California Bail Bond Information

Helping You Understand the Complexities of the Process

The Bail Boys provides fast, reliable bail bonds services throughout Southern California. No matter when your loved one has been arrested or your financial situation, we can work hard to find a solution to meet your needs and budget. We recognize how confusing and stressful this experience may be, which is why we will take the time to explain the process.

While we’ll ensure you have an understanding of the steps involved in getting your loved one out of custody, we’ll take care of all the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on reuniting with your friend or family member. Our team will draft the paperwork, submit it to the appropriate agency, and handle all other formalities. We can process a case in about 20 minutes. Once we have things completed on our end, it’ll take about 4 to 8 hours before your loved one’s released (depending on the detention center’s resources).

At The Bail Boys, we:

Contact The Bail Boys

The bail bonds process has a lot of moving parts. Our team knows the intricacies of this system well. We can answer your questions, address your concerns, and skillfully guide you every step of the way.

We have convenient locations throughout Southern California and are ready to help. Contact us at (800) 798-7366.

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Friendly, Supportive, and Effective!

“Amparo really made the process clear and smooth and efficient! Navigating the system can be tough, but not with the help of Bail Boys! So grateful for their professionalism and efficiency! Why go…”

— Jay
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Jessica-Amparo is a lifesaver and an angel

“A family member of mine was unfortunately taken to jail. I was asked to help bail them out. I have never dealt with this process and I was overwhelmed. Jessica/Amparo was the person on the other end of…”

— Eileen
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Grateful

“I am so grateful for the Bail Boys Bail Bonds. When I was arrested I need to post bail. I just pick a number from the wall, but who knew that was the best decision I made that day. When I called…”

— Brad
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They were so quick and efficient.

“I have never worked with such a professional person as that of Jamie Jeldes. I was so nervous and he was so patient with me. Also, he made it so easy for me. I'm not very good using my phone and he…”

— Happy Client
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I would recommend Bail Boys to anyone.

“Kudos👍👍to the Bail Boys!!! Just want to say thanks to our representative Jessica for making the process smooth, explaining everything upfront clearly. I would recommend Bail Boys to anyone who's looking…”

— Happy Client

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What Is Bail?

Bail is an amount of money a defendant must pay to get released from jail after an arrest. Essentially, it serves two purposes.

First, it helps ensure that a person is not sitting behind bars for a lengthy amount of time. Depending on a court’s schedule, it could be days, months, or even years before a criminal case concludes. Because people charged with crimes are presumed innocent, if bail wasn’t available, an innocent person, in essence, could be “punished” for an alleged offense. In a way, bail rectifies this injustice.

The Bail Boys assists hundreds of people each year through the bail bonds process, and we have seen cases where individuals were found to have been falsely accused. We are happy to have helped them secure release from police custody while awaiting trial. Without our assistance, their freedoms may have been restricted even though they didn’t do anything wrong.

The second purpose of bail is to ensure that defendants show up for all scheduled court appearances. When a person is charged with a crime, they have a constitutional right to face their accuser and challenge the accusations made against them. To ensure that their rights are protected, they must stand trial (or negotiate a plea bargain) to answer for their crime. Bail serves as insurance that required legal processes take place.

What Is the Bail Process?

Technically, the bail process begins after a person has been arrested, fingerprinted, and has had their mugshot taken. After being booked, the defendant will be scheduled for a bail hearing.

During the bail hearing, a judge will decide whether or not to set bail and at what amount to put it at.

To determine the bail amount, the judge will ask:

How serious is the crime the defendant’s accused of?
Does the defendant have a criminal history?
Does the defendant have a family they have to take care of?
Does the defendant have a job?
What are the defendant’s community ties?
Is the defendant a danger to the alleged victim or community?
Is the defendant likely to leave town before their case is finished?

The more severe the case is, the higher bail will be.

After bail is set, the defendant does not necessarily have to pay it. They can choose to remain in custody until their case is resolved.

However, there are many benefits to bailing out of jail. For instance, the defendant can have unrestricted quality time with their family. They can also work more closely with a defense team to build a strategy to fight their charge.

What Is a Bail Bond?

Depending on the situation, bail can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The defendant, or their friends or family members, might not have funds readily on hand to pay the entire amount. In such cases, they can turn to a bail bond company, such as The Bail Boys.

These agencies provide a promissory note to the court stating that they will pay the full bail amount should the defendant not appear for any of their scheduled hearings. In exchange for this service, the defendant, or their loved one, pays a small premium. In California, the fee can be no more than 10%. This means that if a person’s bail is set at $20,000, the defendant would only have to pay $2,000 to get released from jail.

Basically, a bond is a surety that the defendant will show up in court.

What’s the Difference Between Bail and Bond?

Although “bail” and “bond” are usually used together (and sometimes used interchangeably), they are different. Bail is money that must be paid to the court to secure release from jail. Bond is the written promise a bonding agency provides, ensuring that the defendant will go to court as required.

Is Bail Money Returned?

Bail is not a punishment. Instead, it’s a way to ensure that a defendant goes to court to answer for their alleged crime.

After the case concludes, the bail money will be returned, provided that the defendant, or their loved ones, paid the bail amount on their own. However, if they went through a bail bond company, the premium they paid will not be returned, but they also won’t owe any additional money to the agency.

If the defendant does not appear for their hearings, the court will keep their bail money. If they went through a bonding agency, they would owe the company the remaining 90%. Additionally, if the individual put up collateral to secure the bond, the company will retain it to cover the full bail amount.

What Does It Mean for Bail to Be Revoked?

When a person is released on bail, there are certain court-ordered conditions they must adhere to.

Some of the terms include, but are not limited to:

Electronic monitoring
No contact with the alleged victim
No travel
Completion of a drug or alcohol treatment program
Appearing in court

Violating any of the conditions may result in bail being revoked. That means the court will put a warrant out for the defendant’s arrest, and the individual will be incarcerated until their case concludes. The defendant may also face additional criminal charges and/or fines.