Bail Bond FAQs
If you don’t have experience with the criminal justice system, you may not know much about bail or bail bonds. Take a moment to learn about these topics by reading through the frequently asked questions below.
What is a bail bond?
When someone is arrested, the court establishes his bail, or the amount of money that he must pay to get out of jail. This amount can be tens of thousands of dollars—much more cash than most people have on hand. Many arrestees will turn to bail bond services to help them out. A bondsman posts the bail for a non-refundable fee of 10% of the bail amount.
How long does it take to bail someone out of jail?
Though the bail bond paperwork can be completed pretty quickly, getting someone out of jail can take hours, depending on how busy the jail is. There are certain steps that police officers have to take to release someone, and the process simply takes as long as it takes.
What happens if someone misses their court date?
If a defendant misses court and the bondsman can’t find him, the bondsman must forfeit the amount of the bond—which provides a strong incentive to find the defendant if he misses court. To find defendants who miss court, bondsmen often use the services of bounty hunters, known formally as bail recovery agents.
Some bondsmen say they will only charge a 5% premium. Should I trust them to bail out my loved one?
Probably not. Ten percent is the premium mandated by the state of California, and anyone who charges less is probably cutting corners in the bail process, or he may simply not be very competent. Either way, don’t trust him.
If you have questions about the bail process, call (619) 232-7280 to speak to a bondsman at King Stahlman Bail Bonds. King Stahlman has been helping San Diego residents get out of jail for 50 years, and he can bail you out anytime, day or night.
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