In this article, we discuss bail bonds services available in Orange County, California. We are proud to offer 24 hour local bail bonds services online, by phone and in person. We provide bail bonds to all jails and courts in California. When the police officers arrest you, you want to walk out of jail fast and continue with your daily duties. Before walking out, you pay a certain amount known as bail to assure the court that you will attend the stipulated court proceedings. Understanding how the bail bond works, how the bail amount is determined, the types of payments available for you, and other related issues is critical. Hiring a bail bond company could be the best option for your release. At 24-Hour Online Bail Bonds, we have helped many clients seeking to post bail in Orange County. Our bail bond agents are more than willing to offer 24/7 services to our clients.

Where to find local Orange County Bail Bonds Services:

24 Hour Online Bail Bonds

Call: 800-930-8999

What is the Legal Meaning of Bail and Bond?

Bail refers to the amount of money you should post for you to be released from custody. Bail isn’t fine. So the court doesn’t use bail as a way of punishment. The purpose of the bail is to ensure you will appear in court as needed. Alternatively, a bond is an agreement between the bail bond company and the court securing the defendant's release. The bail bonds occur in two forms, including commercial bail bonds and civil bail bonds.

Types of Bail Bonds in Orange County

Generally, when you have enough money to pay for your bail, you will walk out of the detention facility. However, the bail process is usually a complicated one, especially when you have a large bail amount. In California, there are several types of bail available. Not all bail bonds are written the same. Your case’s nature calls for a specific bail. Several factors are considered when determining the bonds applicable to your case. The following are the common types of bail bond applicable in California:

  • Cash Bond

Usually, the law enforcement officers won’t release you immediately, but they will release you after the booking process and payment of a cash bond. When you don’t have the bail amount, another person may pay on your behalf. The court determines your cash bond after conducting your bail hearing. If you have money to pay the bail, the police will release you from custody.

  • Unsecured Bond

The unsecured bond will apply after the court conducts a bail hearing and sets your bail amount. However, the court doesn't require you to pay the amount for your release. Instead of paying the bail amount, you sign an agreement showing that the bail amount will be surrendered if you fail to appear before the court.

  • Property or Secured Bond

Property bond involves the defendant giving the court security in the form of a property, which equals the bail amount. For instance, when you purchase a car through a vehicle loan, the lender provides you with the amount to buy the vehicle. In return, you promise the lender a property as a security interest for the car. So both you and your lender agree that when you don't make loan repayment as per the agreement, the lender may repossess the vehicle and trade it to reclaim his/her money. The same applies to a property bond. You and the other payer issue a security interest (property) to the criminal court as bail. If you fail to show up at the court as required, the criminal court may seize your property to reclaim the outstanding bail amount.

  • Federal Bonds

If you are charged with a federal case, you will be eligible for a federal bond before your release. The federal bonds work more like surety bonds, though they are more expensive and backed by insurance companies. The federal bail bond rates are usually 15% of the total bail amount.

Bail Schedules

The bail schedules consist of a list of bail amounts applied to a crime at any given jurisdiction. For instance, the state may set a bail amount for a petty crime at $2,000 or $10,000 for a burglary offense. The state’s laws determine the bail amount appropriate for any crime and if the law enforcement officers may release you without bail. 

Again, the laws will decide whether or not you will post bail after your booking or whether you will wait for your bail hearing. Also, the law allows the judge to decrease or increase the bail amount once the court considers it appropriate. But the federal government doesn't have a bail schedule; thus, the court determines the bail amount.

For instance, California law requires the court to hold the bail hearing at all crimes involving cases like spousal battery/rape and threats of terrorists. Generally, the law allows the court to release you on bail as soon as after the booking process, provided you can pay the bail amount. When the state’s law requires the court to hold the bail hearing against you, then you won’t be released, or you won’t be eligible to pay the bail until the criminal court conducts the hearing.

Posting a Bail

After the court sets a bail amount, you must pay it in the form of a money order, cash, real property, or cashier checks to the courthouse or clerk. After posting the bail amount, the court issues a release order to the officers holding you in custody.

If you cannot post the bail on your own, the law allows you to seek the services of commercial bondsmen. The bail bond agents charge a fee of around ten percent of the bail amount. Again the bond agents agree to pay the remaining bail amount to the criminal court once you fail to show up during the court hearings.

