Bail Bond Industry

Those who have had an arrest warrant issued in their name probably know the outcome, but it’s possible that they don’t fully understand the mechanism of the warrant. Knowing the way warrants work, however, is an important piece of information that a defendant or their family members need to know. At heart, an arrest warrant is simply a document authorizing law enforcement to arrest an individual and bring them to court, but in reality, it is much more.

What’s Involved in the Issuance of an Arrest Warrant

An arrest warrant is easily obtainable by a prosecuting attorney, but this doesn’t mean that certain rules aren’t involved. For instance, the prosecutor must file a complaint with a superior court magistrate in the county where the alleged offense is to be tried. At this point, the magistrate must review the complaint and decide whether or not enough evidence exists to prosecute.

If the magistrate deems it appropriate, they will issue an arrest warrant for the person against whom the complaint was filed. At this point, law enforcement officials have the right to seek out the person in question and affect an arrest. This, in effect, begins the process of a criminal trial.

Can an Arrest Warrant be Avoided?

Complaints can be filed without the knowledge of an alleged offender, so there’s not much that they can do to keep an arrest warrant from being initiated. The prosecutor, however, may request that the magistrate issue a summons in place of an arrest warrant. This summons is simply a demand that a person appear in court at a certain time and place.

Ignoring a summons can lead to the issuance of a bench warrant. It’s important to note, however, that prosecutors may not actually have any discretion in the issuance of a summons or arrest warrant. In California, for instance, a summons can’t be substituted for an arrest warrant if the alleged crime involved a firearm, violence, resisting arrest or any of several other potential circumstances.

What You Should do once a Warrant is Issued?

There are a few actions a person should take if an arrest warrant has been issued in their name. First, it’s imperative to speak with an attorney. Next, it’s a good idea to contact an expert bail agent at Bail Hotline. In certain cases a bond agency may be able to sign off on an individual’s bond immediately so that they can avoid going to jail at all.

Even those detained in other counties, who were only detained due to the arrest warrant, can request to stand before a magistrate in that county to provide the bail that would be owed in the county where the warrant was issued. At this point, the accused would simply be given a court date.

While it’s true that an individual can ignore an arrest warrant if they want, that simple fact isn’t going to make it go away. A person who tries their best to avoid arrest, while knowing there’s a warrant out in their name, will have to constantly look over their shoulder. And in reality, an arrest warrant is a lot like Vegas; the house is always going to win. Anyone facing an arrest warrant would do well to make bail quickly and find an experienced attorney. 

Over a decade has passed since four brothers created Bail Hotline Bail Bonds with the intentions of changing the perception of the bail bonds industry. Bail Hotline® bail bond services now stretch the length and breadth of California, with over 26 branches strategically located in thirteen counties.

Bail Hotline’s dedicated team works hard to provide the California legal community with a dependable, flexible and efficient partner – making certain that each client receives the detailed attention they deserve. CEO Daniel McGuire adds, “Bail Hotline® Bail Bonds is committed to the highest standards of integrity, reliability, and service to our community. Bail Hotline® prides itself in being worthy of our customer’s trust, by helping families though difficult moments and assuring our customers they are our top priority.”

From its inception, Bail Hotline® challenged the norm in an industry normally thought of as stark, secretive and less than forthright – assuring that every branch offered defendants and their families not only empathetic and knowledgeable agents, but also a bright and inviting environment in which to handle these otherwise stressful issues.

Bail Hotline® has effectively redefined the role of the bail bondsman within its organization. Our agents are specialized on the business of writing and underwriting bail bonds. The offices are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that produces the most expedient results regarding locating your clients and obtaining the necessary information to have them home safely, and payment plans are customized to make bail affordable for all – with a 2% discount offered to clients that have retained a private defense counsel, active military and union members.

“As attorneys, your clients have placed their utmost trust in you,” says McGuire, “and you can count on our team to handle their bail process with integrity and professionalism every time! Register here for Bail Hotline’s new Attorney Resources program – and prepare to raise your expectations.”

