Home Bail Bonds in San Diego

1. Arrest

When you or a loved one is placed under arrest by law enforcement, you will be placed into police custody. An arrest occurs because the police officer observed someone committing an alleged crime or has probable cause that someone plans to commit a crime. In some instances, law enforcement must obtain a valid warrant prior to making an arrest. A warrant is a legal document that outlines the nature of the alleged crime, the individuals suspected of the alleged crime, where those individuals may be found, and other information. As soon as an arrest has happened, you should contact Balboa Bail Bonds so you can start getting help immediately.

2. Booking

Following an arrest, the arrestee will undergo a booking process. At this stage, law enforcement officers will record your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, and physical characteristics. They will also collect your personal items, record your fingerprints, check your past criminal record, and document any information on the alleged crime for which you were arrested. Afterwards, they will place you in a holding cell.

3. Contact Us

After you are placed in a cell, arrestees are allowed to make phone calls. While you can choose to call anyone you like, it is the ideal time to call Balboa Bail Bonds so we can get started on your bail bonds process as soon as possible. You can contact us at any time, even before you become eligible for bail. If you don’t know the full amount of your bail, our team will help you by monitoring the developments of your case free of charge until your bail is set.

4. Become Eligible For Bail

A bail is set in different ways depending on the circumstances of your case. While bail proceedings can vary quite a bit in different courtrooms, there will generally be a bail hearing to determine whether the defendant should be granted bail, or if it should be denied. Being ineligible for bail only occurs in extreme cases, such as those that involve multiple penal code violations, or if the suspect is a flight risk. There are times when the judge presiding over the case has the power to raise, lower, or even waive the need for bail if the individual circumstances of the case allow it. For common charges, bail is set at a fixed amount determined by the judges in each county.

5. Contact Us

After you have learned what your bail amount is, the amount must be posted in order to be released from police custody. Many people find themselves in the difficult position of needing to pay their bail so they can return to their friends and family, but do not have the necessary funds to cover the total amount. That’s where we can help. If you or a loved one needs assistance paying bail, contact our agents at Balboa Bail Bonds immediately. We are standing by to help you regain your freedom. During your initial contact, we will gather information about your case so that we can properly process the bail bond.

If your loved one has been arrested and you are trying to locate them within the system, we can help with that too. Give us a call at (619) 760-2222 and we will pinpoint the specific jail where the arrestee is located and any other information you need about the arrestee.

6. Complete Bail Bond Agreement

When you speak with one of our bail agents, you will both go over the circumstances of your case and come to an agreement regarding the terms and conditions of your bail bond agreement. When signing a bail bond agreement, you promise to be present at every one of your court dates without fail. If you fail to make it to one of your court dates, you could be held to additional fees and other penalties.

In many cases, the arrestee will use a co-signer to take responsibility for the defendant after they are released from jail. They will take on the financial responsibility of paying the bail in full if the defendant fails to appear in court. Co-signers can be your loved ones, long-time friends, or anyone who is a United States citizen.

In the bail bond agreement, the client will agree to pay a fee referred to as a Premium. While the bail is a pre-established dollar amount determined by the court to allow for the defendant’s release from jail, the Premium is a fee given to the bail bonds agents to secure their release from jail. The Premium allows us to do all the heavy lifting. Typically, the Premium for a bail bond agreement is 10% of the total amount. While other bail agents try to work around California laws by charging you additional money for administrative fees and other costs, Balboa Bail Bonds will never charge you more than 10%.

7. Post Bail Bond

After the bail bond agreement is finalized, we will immediately go to whatever jail in San Diego County you are in and post the bail bond. If you contact us immediately after getting booked in jail, we can work to have your bail bond agreement ready to be posted as soon as your bail eligibility is determined. Once that occurs and your agent posts the bail bond, the processing time is typically only 1 – 2 hours until you are released.

8. Release

After your bail bond has been posted and successfully processed, you will be released from custody. Once you are out on bond, you will be free to return to your friends, family, and loved ones. There will be a number of responsibilities you will have after your release from jail, including attendance at all of your court dates, and refraining from getting re-arrested before your trial.

9. Attend Court

It is necessary when working with a licensed bail agent that you attend every single court date that is scheduled for your case. If you fail to attend one of your court dates, there will be a bench warrant issued for your arrest. Receiving a charge for failing to appear in court can have substantial consequences, so it’s very important that you do not miss your scheduled court dates. Furthermore, failing to attend court dates will result in the bail bond being forfeited.

If you do happen to miss your court date, you should contact our agents immediately. Our bail agents may be able to prevent the bail bond from being forfeited and could even help establish a new court date.

10. Exonerate Bail Bond

A bail bond is exonerated once the defendant has attended all of their court dates and the trial proceedings have been completed. This means that the courts no longer require any bail money and you have no more bail liability. At this point, the only thing that is required of you is to make sure the Premium and any other necessary fee is paid to your bail agent.

11. Pay Outstanding Premium

Just like a credit card, bank loan, or any other debt that is owed, the Premium must be paid in full regardless of what happens in your case. Luckily, a licensed bail agent will be available by phone or in person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to process the payment of your Premium. If you are struggling to pay the full amount of the Premium, you should speak to one of our agents to discuss setting up a bail financing plan.

At Balboa Bail Bonds, we understand that getting arrested can have significant consequences beyond the possibility of jail time. It can put a strain on your finances and make it difficult to support yourself or your family. That’s why we are dedicated to helping you deal with this stressful situation by providing flexible financing options. Don’t hesitate to start getting help you need. Call our office at (619) 760-2222 to learn more.

How does the bail process work?

How does the bail process work?

"I needed a bail bondsman at 3-4 am this morning and Josh from Balboa came highly recommended not only from one but 3-4 people I know. I called Him and he not only offered me the most competitive deal but also took his time to explain the whole process since I’m a first timer with all this kind of thing. He was not only fast but very professional if I could give him 100000 stars I would."
- C.P.

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