prepare their defense outside of jail.

A person might receive a lower bail amount if they wait to stand before a judge, but it is important to understand that they may also receive a higher bail amount if the judge sees fit. Since bail bond agencies can only legally charge a defendant ten percent of their bail amount in California, it is often more advantageous to your financial position and family’s welfare to contact Bail Hotline and get out of jail as soon as possible.

Bail Amounts

Alameda County has an extensive list of offenses listed in their bail schedule, and they even include a formula within the schedule to set a bail amount for offenses that aren’t listed. Gang activity is obviously taken quite seriously, as any criminal street gang activity carries with it the promise of being in jail until a judge sets a bail amount. Treason is also listed in the county’s schedule, but there is no bail possible for anyone accused of this crime.

Some other crimes are not punished as harshly as the aforementioned.  For instance, aiding the commission of a felony by administering drugs carries a preset bail amount of $20,000 dollars. With the use of a bail agency, a person would only have to come up with $2,000 dollars to get out of jail.  At Bail Hotline there are other ways to finance your bond premium, such as zero down payment plans and collateral options.

Certain crimes do allow preset bail amounts, but the bail is so high that it is fairly obvious the county really wants a person accused of that crime to stay put in their jail. Negligently discharging a firearm is one of these crimes, and it carries a preset bail amount of $250,000. It is important to remember that a judge can raise or lower this amount at an initial appearance – of course, that would entail the accused sitting in jail until the county puts them in front of a judge.

Alameda County has one of the strictest bail schedules in all of California. Certain crimes that would garner a high bail amount in other counties will almost guarantee a person sits in jail until they can see a judge in Alameda County. That said, the majority of crimes are still considered bailable offenses in this county, so it’s always more desirable for a defendant to contact Bail Hotline to make sure they don’t wait in jail needlessly, and can get back to their job and family as quickly as possible.

Click here to see Alameda County’s 2012 Bail Schedule

There are several parts of the criminal justice system that most people do not know about unless they have been through them. Being arrested is hardly ever as simple as a person spending some time in jail and then just going about their lives. Even after a person’s release, they often have to worry about parole, probation, fines, community service and rehabilitation programs.

California’s rehabilitation centers strive to ensure that former inmates are able to overcome any of their problems that caused them to end up in jail in the first place. With the proper rehabilitation program, a person has a decent chance of not ending up back in the system.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has several adult rehabilitation programs run by the Office of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (OSATS), the Office of Community Partnerships, the Office of Rehabilitative Program Planning and Accountability and the Office of Correctional Education. All of these programs are meant to ensure a former offender’s success while on parole and in the future.

CDCR lists its main goals as providing “effective evidence based programming to adult offenders” and creating solid relationships between ex-offenders and their local government, communities and community based providers. This is all in the effort to help a person effectively reintegrate back into their surrounding community.

What is Rehab?

Simply putting a person into a rehab program isn’t going to increase their chances of living a non-criminal life; a person must be put into the right program. CDCR uses an assessment tool that involves several factors having to do with the offender, to discover which programs will be best suited for them. These programs often ensure that offenders have access to basic educational and drug treatment programs.

It has been proven that those with more education commit fewer crimes, and getting rid of a drug habit is a quick way to prevent recidivism. Once the state knows which programs will benefit a former inmate, the process of rehabilitation becomes so much easier.

Does Rehab Really Work?

The Public Safety and Offender Rehabilitation Services Act of 2007 set forth certain benchmarks in the reformation of California’s criminal justice system. The CDCR has either met or exceeded each of these benchmarks. The evidence-based programs have been proven to lower recidivism, reduce prison overcrowding and save taxpayer money spent on prisons. Comprehensive research and appropriate planning have begun to make California a safer place for everyone concerned. Rehabilitation goes a long way toward ensuring a prior offender doesn’t see the inside of a jail cell again.

California rehabilitation centers strive to help ex-criminals return to a non-criminal way of life. Research is used to find the right program that will benefit an offender who is returning home. Evidence shows that these programs do work and that the benchmarks set forth by the state of California have been met.

Preventing a person from re-offending is the best way to lower crime rates and improve communities. Parole officers are often not enough to ensure a person doesn’t return down the wrong path, so giving an offender what they need to build a healthy lifestyle can be invaluable in helping both the former inmate as well as the community.

Being arrested is a stressful situation for anyone who has ever experienced it. There is a common misconception that a person must sit in jail until a judge grants them bail, but this is hardly ever the case. Most crimes have a specific bail amount that is required for a person to be released. These amounts vary widely depending on the specific crime that a person is being accused of and the county is which they are charged. Santa Barbara County’s legal system is set up to allow most people accused of crimes to go free while awaiting trial.

Bail Schedule

A bail schedule is a list of common crimes that might be committed within a county and the preset bail amounts attached to each of these crimes. Once a person sees a judge, these bail amounts can be increased or decreased at the judge’s sole discretion. Because of this, it is often pertinent for a person to contact a bail bond agency to get out of jail before a judge has the option to consider aggravated circumstances in a case.

