How do Bail Bonds Work in California
If a person is arrested and charged with a crime their bail can be set by the court. The judge will consider many factors when determining how much bail to set such as flight risk, family obligations, community connections and public safety risks.
A bail bondsman or a bail agency will post the full amount of bail as collateral for the defendant. This collateral can be a bank account real estate property or other assets. The bail agent will then return this money to the court when the defendant has complied with all of their court dates.
When a defendant posts bail, they must pay an initial fee to the bondsman or agency which is usually 10% of the total bail amount. This fee is not refundable if the case is dismissed or the defendant is convicted of the charges.
Once the premium has been paid the bondsman or agency will take custody of the person and begin a process to get them released from jail. They will then work to contact a friend or family member who has been responsible for paying the premium and will help to get them out of jail as quickly as possible.
The bondsman will also make sure that the defendant shows up to all of their court dates in order to avoid having their bail forfeited by the courts if they skip them. If they do not appear, the bondsman will have to pay the courts the entire amount of the bail as …