Westminster Bail Bonds

You've probably heard that a particular person has been released on a particular amount of bail from the news or online. California laws allow certain arrestees to seek their freedom by posting bail with the court. Unfortunately, some people cannot afford to raise the required amount, especially when the amount is exceptionally high.

Luckily, you can secure your friend's or loved one's release by posting a bail bond. A bail bond agency will pay the required bail amount on your behalf to secure your release. At the 24 Hours Online Bail Bonds, we understand the challenges of an arrest and are ready to guarantee professional and helpful services without judgment. If you are arrested in Westminster, CA, or any other areas in Orange County, our agents are here to help. Contact us today for immediate assistance.

How Bail Bonds Are Defined in Westminster, California

Firstly, bail is an amount that defendants pay to the court to secure their release from jail until their trial. If a defendant cannot raise the required amount, they have to wait in jail until their court date. Finding another way to pay your bail can be tricky if you cannot raise the required cash. For instance, you might be required to post your property as bail, which can put your family at risk if you don't honor your requirements.

Therefore, posting a bail bond is the safest and easiest way to secure your freedom. Many people prefer this option since they only have to pay a small portion of the bail amount to the agency and have them pay the rest.

If you choose to hire our Westminster Bail Bonds agency, they will write down a contract highlighting everything you require. As part of the agreement, failure to meet your court obligation will make you responsible for the entire bail amount. That's why you should be careful with your decision to avoid putting yourself in a financial dilemma.

Many bail bond agents, including our Westminster Bail Bonds agents, are available twenty-four hours since arrests can happen any time. Some agents provide electronic means so that defendants and cosigners can make their payments and post the bail amount within the shortest time possible. The paperwork is a contract between the person posting the bail and the bail bond agency.

You must be careful when signing the contract. It discusses what type of collateral you'll be putting in line, what they expect from you, the percentage required for premium payment, and other requirements.

Under California laws, bail bond agents should charge a maximum of 10% of the bail amount as their premium rates. However, some can go to as low as 7% or lower depending on factors like:

Being a member of the military
Owning a home
Being a union member
Being a county, state, or federal employee
The presence of legal representation

Once you're released from jail, the bail bond agents will notify you about your court date. They will also be given a receipt proving your payment and all paperwork associated with your release. All these processes can take quite some time based on how busy the jail is that you are held in.

What happens next depends on whether the defendant will appear in court or not after being released. If the defendant fails to show in court, the court will forfeit the bail bond. Consequently, the bail bonds agent will use the defendant's collateral to recover their losses.

If the defendant appears in court, the court will dissolve the bail and return it to the person who posted it.

Look at the following example to understand how a bail bond works in California.

John is arrested, and the court sets a bail of $10,000 for his release. He wants to be released from jail but doesn't have the required amount in cash. So he asks our Westminster Bail bonds agents to help him get out of jail.

Our agents will require John to post $1,000 as the premium amount, thus releasing him from jail. For the remaining $9,000, John secures collateral with the family car.

As long as John honors the required court dates, our bail bonds agent will not require any more money since the bail bond will be dissolved as soon as John's case concludes. Therefore, John will get his $9,000 worth collateral back, and the bail bonds agent will keep the $1,000 as profit.
Assuming that John doesn't appear in court, our agent will have to pay the remaining $9,000 to the court. They will then use John's collateral to recover their losses.

Everything You Should Know About Bail Hearing in Westminster, California

It's crucial to learn about bail hearings. This is when the court decides on the amount to demand as bail for a defendant's release. The judge usually examines the details of a case and the nature of the crime committed while deciding on the bail amount.

Judges have to refer to bail schedules posted with the jail when deciding how much money to demand a defendant's release. The schedule sets a standard for how much money should be posted depending on the crime. These schedules vary depending on the jurisdiction where an arrest has been made. Therefore, if you're arrested in Westminster, you should expect the judge to refer to the Orange County bail schedule.

The bail hearing works as the first formal appearance to court after a defendant has been held in custody. The judge will look at factors like whether the case was drug-related, violent, non-violent, and the defendant's history while deciding how much bail the defendant should pay.

The judge will also consider whether you pose any danger to society while awaiting your trial. It is crucial to secure a criminal defense lawyer to have the opportunity to negotiate a lower bail amount or have you released on recognizance.

A release on your recognizance means that you will only have to sign a written agreement with the court promising that you'll abide by the restrictions provided by the court. You don't have to pay any amount, meaning that you will save hundreds or thousands of dollars. However, if you're released without paying bail, you will be required to abide by certain conditions. The court can still impose these conditions if your attorney requests them to reduce your bail. Some of these orders are as follows:

Release to a partner, community member, or friend who will ensure that you attend your court proceedings
Maintaining phone, text, or online check-ins with local authorities
Staying away from an alleged victim
Abiding by particular driving restrictions or prohibitions
Mandatory attendance of Alcohol Anonymous meeting
Installation of an Ignition Interlock Device if you're accused of DUI
Mandatory attendance of substance abuse, alcohol, or mental health treatment
Electronic monitoring
Home detention
Travel restrictions
Adhering to a residential treatment program

Please note, the court can only release you on recognizance if you're prosecuted with a misdemeanor. In most cases, the court doesn't recognize felony, violent, or gang-related crimes as recognizance bonds.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Bail Bonds Company in Westminster, California

Finding the right bail bonds company should be your priority when you're seeking to post a bail bond for your loved one. Doing so will help you know whether a particular bail bond company is trustworthy and which you shouldn't trust. Here are a few details to help you settle on the best bail bonds company.