About Bail Hotline® Bail Bonds

Bail Hotline® is a family owned bail bonds company that has helped defendants, throughout California, post bail for many years. With statewide coverage of knowledgeable bail bonds agents, flexible payment options, and superior resources, Bail Hotline® provides fast and confidential bail bonds services 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

When your friend or loved one calls to say they’ve been arrested, it’s a frightening and helpless feeling. You want to do something, as fast as you can. You want to be able to turn to a bail bondsman that you can trust to arrange a release, as quickly and affordably as possible. At Bail Hotline, you can rest assured that we have your best interests at heart, and will make certain that you get through the process as comfortably as possible.

Location, Location, Location

Not only is it important that a bonding agency is within reasonable driving distance, for easy access day or night, but also that we are near the police stations or jails at which the accused is being held. At Bail Hotline we can even come to you, if you are unable to make it to our offices.

With more than 25 locations throughout the state of California, and over 200 employees to serve you, we stand ready to give you the attention you deserve – just when you need it. The first Bail Hotline office opened in downtown Riverside more than 10 years ago, and our newest locations celebrated their grand opening recently in Los Angeles and San Jose, California. Visit this page for a full list of Bail Hotline locations.

You Work Hard for Your Money

The going rate, and maximum by state law, for non-federal bail bonds is 10% of the bail face amount. At Bail Hotline, we offer 8% premiums when the defendant is a union member, is active military, or has hired a private attorney. We also offer zero down payment plans – because, after all, bailing someone out of jail isn’t something you plan for.

The Truth and Nothing But

When your friend or family member is behind bars, it’s stressful to say the least. You’re going to be distracted and not thinking at the top of your game. The last thing you need is an inexperienced or unscrupulous company telling you only what they think you want to hear. At Bail Hotline, we operate with the same values and obligations as we would with those closest to us, because we are a family-owned and operated business. Honesty, reliability, transparency and fairness are at the very foundation of Bail Hotline.

The Extra Mile

You can also find more helpful information at your fingertips, right here on our Bail Hotline site:

Inmate Search – Click on the county where the inmate was arrested to easily locate your friend or loved one.

Department of Insurance – Is your chosen bail agent legally able to post your bail in California?

Realignment is a hot topic in California right now. Los Angeles County leaders want changes to California’s realignment law so violent criminals released from state prison are monitored by armed parole officers.

Monterey County – The Herald

LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles County leaders want changes to California’s realignment law so violent criminals released from state prison are monitored by armed parole officers.

The Pasadena Star-News (http://bit.ly/T8SsHf) says the Board of Supervisors was reacting Tuesday to the quadruple killings outside a San Fernando Valley boarding house earlier this month.

The board directed county staff to report next month on the wording of proposed changes to the realignment law, AB 109.

The realignment was Gov. Jerry Brown’s way of fulfilling a Supreme Court order to ease state prison overcrowding.

The law calls for releasing 30,000 inmates by June 2013 and it mandates that inmates released since October 2011 can be placed on probation if their last offense wasn’t serious, violent or sexual in nature.

Information from: Pasadena Star-News, http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/

Supervisors demand realignment changes after Northridge quadruple homicide

Saying it might have preempted the recent quadruple murders in Northridge, the Board of Supervisors demanded changes Tuesday to Gov. Jerry Brown’s public safety realignment law so violent criminals released from state prison are monitored by armed parole officers, instead of merely being placed on probation.

Judges from throughout the country are reportedly saying they believe commercial bail continues to be the most effective option when it comes to pretrial release.

A recent survey conducted found that more than 90% of judges polled believe bail continues to play an integral part within the criminal justice system.  In addition, more than 95% of respondents cited a stronger confidence a defendant released via commercial bail would show up for mandatory court appearances.  They went onto say that confidence was markedly reduced when it came to defendants released via pretrial services or on their own recognizance (OR).

Studies have consistently shown that the skip rate for defendants released via commercial bail is far less than those released through other means.  This is largely due to the need for a friend or family member to cosign the bail bonds paperwork and take responsibility the defendant will go to court.  If the defendant fails to appear and cannot be returned to the system within 180 days, the person who signed the paperwork and the bondsman who posted the bond will be required to pay the full bail amount as a penalty.  This is a fairly strong motivator when it comes to making sure the defendant does what they need to do in order to resolve their case.

Nearly a third of judges polled said they had little to no confidence a defendant released via other means would appear in court when required.

Every jurisdiction and state in America has been fighting to lower crime rates in the areas where they live. Many regions have been successful in this so-called war on crime; other areas have some improving to do.

