Bail Bonds in San Jose, CA

Bail Bonds

When a person is incarcerated and booked for a serious crime, they must wait in jail until a bail hearing. In return, you will be allowed to walk free even if you are still undergoing trial for a criminal or civil charge. If the amount is too big, then the accused may have to remain behind bars up to the time he or she will be called in for the court hearing. A bail bondsman can post bail for you and get you out of jail.

What Exactly is a Bail Bond?

A bail bond is a guarantee presented by a bonding company so the accused may be released from jail and wait for their next court hearing outside of the bars. If the defendant flees or fails to attend the scheduled trial despite repeated summons, the court will forfeit the bond.

The bail bond is applicable to both criminal and civil charges.

A criminal bail bond is the type used in criminal cases. In this form of surety, the defendant has to present his or herself before the court during the trial and agree to pay the fines and penalties that come with the charge. If the defendant fails to show up in court during the trial date or violates the conditions for the jail release, the court can declare the bail bond forfeited. If you attend all your scheduled criminal proceedings as promised, and you are eventually acquitted, the bail amount will be returned to you.

Civil bail bonds are intended for civil cases. In this form of surety, there is guarantee that debts, interests and other costs charged against the defendant will be settled.

Should I Hire a Bail Bonds Agent?

A bail bondsman provides your biggest hope of not enduring a miserable time in jail at a time when you don’t have sufficient money to pay for your temporary freedom. A bail bond company usually charges a non-refundable fee of 10% of the bail amount. That is just fair, considering the risk the company is taking in putting up the bond.

Of course you still need to attend your court hearing. But now that you’re free on bail, you can appear before a judge in civilian clothes. This is assuming, of course, that your case is bailable.

Chances are, you will not want the court to form a bad opinion of you, so when you present yourself before a job, it pays a lot to look as professional as possible. A bail bondsman gives you the opportunity to dress the part and show the judge the other side of you.

For added convenience, they are also located near the courthouse so you can just walk in their office and state your intention.

The Bail Bonds Process Works This Way

Remember this: In case you get arrested and booked for an alleged crime, immediately demand for a lawyer to represent you and protect your rights. Also, call a trusted person to link you up with a bail agent to start the bail bonds process. A professional bail bondsman will never say no to the opportunity to lay down the facts about the bail process and clarify your issues in the course of doing so. Upon your approval of the deal, the bondsman will take care of handling all the formalities to secure your release.

Be prepared when you talk to the bondsman. Once the bail agent answered all of your questions to your satisfaction, the bail agent will handle all of the formalities necessary to get you or your loved one released from jail.

The bond will continue to be in force until the court hands down its ruling, or if the defendant is arrested for another offense or dies. After taking care of these preliminaries, the bondsman may now work on your jail release.

Using a bondsman to bail out yourself or someone you know is that simple, you can be out of jail and reunited with your loved ones in a matter of hours.

What Information Should I Have When Contacting a Bail Bondsman?

When contacting a bonding company, ensure you know:

• The full name of the defendant
• The name of the jail the defendant is incarcerated in
• The booking number
• The charges
• Any other relevant information you can think of

What Does a Bondsman Accept as Collateral?

In most cases, the bail bondsman will require collateral in the transaction. Nevertheless, this is also a common practice in the industry. Suffice to say that if the bondsman will think that something has value, it can be used as collateral.

Below are a few examples:

• Real estate
• Vehicles (land, sea, and air)
• Shares of stocks/securities
• Jewelry
• Electronics

And, here’s another thing, bail agents can make it even more affordable to you by offering you a payment plan that works for you.

Expect the bail agent to offer you a fair repayment plan that is within your means to pay. In this difficult moment of your life, the bail agent will help ease your concerns and simplify the bail bonds process for you. You are definitely not alone in your plight. Most bonding companies are open for business 24/7. Most of them are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.