Take Note of their Reviews

When a loved one is in jail, you'll probably be high in emotions, and finding a trustworthy bail bond agent can be stressful. The quickest way to narrow down on a reliable agent is by reading all the reviews posted about the companies at your disposal. Many agents post what their customers say about them online and on their websites. Therefore, this will not be too much hustle for you.

As you're reading these reviews, ask yourself these questions to make your decision more refined:

Were the company's previous customers happy or satisfied with their experience?
Did the customer feel that the bail bonds company provided a reasonable premium charge?
How quickly did the company secure the defendant's freedom?
Do the clients say that the company was available when the clients called?

Once you've answered these questions, you can confidently find a company that meets your expectations.

Evaluate their Repayment Options

Before deciding on a particular company, ensure that you're hiring an honest company and upfront with their charges and payment options. It can be devastating when you've worked hard to secure your loved one's freedom only to realize that the bail bond agent is hiding crucial details about their premium percentages and how they accept their payments.

Remove any company from your list that's unclear about their payment option. You'd be doing yourself a favor avoiding a company that's beating around the bush rather than end up regretting when it's too late.

Ensure that you cover the topic of their repayment options when making your initial call. Our Westminster Bail Bonds Agents are of integrity, understand your situation, and aren't trying to capitalize on it. Their payment options are flexible to their clients, so you don't have to worry about this.

Beware of Their Hours of Operation

The majority of arrests happen at night. Therefore, you'll probably have to secure your loved one's freedom anytime they are arrested. That's why you should find a company that operates anytime. As our name suggests, our Westminster Bail Agents are available 24 hours, seven days a week, and are ready to help you secure your loved one's freedom anytime.

Look for a Company that Maintains Good Communication

You probably don't know anything about the bail bond process. Therefore, you should hire a bail bond agency that offers insight to you and your loved one. Ask your preferred agent how they would help you understand the bail bond process a bit better and what you should expect throughout the bail process.

Find an Accountable Company

While reviewing a bail bond company's reputation, find a company with a history of being accountable. Your preferred bail bonds agent is responsible for ensuring your loved one's freedom. Therefore, it would be much better to find an agency that has established a good track record of success.

What You Should Know About Collaterals in Bail Bonding

Before you get your loved one out of jail, the first thing that comes into mind is probably the cost and how much you can manage to pay. Many people assume that credit card payments, debit cards, or cash are the only means to make your payment. The truth is that bail bond agents accept collateral bonds. Here are a few things you should know about collateral in bail bonds.

You Can Use Different Types of Collateral

The first thing you need to know is what you should use as collateral for your bail bond. Many bail bonds agents accept collateral in the form of property, homes, vehicles, and in some cases, jewelry, gold, and silver coins.

Our Westminster Bail Bonds Agent also accepts various types of savings and investment accounts. Ensure that you get a list of acceptable collaterals from your preferred company before you sign your agreement.

Every Agent Has Different Collateral Requirement

There are specific requirements that a client must meet while using non-cash collateral to secure a bail bond. These requirements deal with proving ownership and transfer of property ownership intended to be used as collateral.

For instance, if you want to use your house as collateral, you must show its deed to prove that you're its legal owner. The deed must show no tax liens on the property, meaning it's free and clear.

If you're planning to use other types of properties, you should ensure that they are in good condition and there are no pending ownership cases associated with them.

You Might Require a Cosigner

Bail bonds agencies allow defendants to use cosigners to post their properties as collateral if they don't have one. This is similar to when someone else gives you money for your bond. When someone puts up their property on your behalf, you should understand that they become cosigners to the bail bond.

The cosigner should also prove ownership of the property, just like you could have done with yours. They must provide a deed or title of the property.

Your Collateral is Deemed to be Returned

Many people are cautious of what would happen to their properties once they use them as collateral. However, as long as the defendant appears in court, the collateral will be safe and returned once the case is complete. Unfortunately, if the defendant doesn't appear in court, the bail bonds company will seize the property to recover their money.

What You Should Know About Cosigners

No one would want to leave their friends or relatives to spend time in jail. Fortunately, you can help secure your loved one's freedom by securing a bail bond. If you have never done this before, you probably have a lot of questions that require answering. Here is a detailed explanation of what you should know about cosigning a bond.

Definition of Cosigning a Bond

Firstly, you must understand what it means to cosign a bond to understand what you're getting yourself into much better. Cosigning is a standard industry practice where a bonds agent requires a third person to cosign for a bail application. A cosigner is usually the person who enters into a contract, known as an indemnity agreement, which obligates them to pay the entire amount of bail when the court forfeits it.

Cosigner's Obligation

The cosigner's primary role in a bail bond release is to witness the truthfulness of the information provided by the defendant. They also assume the contractual responsibility of agreeing to repay a bail bond company and failing to appear in court.

Since there's a high degree of trust impacted on a defendant by the cosigner, our Westminster Bail Bonds agents require cosigners to be someone who's close to the defendant and has financial solvency.

Westminster, CA Jail and Court Information

It’s recommended to know both jails and courts information in Westminster, CA to easily track your loved one while in custody and know where your court hearings will take place. Here are the addresses of jails in Westminster, CA.

Phone: + 1 714-647-4666

Westminster Police Department

8200 Westminster Blvd

Westminster, CA 92683 United States

Phone: + 1 714-898-3315

Fountain Valley Jail

10200 Slater Avenue

Fountain Valley, CA 92708 United States

Phone: + 1 714-593-4483

Here are addresses to courthouses in Westminster, CA.

West Justice Center

8141 13th Street

Westminster, CA 92683

Phone: + 1 657-622-5900

Municipal Court Criminal Division

8141 13th St.