If your family member or friends post the bail on your behalf, the bond becomes a contract between three parties, including you, the surety, and the court. The surety becomes the party who the defendant requests to become accountable for his/her appearances at the court. As the defendant, you will promise to show up at the court during future proceedings. 

Alternatively, the surety promises to face charges from the criminal court if you fail to show up as required. Then if you are posting bail for your friend or family member, you may seek legal help from our Orange County bail bonds agents. The bondsmen will guide you where you require them the most.

Jails, Police Stations and Courts in Orange County

COMMUNITY COURT
909 N. MAIN STREET
SANTA ANA, CA 92701
(657) 622-8459

LAMOREAUX JUSTICE CENTRE
341 THE CITY DRIVE SOUTH
ORANGE, CA 92868-3205
(657) 622-6878

NORTH JUSTICE CENTRE
1275 NORTH BERKELEY AVENUE
FULLERTON, CA 92832-1258
(657) 622-5600

IRVINE POLICE DEPARTMENT
1 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA
IRVINE, CA 92606-5207
(949) 724-7000

DEPARTMENT OF CJ1 ORANGE COUNTY MEN’S JAIL
550 N. FLOWER ST.
SANTA ANA, CA 92703
(657) 622-8459

HARBOR JUSTICE CENTRE – NEWPORT BEACH
4601 JAMBOREE ROAD
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660-2595
(657) 622-5400

What Happens When Police Take You to a Police Station in Orange County

After your arrest, the police officers will take you to the nearest police station and carry out an administrative exercise known as booking. During the process, the law enforcement officers conduct tasks like taking your photo, recording your details (your full names and age). Again, they take fingerprints, conduct a health examination, take any possession you have, put them in storage, and then place you in the detainment facility.

After booking you, the law enforcement officers will do one of the following three things:

  1. They may release you under a notice to show up before the court.
  2. The law officers may release you once you pay your bail amount.
  3. The officers may keep you in detention until the criminal court conducts your bail hearing.

The California laws will determine the best option for your case. Usually, the arrest for less severe crimes like petty theft will result in a release under a court notice to show up at future court hearings. Again, an arrest involving severe crimes like violent offenses results in you remaining in detention until the court conducts a hearing.

The Court Holds Bail Hearing

The court holds a bail hearing to decide the amount of bail. The court doesn’t just allow the bails, meaning it can deny depending on the state’s laws. To determine whether to grant or deny the bail, the court considers the following factors:

  • The Severity of the Crime

Usually, a severe crime carries a higher bail compared to less severe crimes. For instance, the bail amount for someone facing a petty theft charge is $1,000, while the bail amount for someone facing a murder charge might be hundreds of dollars.

  • Criminal Records

If you have a previous criminal history, your bail amount will be higher than a first-time offender. For instance, if the court has granted you numerous times, but you violated the terms and conditions of the bail, the court will impose a higher bail amount for your current crime.

  • Family Obligation

The court will impose a lower bail amount if you are responsible for providing for your family members.

  • Public Safety

When your release would cause a danger to the safety and health of others, the court may deny the bail. For instance, if you face charges for conspiring to engage in the activity of terrorism, the court may deny you bail since your release would pose a danger to other people.

Bail Conditions

Apart from determining your bail amount, the court imposes additional requirements and limitations when making the bail determination. The requirements are much similar to when found guilty and placed under probation. Violations of the conditions might result in re-arrest. Below are the common bail conditions:

  • Refraining from owning a firearm
  • Maintaining your employment while under the bail process
  • Travelers restrictions
  • Refraining from the use of alcohol or drugs

Bail Payment Procedures in Orange County

Apart from determining the bail amount, the court has procedures for the payments. Generally, the payment exercise requires the defendant to move to a particular location and make the payment, either at the jail or courthouse. A clerk or cashier is accountable for receiving the bail payments. When making the bail amount payments, you should provide specific information like your booking number, full names, and the bail payment amount.

After receiving the bail payments, the clerk or the responsible official notifies the correctional officers who placed the offender in detention. Usually, the bail release occurs immediately since most cashiers or clerks are located within the jail facility, while sometimes, the bail release might take hours.

