Beverly Hills Bail Bonds

Spending time in jail after an arrest can be challenging. Anyone whose loved one has been arrested and placed under police custody would want to secure the loved one’s freedom as soon as possible. However, you could lack enough funds to post the cash bail the court determines at times. The best bet on this situation is engaging a bail bonds agency.

At 24 Hour Online Bail Bonds, we are one of the most reliable bonds agencies helping clients seeking bail bond services in Beverly Hills, CA. We understand that you’re in a challenging situation and want to resolve your situation as quickly as possible. Contact us today and learn how we can help you.

An Overview of Bail Bonding Process in California

Anyone arrested in Los Angeles or across California is entitled to bail. Bail guarantees that a defendant will appear in court once they are released. It works as a security deposit, meaning that it will be returned to the defendant if they show up in court. Failure to do so, the court will keep the money.

The decision to grant bail falls entirely on the judge. A judge can decide to release a defendant on their recognizance where no bail needs to be posted, deny bail, or choose to set bail. However, you should note that some crimes are not bailable, like crimes punishable by death.

Defendants can post bail in various ways. They can write a check for the total amount, hire a bail bonds agent or sign a promissory note if it’s a federal case. Some courts also accept properties like houses that are put directly as collateral.

The criteria used to determine whether to set bail or release a defendant is similar in the state, federal, or appellate cases. However, the processes used in these courts might vary. That’s why defendants should seek professional legal help to achieve the best results during the bail process.

In California, judges should consider several factors when setting, denying, or reducing bail. These factors include:

Whether the defendant is a flight risk.
The danger that the defendant poses to the community.
The severity of the crime.
The defendant’s prior criminal records.

There are circumstances where a court can deny cash bail if the origin of the funds is questionable. They might deny bail if they suspect that the funds are from a criminal enterprise, especially when a significant amount needs to be paid.

For instance, if you’re charged with embezzlement of a substantial amount or with drug trafficking and your friend affords to post a cash bail of $100,000, the court might be suspicious of the fund’s origin. It will require you to prove the source of the funds to accept the cash. Failure to do so, the court will not accept the cash bail.

How Judges Decide on The Bail Amount

Every county in California has a bail schedule that judges use to set bail amounts. The bail schedule only provides a standard amount that a judge should allow for specific crimes. However, judges can set a high or lower bail depending on the factors mentioned above.

As per the bail schedule, you should expect minor crimes to have a low amount while serious crimes carry a high bail amount.

How Bail Bond Work in California

Defendants can use bail bonds when they cannot afford to raise the required amount. In this case, our Beverly Hills Bail Bonds agency will post bail on behalf of the defendant. In essence, the bail bond company will be guaranteeing that they will pay the bail if the defendant doesn’t appear. In California, bail bonds can charge a non-refundable premium of up to 10% of the bail amount. This amount cannot be returned even if the defendant attends all court obligations.

What You Should Know About Federal Bonds

If you’re charged with a federal crime like drug trafficking or bank robbery, you’ll need to seek a federal bond to secure a release before your trial begins. This will require the defendant to appear before a judge to determine if the bail will be permitted.

Federal district court judges usually set higher bails than the scheduled state bonds. Apart from this, a bond may be more expensive due to the increased risk and complexity of federal bail bonding, meaning that you must provide collateral to secure it.

Apart from federal bail bonds, federal courts can grant the following types of bails:

Signature Bonds

Sometimes federal courts might set bail for a defendant and require a guarantee from someone who can meet the financial obligation. This is referred to as a signature bond or federal bond without jurisdiction. Therefore, there will be no collateral needed to guarantee the bond. The defendant only makes a personal promise to appear in court. If the defendant fails to appear in court, he violates the bail condition and pays in full.

Corporate Surety Bond or Federal Bail Bond

A federal bail bond or corporate surety bond works similarly to a state bail bond. It’s a financial guarantee that a defendant will appear in court guaranteed by an insurance policy written by a bail bond agency.