Santa Barbara’s bail schedule lists just about any crime that a person may commit, but it also states that if a person is arrested for a felony that isn’t listed on the bail schedule, their bail should be set at twenty thousand dollars minimum. The schedule also describes a method through which an amount listed on the schedule can be increased for certain offenders if a peace officer feels that it is warranted.

Misdemeanor Charges

Misdemeanor charges are considered less serious than felony charges. Several misdemeanors are specifically listed on Santa Barbara’s bail schedule. If a person sells, buys or possesses an unmarked firearm, for instance, their bail amount will be set at ten thousand dollars. A person who sells or possesses a tear gas weapon will face a $2,500 bail amount.

There is a preset bail amount of five thousand dollars if a person possesses, sells or manufactures a knife disguised as a lipstick tube, but most misdemeanor offenses are not specified in the bail schedule by anything other than the section of the law that they fall under. This county’s officials realize that weapons are a serious problem in the area, so weapons charges are all listed by name.

Felony Charges

Felony convictions usually bring with them at least one year in prison. Santa Barbara County takes felony charges very serious, but most all of these charges still have a preset bail amount. In fact, the only time the schedule mentions holding a person without bail is when they are being charged with a murder involving special circumstances.

A person accused of murder with no special circumstances is bailable at one million dollars. Even attempted murder carries with it a steep bail amount, but it is listed as $500,000, which makes it only half of the bail amount required for accused murderers. One crime that many people wouldn’t even know exists is using information on a sex offender website to commit a felony, which brings with it a $25,000 bail amount. This bail amount will of course be superseded by a higher bail amount if the felony committed has a higher amount listed.

Anyone who has ever been arrested knows that the situation is an extreme hardship. What you may not know is that the quickest way to accomplish your release is to contact Bail Hotline; with locations in all the major counties of California, their agents know the bail schedules and can have a person out of jail within a few hours. Santa Barbara County does take a harsh stance on crime, but their bail schedule ensures that jails do not become overpopulated due to minor offenders.

Click here for complete Santa Barbara County 2012 Bail Schedules.

Four years ago, a study surfaced which offered the statistic that one in every 100 U.S. adult citizens was currently either in a state prison or county jail. An even greater number of our citizens face arrest at some point in their lives. With predictions like these, it is important for every Ventura County resident to be aware that there are real ins-and-outs to the criminal justice system available to all.

Many people may, for instance, think that sitting in jail for 2-3 days waiting to have bail granted by a judge is the norm, but this is often not a necessity. Every jurisdiction in California has preset bail amounts that a person can pay to get out of jail before ever seeing a judge. In fact, Bail Hotline can have just about anyone released from jail within a few hours of his or her arrest.

What is a Bail Schedule?

The Ventura County bail schedule is set forth by the Superior Court of this county. The schedule has a nearly exhaustive list of crimes that a person may be accused of, along with their preset bail amounts. These amounts, if paid, will allow a person to wait for their trial outside of jail, allowing them to build a stronger case for their defense. This also allows the county to save money by not forcing it to house every person accused of a crime for a minimum of two days.

A person might obtain a lower bail if they wait to see a judge, but they would have to sit in jail and also face the possibility of a higher bail amount if the judge sees fit. Since bail bond agencies can only charge ten percent of the bail’s face amount, it is often wise to just get bonded out of jail as soon as possible.

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanors will usually have lower bail amounts than felony charges. Ventura County has a higher percentage of elderly residents than California’s average, so it is no surprise that the bail schedule specifically lists battery against an elderly person as a crime with a $10,000 dollar bail amount – the highest amount for misdemeanors. Assaulting a member of the military or a peace officer carries the same bail amount. There is even a specified bail of five thousand dollars for not reporting a crime that involves a child. Conducting animal fights also carries a bail amount of $5000. Many misdemeanors listed in Ventura County’s bail schedule are set for crimes that affect people and animals that cannot or should not have to defend themselves.

Felonies

Felonies usually carry higher bail amounts than misdemeanors due to the fact that their punishments are also more severe. One of the lower felony bail amounts, for instance, is $10,000 dollars for transferring an assault weapon to a minor. This bail amount is equal to the highest bail schedule for any misdemeanor. Other felony charges bring even more serious bail amounts. Intentionally discharging a firearm during the commission of a felony has a preset bail of $250,000 if it results in serious injury or death. Anyone who mutilates a female child’s genitalia, as some foreign religions sometimes dictate, will face a ten thousand dollar bail amount before being released. These felonies are serious offenses, but there are not many transgressions that would prevent a person from securing bail.

Many people, when arrested, think of nothing other than how fast they can get out. Luckily, the Ventura County bail schedule allows most people to post a preset bail amount instead of waiting for a judge. This is a win-win situation, as it saves the county a large amount of money in court costs while also allowing a defendant the freedom to prepare a proper defense. Knowing how the bail system works is a large part in getting out of jail as quickly as possible after an arrest, so contacting Bail Hotline should be your first move.

Click here for complete Ventura County 2012 Bail Schedules.