The bail payments usually are paid in cash. Sometimes, other payment options are accepted, like traveler’s checks, money order, cashier’s check, and debit or credit card. However, the payment amounts may differ depending on the nature of the crime and the defendant's criminal history. If you are making the bail payments, you may seek help from our Orange County bail agents.

What Happens When You Fail to Appear at the Court?

According to the California laws, failure to appear at the court as required triggers imprisonment, a fine, or both. But, if your failure to appear occurred due to uncontrollable situations, and if you appeared immediately after the situation, you will have a valid explanation for your appearance. After completing the case and all the requirements are fulfilled, the bondsmen return the bond money. Usually, the court deducts the administrative costs. If your friend or family member skipped his/her court hearing, you need to seek legal advice from Orange County bail bonds agents as soon as possible.

Why Choose 24-Hour Online Bail Bonds in Orange County

When your loved one or friend is arrested in Orange County, the arresting officers send them to the detention facility. Even after your loved one is held in jail, a bail bonds agent will help you post bail and walk out of jail immediately. Speak with our Orange County bail bonds agents to help you post your bail. As our client, you will enjoy the following services:

  • 24/7 Bail Services

The police may arrest you anytime, either day or night time. Then you want to walk out of jail on bail as soon as possible. If you don’t have any bondsmen in your palm, you might find it challenging. The 24-Hours Online Bail Bonds provide services whenever you require them the most. Your arrest time is an uncontrolled factor. The arrest may happen outside your regular working hours. Our bail bond company is open no matter what time of the day.

  • Bail Bond Financing Plans

Our bail bond company offers a wide range of bail payment options. The options will help you figure out the amount of money you may afford and assist you walk out of jail as you try to gather money to pay the bonds company. To qualify for the bail bond financing plans, our bonds company will require a cosigner. The cosigner will be accountable for the payment plan when you miss court or fail to make the payments. 

  • Experienced Bondsmen

Experience is a critical trait you want to look for before hiring a bail bond company. 24-hour online bail bond bondsmen have lots of experience in handling bail cases. Again, the bondsmen are more experienced than those working regular hours. The bondsmen are well versed with the bail process and know how to expedite it.

  • Better Payment Plans

24-hours online bail bonds offer better payment options to its customers. So our bondmen will come up with a plan which suits your current situation. Again, our company doesn't charge hidden fees or interests. Lastly, you will be able to make your bail payments either online, by phone, or pay in person.

  • Our Company is Licensed and Insured

Our 24-hour bail bonds company consists of licensed experts working for them. With the proper license, it means you will be able to trust our services. The bondsmen have unexpired licenses from the state. Also, the experts are more willing to prove their valid licenses. You may check by yourself through the insurance department.

  • Bail By Phone or Online

The bail amount may be tens or hundreds of thousand dollars. Therefore, it might be challenging to pay the amount, thus remaining behind bars. Our bail bonds allow you to post bail over the phone or online. Again, posting the online bond is more accessible than walking to the jail facility. It means you can post bail for your loved ones from the comfort of your home or office. 

Bounty Hunters and Bounty Forfeiture in Orange County

If you use the bondsmen services and skip the court hearings as ordered, the agents may find you and take you to custody. The court will grant the bondsmen a grace period. If the bondsmen return you to the criminal court within the grace period, the criminal court won’t allow the bondsmen to make payments of the total bail amount.

The law allows the bond’s agent to hire bounty hunters to track and apprehend you. Remember, the government does not employ bounty hunters. The hunters don’t have arrest authority, but the law allows them to arrest you if you used the services of the bondsmen. The fact is when signing the contract with the bonds agents, you agreed to authorize the bounty hunters from your bail bonds company’s agent to enter into your home and arrest you.

Find an Orange County Bail Bonds Company Near Me

Posting bail could be a complicated process. The process may include huge financial risks. Again, like other matters concerning criminal laws, you need to know the best option since there are different types of bail bonds in California. Receiving legal help from experienced professionals is often preferable for the best outcome of your case. At 24-Hour Online Bail Bonds, we provide unmatched bail bond services to our clients. We offer fast and efficient bail bond services in Orange County. Call us today at 800-930-8999 and speak with one of our bondsmen.