Additionally, the bond guarantees that the defendant will meet all conditions imposed on them when out of custody. For instance, a federal court can restrict a defendant from traveling to specific places, adhere to regular drug testing, and limit certain business activities as part of the release agreement.

For this reason, corporate surety bonds are not commonly used due to their risks. That’s why most bail bonds companies charge up to 15% of the bail amount and require defendants to set up collateral. They might need you to set a house that matches the equity of the entire amount as collateral.

Property Bonds in Federal Criminal Cases

Federal courts also accept the use of the property as a guarantee to appear in court. However, property bonds in federal cases are different from state criminal cases. Federal courts use no middlemen like bail bonds companies but require defendants to pledge their assets directly to the court.

How to Reduce Your Bail in California

Your bail makes a significant difference in whether you’ll be spending time in jail or not. It would help if you understood how to reduce your bail in California, despite seeking help from our Beverly Hills Bail Bonds agent. This will help you pay a lower premium amount while paying your bail. Here are different ways you can reduce your bail in California.

Making a Bail Reduction Applications at the Arraignment

Arraignments work as your first appearance in court. The judge uses this hearing to inform you about your charges and allow you to enter a plea. Your attorney can also use this opportunity to apply for a reduced bail release or a release on recognizance. Therefore, your attorney can use the following arguments or evidence to convince the judge to reduce your bail:

That you’re releasing won’t pose any danger to the community.
Your connection to the community through your job, social roles, and family ties.
Your adherence to past court obligations.
Lack of criminal history.

Seeking a Reduction Through a Bail Reduction Motion

Your attorney can also file a written motion to reduce your bail. Your attorney can argue that the judge had set a high bail contrary to your constitutional rights to merit the motion. The U.S Constitution prohibits the use of excessive bail. Since there’s no hard rule showing what would make a bail unreasonable, your attorney can use this opportunity to convince the judge that your bail was too high, contrary to your constitutional rights.

Reducing Your Bail Based on Change of Circumstances

California Penal Code 1289 allows change in bail when there’s a change in circumstance. Change in the event means a “good cause” for the reduction due to specific developments in your case. For instance, if a judge sets a high bail due to multiple charges, your attorney can seek a reduction of the bail if you dismiss some of the charges made against you.

However, you should note that a change in the cause in your case doesn’t mean that a judge will disagree with another judge’s decision. Therefore, your best chance of reducing your bail is at the arraignment or during the initial bail hearing.

Conditions in Bail Bond Release

Once the court sets a particular amount of bail or releases you on recognizance, it can impose certain conditions that you must follow. Your attorney can also suggest these conditions to convince the judge to reduce your bail. Some of these conditions include the following:

Placing you under house arrest with electronic monitoring.
Requiring you to use a Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM).
Expect you to surrender your driver’s license and passport.
Restricting you from leaving the state.
Prohibiting you from contacting the victim.
Prohibiting you from driving with a specific level of alcohol in your blood.

The Advantages of Choosing a Los Angeles County Bail Bonds Agency

It’s easy to identify the negatives of the bail bonding process. However, involving our Beverly Hills Bail Bond agents can help you achieve a lot. Here are a few reasons why choosing a bail bonds agent is better than paying a cash bail or posting a property bond.

Saves You Money

When you hire a bail bonds agent, you will only need to pay 10% of the bail amount and have the agent pay the rest. You’ll only be responsible for the entire amount if you don’t adhere to the court obligations. Saving money will help you focus on other aspects like hiring an attorney and maintaining your daily livelihood.

Avoids Liquidation of Your Assets

You might be forced to liquidate your assets to raise your bail. You might also be forced to make a complicated financial decision like refinancing your mortgage. You can avoid all this if you use a bail bonds agent.

Avoids Financial Investigation

Paying cash bail in large amounts can raise suspicion on the source of the money. Courts usually raise red flags on large sums of cash used to pay bail and order an investigation. These investigations can last for days and weeks, significantly slowing your release process.

