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Bail bonds are a tricky business. Most people don’t know how they work, how to get one, or even how much they cost. Today, we will discuss one important component of bail bonds: Co-signing. By the end of this post, you should know everything you need to know about setting up and becoming liable for a bail bond.
Bail bonds exist for one reason: To get people out of jail. The bail amount is set rather high for multiple reasons, though, which can put a lot of financial pressure on the person bailing someone out (the guarantor). As a guarantor, you will have certain responsibilities to make sure the accused does not miss the court date which, in most cases, will cause your collateral to be surrendered.
We have all heard about bail bonds from cop shows and movies, but how many of us have actually taken out a bail bond to get someone out of jail? That said, how much does bail actually cost?
Bail Hotline Bail Bonds pays a $1.2M forfeiture to the County of Los Angeles. The large payment must be made because a defendant failed to appear in court to face pending criminal charges.
After an exhaustive and unfruitful search for a defendant, Bail Hotline Bail Bonds has been ordered to pay Los Angeles County $1,240,000. When a Bail Bond company posts a bond for a defendant, that defendant is released into the custody of the agency—they take responsibility for presenting the defendant in court to face charges. “This is the largest forfeiture we have had to pay,” explained Daniel McGuire, CEO of Bail Hotline Bail Bonds. “Although the deadline for presenting the defendant to court has elapsed, our recovery partners will continue to search for Mr. Oscar Grijalva”
“Of course, paying the $1.2Million is going to sting, but it is part of the business. We conduct our due diligence, weigh the risks, and make our decisions on a case-by-case basis,” stated Pablo Fonseca, a director at Bail Hotline Bail Bonds. “Most of our clients are hard working people who made a mistake and need to be released to make it to work in the morning. Fewer than 10% of our clients fail to appear in court, and over half of those make later appearances and close their cases.”
In fact, a Department of Justice report published in 2007 stated that defendants released on their own recognizance failed to appear in court 26% of the time, versus 18% who are released and supervised by a bail bond company. Besides offering the county a lower number of FTA’s (failing to appear), bail bond companies bear all of the expense of monitoring and presenting the defendants to trial.
“Bail bond services are probably the most misunderstood portion of our legal system”, Mr McGuire continues. “We are a private company that serve over a thousand defendants in just about every county in California. We help get them back to their families, their jobs, and their attorney so that they may prepare for their trials. We bear the cost and responsibility of supervising these defendants, making sure they appear in court; and when they don’t appear, we pay the cost to get them back to court.”
About Bail Hotline Bail Bonds
With over 28 offices throughout all of California, Bail Hotline Bail Bonds offers thorough and quality assistance to individuals and families 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A family-owned and operated business, Bail Hotline strives to provide the best bail services in both minor and severe situations. If you cannot make it to one the bail bond offices, Bail Hotline’s mobile service can assist you. Call 1-888-958-1228 or fill out our form for more information.
To find a Bail Hotline Bail Bonds location nearest you, visit https://libertyimmigration.com.
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.
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky noted the realignment law, AB 109, currently mandates that inmates released since Oct. 1, 2011, can be placed on probation if their last offense was nonviolent, nonserious and nonsexual (N3).
Realignment does not consider an inmate’s entire criminal record – only their last offense.
“Just because the person’s last crime is a nonviolent crime doesn’t mean he’s nonviolent, (especially) if he’s had one, two, or 10 previous violent convictions,” Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said.
“That’s just plain stupid and it’s got to be changed,” he added.
Realignment is Brown’s way of fulfilling a Supreme Court order to ease the overcrowding in state prisons by releasing 30,000 inmates by June 2013.
Aside from making the county Probation Department responsible for supervising former inmates whose last crime was an N3, it also forced the Sheriff’s Department to jail those sentenced with N3 crimes since Oct. 1, 2011.
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.