California politicians and law enforcement officials are quick to claim that the crime rate in their state has been continuously going down. It turns out that this statement is mostly true, but the overall crime rate doesn’t really give the facts about specific crimes. A large drop in one crime can affect the whole crime rate, but that doesn’t mean that the rate of another crime decreased as well.

Burglary and Robbery

Burglary and robbery are two crimes that have the potential of emotionally scarring a person for life. Both of these crimes occur far more frequently than crimes like murder and rape, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t on a downward trend. California keeps records of each instance of a crime, but it is more important to go by the number of crimes committed per one hundred thousand citizens. This allows the rate to take population growth into account.

The burglary rate in California dropped by fifty percent between 1994 and 2010. The rate was 1222.5 per 100,000 residents in 1994, and it dropped all the way down to 614.3 by 2010. A similar drop occurred in robberies committed in the state. Robbery rates were more than cut in half during the same 16-year period. The robbery rate was 356.8 per 100,000 residents in 1994 and plummeted to 156 per 100,000 by the end of 2010. Regardless of the trends of other crimes during this time, robbery and burglary rates obviously helped bring down the crime rate in general.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence laws in California encompass a large spectrum of citizens. Any person who abuses a cohabitant, spouse, person they’re dating or person they’ve had a child with is guilty of domestic violence. This holds true for any person who formally had one of the aforementioned rolls.

Domestic violence is another crime that seems to have taken a steep decline. In 2000 there were around 197,000 calls to the police for domestic violence; by 2010 this number had dropped to around 166,000. In this same period of time the population of California grew by around four million people, so the domestic violence rate in the state significantly dropped.

All Violent Crimes

Crimes are listed as either violent or property offenses. Violent crimes are of course the ones that most people worry about, so knowing whether these crimes are decreasing or not is very important to California citizens. As it turns out, the violent crime rate has dropped, along with the property crime rate. The violent crime rate topped out around 1,100 per 100,000 residents in 1992. Eighteen years later that rate had dropped all the way to 440.6. This nearly one-third cut in the violent crime rate is evident with many Californian citizens feeling much safer in their cities and towns.

It would appear as if California’s war on crime has been pretty effective. The overall property and violent crime rates have been decreasing over the past few decades. The crimes that most people worry about are contributing to this substantial drop by decreasing in occurrence every year. There will likely be many politicians who try to take credit for this dramatic decrease, but the most important thing is the fact that the rate is definitely dropping. 

 Knowing the ins-and-outs of the criminal justice system can benefit everybody regardless of their lifestyle. This is severely evident by the fact that there have been 297 people convicted of crimes, imprisoned and then later exonerated after work from The Innocence Project proved their innocence. There have even been people released from death row after this work. This goes to show that even innocent people should know the inner workings of the law.

One thing that everyone should know is that it isn’t necessary to wait in jail to receive bail from a judge. If you’ve been arrested in Santa Clara County, contact either the San Jose or Martinez Bail Hotline locations to find out if you’re bail-eligible without stepping a foot into a courtroom.

What is a Bail Schedule?

Santa Clara County’s bail schedule was decided upon by the county’s superior court. The schedule has a long list of offenses that a person may be charged with, and a preset bail amount related to each of those charges. The bail amounts may seem high, due to the fact that America has some of the highest bail amounts in the civilized world. However, bail bond agencies in California can actually secure a person’s release with only a fee of 10% of their preset bail amount. This can also preempt a judge from raising your bail amount after considering the facts of the specific case.

Specific Bail Amounts

Santa Clara County’s 2012 bail schedule lists numerous crimes and, as to be expected, some of them are so heinous that the County considers them unbailable; first and second degree murder are two of these. Then there are other crimes that do have a preset bail amount, but that amount is so high that it is obvious the county doesn’t want the accused back on the streets. Possessing or using weapons of mass destruction, for instance, will garner a person a one million dollar bail amount. These crimes are extreme examples of how harsh bail amounts can be, but there are many with relatively low bail in exchange for your freedom while awaiting trial.