Access to Legal Knowledge

Our Beverly Hills Bail Bonds agent knows the ins and out of the bail bonding process. This process can be complicated, especially if you’re a defendant for a first offense. Fortunately, bail bonds agents understand all these processes, which quickens your release from jail.

Maintains Confidentiality

Bail bonds agents understand the importance of confidentiality when a loved one is in jail. They will handle the situation with utmost confidentiality and honesty more than the court while posting cash bail.

Provides Flexible Payment Plans

A bail bonds agency can help you choose a payment plan that’s flexible to your financial capacity. You should discuss with the bonds company about your payment depending on the payment plan that they have to offer. They will work with you to create an arrangement that pays off the bond without putting a lot of strain on your budget.

There’s Less Embarrassment and Better Treatment

There are a lot of bad people in the criminal justice system. You can easily come across people who will treat you with contempt due to your illegal status. Apart from that, if you’ll be trying to use the traditional banking institutions to secure a cash bail, they can also mistreat you. This can also happen when you ask some of your relatives and friends to help you with your situation.

However, our Beverly Hills Bail Bonds agents will treat you with the respect that you deserve. They understand that you can make a mistake and can be imprisoned unjustly. A bail bonds agency can help you boost your morale not only by providing the money to get out of jail but by providing the self-respect you deserve.

It’s Better to Work with a Bail Bond Than Working Alone

As stated earlier, the criminal justice system is slow and can be incredibly complicated. A simple mistake can lead to more time in jail. Navigating the system alone can be cumbersome and confusing. Many people are probably trying to navigate this system, meaning that you would probably spend more time to complete this process.

However, using our Beverly Hills Bail Bonds agent, you can quickly go through the process and spend less time. With a bail bonds agent, you’ll be having one less hassle on your plate, which provides enough time and energy to focus on other things like your defense.

You Can Repay Your Bond in Many Ways

Bail bonds agencies employ different ways to pay back your premiums. You don’t have to rely on cash alone but can use debit or credit cards to make your payment. Some bail bonds agencies also allow online payment.

Types of Collateral in Bail Bonding

Bail bonds are used in place or in addition to money to secure a bail bond release for an arrested person. Bail bonding companies can use collateral to release clients with limited funds. These companies use collateral to ensure that they don’t incur any loss when a defendant doesn’t appear in court.

If an individual fails to appear in court, the bail bonds agent will seize the collateral to recover their losses. However, if a defendant meets all court obligations, the bail bonds agent will return the collateral to its owner. Here are several types of bail bonds that you can use.

Your Property

You can use your house as collateral if it provides enough equity to cover your bail amount. The property must have no lien on it to be acceptable in court. Make sure the property is recently appraised to know its actual value.

Vehicles

Vehicles can also be suitable collateral for a bail bond. You must prove its actual value before using it as your collateral, like your property. You will also have to transfer its legal ownership with the bail bonds agent.

Cash

Cash collateral is rarely used, but it is a good option for low bail amounts. Cash collateral is easy to transact since it involves an exchange of cash.

Credit Cards

A credit card can also be accepted as collateral. When using this as collateral, ensure that its credit limit exceeds or can accommodate your bail. You should also surrender its information to the bail bonds agents if you fail to appear in court.

Beverly Hills Jails and Courts Information

The process of tracking your loved one after an arrest can be tiring if you’re not familiar with the local jails. It can also be challenging locating where your loved one’s court trial will take place. Here are addresses for jails in Beverly Hills, CA, where you can look for your loved one after an arrest.

Beverly Hills Police Department

464 North Rexford Drive

Beverly Hills, CA 90210 United States

Phone: + 1 310-550-4951

Here is the address for the courthouse in Beverly Hills, CA, where your loved one will probably be prosecuted and charged.

Beverly Hills Courthouse

9355 Burton Way