Vandalism is one crime for which bail isn’t excessively high. It’s set at one-thousand dollars, which means a person could actually get out of jail with only $100 using a bail bond agent. A person who impersonates a peace officer in Santa Clara County faces a bail amount a bit more severe, requiring a $5,000 bail amount, as does someone who unjustifiably abandons his or her spouse. Just because these crimes don’t require a million dollar bail amount, does not mean they are not taken seriously within the county. Santa Clara County takes crime very seriously. It actually has one of the most inclusive and specific bail schedules in the entire state of California.

With the use of a bail bond agent and the county’s bail schedule, it is possible to get out of jail within just a few hours and refrain from missing any work. Time outside of jail is every defendant’s friend, whether or not they are guilty. Quickly securing your freedom will ensure you have the most time possible to contact a lawyer and prepare your defense, and return to the family that depends upon you.

 Most people who wind up charged with a crime in the criminal justice system have no frame of reference about exactly how to handle the situation. This is most evident when a person notices that a great majority of cases are plea-bargained out as opposed to defended. In many cases, a person who is arrested believes that they must sit in jail until they are granted bail by a judge, but this is hardly the case.

Every county within California, including Riverside, has a bail schedule that allows most of those arrested for crimes to get out of jail before ever standing in a courtroom. This can be affordably expedited by contacting any one of four convenient Riverside County Bail Hotline locations, with an agent who can secure a defendant’s release for only ten percent of the preset bail amount.

Who Benefits from Bail Schedules?

Bail schedules are legal documents created and approved by the Superior Court of every California County. These schedules have a nearly all-inclusive list of crimes, with a corresponding preset bail amount for most of them. The bail schedule is actually beneficial for the county, as well; money is saved by not having to house as many accused offenders for the 2 days it usually takes them to see a judge.

Defendants can also benefit from bail schedules by getting out of jail more quickly, and being able to start preparations for their defense. Having their freedom while waiting for a court date also allows them to not miss any time at work and handle all of their obligations. These preset bail amounts are usually high, depending on the charge, but bail bond premiums in California are set at no more than ten percent of the bail face amount.

Bail for Crimes In Riverside County

Most crimes on the Riverside County Bail Schedule have preset amounts – a good thing of which to take advantage. Once a person stands before a judge, there is a chance that bail can be disallowed due to the circumstances of a case; or the bail chosen at the bench could also be much higher than the minimum shown in the schedule.

There are, of course, certain circumstances where bail cannot be posted before seeing a judge. A murder involving special circumstances or any felony where a person has threatened another with great bodily harm will lead to a person being denied bail.  One crime that stands out in the Riverside County bail schedule is the crime of assaulting the President or another government official. Though such a crime against the President would be a federal one, the preset bail amount stipulated on the schedule is still $100,000.

A person arrested for a fourth or subsequent DUI also faces a harsh bail amount, which will be a minimum of fifty thousand dollars. One surprising bail amount listed is for the charge of having a weapon on school grounds – even with the tragic consequences that could occur due to this crime, the bail is still only set at $5,000. There is even a section of Riverside County’s bail schedule that gives bail amounts for crimes that aren’t listed, based on the maximum sentence a person can receive for their crime.

It is important for anyone accused of a crime to remember that every minute spent in jail is time away from his or her obligations to work and family. It is also very difficult to prepare a decent defense from a jail cell. Anyone arrested should contact a Bail Hotline agent as soon as possible and then seek the counsel of an appropriate attorney as soon as they are released.

Download a pdf copy of Riverside County’s 2012 Bail Schedule here.

Any crime that ends in the arrest of a person is serious in one way or another. A few of these crimes require the state to hold a person in jail while awaiting trial in the interest of public safety, but the vast majority of crime does not fall into this category. San Bernardino County, just like every other county in California, has a way to weed through these differences in offenses. It would cost the county far too much to house every defendant for the two days it usually takes to stand before a judge for a bail hearing.

Each county has a bail schedule that allows most offenders to get out of jail before ever seeing a judge. The bail amounts for this offense can be very high, but all defendants can contact one of three San Bernardino County Bail Hotline locations to determine whether or not they are eligible to be released – and for how much less their bond can be achieved.

Definition of a Bail Schedule

Bail schedules are legal documents put forth by the Superior Court in each California county, that list almost every crime that could be committed and a corresponding preset bail amount. This means the accused can either pay the full amount or have a bail bond agency get them out for a fraction of that fee. Many people choose to wait for their bail hearing, either out of ignorance of the law or in hope that their bail amount will be lowered. It is true that judges have the option to reduce a specific bail amount, but this usually only happens after the accused has been in a county jail’s general population for a few days. Unfortunately, the courts can also increase these bail amounts once the defendant gets in front of a judge, so it is a gamble either way.

Crimes Listed on the Schedule

The list of crimes in San Bernardino County’s bail schedule is nearly exhaustive, and there are even instructions on bail amounts for crimes that aren’t included on the list. A crime that carries a maximum jail time of six months, for example, will require a $5,000 dollar bail. Other crimes carry stiffer penalties. Cultivating or processing peyote, for example, will require a $25,000 dollar bail amount. Doctors in the county can even face stiff penalties – any doctor who writes an unnecessary prescription for a controlled substance will face a bail amount of $25,000. Though these penalties seem stiff, they are not the worst that could happen.

There are charges that have bail amounts intentionally so steep that it is quite obvious the county is making every effort to keep the accused in jail. If a person were to kidnap another for the purpose of ransom they would face a bail amount of one million dollars. Using an explosive device with the intent to kill another also brings with it a one million dollar bail amount. Some crimes, on the other hand, are so intense that the county will not allow bail. Using force to escape from prison is unbailable, as is a murder with special circumstances – both require the accused to wait in jail until their trial.

San Bernardino County takes crime and the safety of its residents very seriously. The most dangerous offenders do not have the option to get out on bail, and even lesser offenses often carry bail amounts high enough to prevent dangerous felons from getting back out onto the street. Fortunately, the county recognizes that not all crimes reach this magnitude and most offenders are allowed to get out of jail before seeing a judge, which lets them return to job and family while the county saves money on their room and board in the meantime.

Click here to download a pdf of San Bernardino’s 2012 Bail Schedule.

Every county in California makes an effort to keep dangerous criminals off of the street. On the other hand, available jail space is a definite issue. And so, there are times in which people accused of certain crimes are allowed to utilize preset bail amounts to secure their freedom while awaiting trial.

In these cases, the accused has the option to get bailed out of jail before ever seeing a judge. Monterey County’s bail schedule allows for this possibility, by providing defendants with presumptive bail amounts that they can post. A simple call to Bail Hotline’s Salinas location in Monterey County will quickly let you know if your charges qualify for a preset bail.

Bail Schedules

A bail schedule is a county’s list of crimes and the preset bail amount that applies to each of those crimes, set forth by their Superior Court. If you do wait for a hearing or arraignment, the judge does have the option to lower the bail amount that is required for your release.  Of course, if a bail agent posts your bond, the ten percent fee that is charged is always going to be lower than any bail the judge imposes.

Keep in mind that the court also has the option to raise a bail amount once the judge has considered any aggravating circumstances to your case. Monterey County’s bail schedule has a nearly exhaustive list of crimes, and most of these will list a bail amount that allows a person to await trial outside of jail.

Specific Crimes

Various listed crimes on a bail schedule carry very different bail amounts. Some offenses actually carry no bail amount, and they require the defendant to await trial inside of jail; such as treason, derailing a train and second-degree murder of a peace officer where there was an intent to kill. The majority of other crimes carry a specified bail amount. If a person carjacks another person, and doesn’t allow the victim to leave the car, it is considered kidnapping during a carjacking – and carries a one million dollar bail amount. Another stiff bail amount is given to those who conspire to commit any type of murder, a charge that will also bring a one million dollar bail.

Not all charges are penalized which such severity. For instance, transporting a BB gun into a local or state public building will require a bail amount of between $7,500-$15,000. The varied amounts are because the crime is considered a “wobbler” – one that can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor at the prosecutor’s discretion. Another example of a lesser bail required is committing a firearm offense with a stolen firearm. The bail amount for committing any offense of this type, with knowledge that the firearm used was stolen, will require a twenty-five thousand dollar bail.

Monterey County takes crime just as seriously as any other California county, but they understand that not every criminal needs to be housed and fed at their expense – when the accused is merely waiting for a judge to set their bail amount. The county ends up saving money because of the bail schedule – while at the same time, defendants are able to return to their jobs and families with the freedom to assist in preparing their defense.