An arrest and subsequent lock up in jail is not a pleasant experience. The situation becomes disheartening once the courts impose significantly high bail sums and you do not have the money to make bail. In this situation, your likely sources include disposing of your assets to secure your freedom, raising funds from your savings family and friends, or taking out a loan. These sources are not guaranteed, thus creating a need for an alternative that will cover the entire bail sum without worrying about a significant financial implication.
Bail bonds are the solution you need if you are looking to secure yourself or a loved one from jail before trial. If arrested and are looking for Idyllwild bail bonds services, Fausto's Bail Bonds has got you covered. Contact our bail agents for help.
Understanding Bail Bonds
Once arrested in Idyllwild, you will be booked then arraigned in court, where the prosecution will present the case against you. The judge will then set bail based on the severity of the charges. At this point, bail agents come in to secure your release as you prepare for your trial.
Jail Processing in Idyllwild
The jail booking process begins with recording your details in the criminal database. You will provide your name, contact details, and address. The officers also use these names to check your criminal background. Once done, your offense will be recorded in the database. Much of the details of the offense will be taken from the incident report.
Officers will then take your mugshot. Other than your face, the picture also includes details of your height. Further, the officers will record any identifiable features like scars or tattoos on your body. Additionally, the booking officers will take the fingerprints of your ten fingers. The fingerprints are uploaded to the criminal database and remain there indefinitely. Therefore, if your prints match those in an unsolved crime, concerned detectives will find you.
Arrestees also provide DNA samples that are entered in the national DNA database.
Booking ends with the confiscation of your clothing and personal property. All will be recorded and sealed. You will access said property upon your release. However, any contraband or weapon on your person is evidence. Thus, you will not access them upon release.
The Arraignment
You are entitled to a speedy trial. Prosecutors should present their case against you within 48 hours. They can also decide not to press charges, in which case you will be released. Should the prosecution decide to file charges, they do so in the arraignment.
Arraignments are the first court proceedings arrestees face. In this session, the prosecution will formally present the charges and where you will take a plea. You can plead not guilty, guilty, or no contest. No trial is required if you plead guilty or no contest. By pleading guilty, you take responsibility and admit to committing the crime. Under no contest, you do not concede to committing the crime but are willing to be convicted. It is in your best interest to engage your attorney before taking a plea.
If you plead not guilty, the judge will review your charges and consider your criminal history before setting bail or releasing you on your own recognizance (OR). Once bail is set, an Idyllwild bail bond agent steps in to secure your release.
Note: Not all offenses are bailable. Judges issue bail terms for bailable crimes in Riverside County’s bail schedule. The bail sum issued in your case can vary from the figure stated in the schedule because California law allows judges to exercise their discretion when issuing bail terms.
Bail Hearing
Bails often have a high price tag, and it is natural if you believe that the bail was excessive. However, a high bail value does not mean that the judge acted maliciously unless you have proof of the same. That being the case, California’s justice system allows you to challenge the bail set in the arraignment.
Through your attorney, you can request a bail hearing. In exercising his/her discretion, the judge can reduce, increase, or retain the bail as is. Additionally, you can be released on your own or personal recognizance.
A judge could increase bail if new aggravating factors are substantiated in the hearing. The prosecution could present aspects including your parole or probation violation to make a case for a bail increase.
The judge could also reduce the bail sum if convinced. Your attorney will present evidence of your good character and strong ties to the community. Issues like your investment in the community, participation in community activities, or a community leadership position you hold all make your case for a bail reduction.
Additionally, the issues presented by your attorney are material in a judge’s decision to release you on personal recognizance. If the judge is convinced that you are not a flight risk and will honor your court date without a bail requirement, you qualify for an OR release.
Idyllwild Bail Bond Process
Principles of natural justice are upheld in California’s justice system. Key among them is the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Your guilt can only be determined in a trial. Therefore, bail is not linked to your culpability of the crime. It serves as an assurance that you will honor your court appearances.
On the other hand, bail bonds are sureties paid on behalf of an arrestee to secure his/her release pending trial. Bail bond companies offer to pay the bail for a fee, mostly 10% of the bail figure. Once paid, you can resume your daily activities as you prepare for your trial.
Take note: failure to honor court appearances is skipping or jumping bail. It results in negative consequences, including bond forfeiture, having a warrant issued for your arrest, and additional criminal charges for skipping bail. Here is a look at the three in more detail.
Bond Forfeiture
Bail secures your release. Failure to honor your court dates gives the court authority to forfeit the sum posted as bail. If you used Idyllwild bail bonds, they stand to lose the money used in posting your bail. Therefore, the agents will require you to have a cosigner in the bail agreement as a safeguard.
Cosigners include your family members or friends. Under the bail contract, a cosigner will attach an asset, in most cases cars, houses, or other properties, in the agreement. Idyllwild bail bondsmen will only pursue the property if you fail to show up in court and the court forfeits the bond. Bail bond agents seek to possess the property to dispose of it and recover the sums lost in the forfeiture.
A Warrant for Your Arrest
Judges will issue a bench warrant for your arrest if you jump bail. Bench warrants remain in the system and are enforced when an officer runs your name in the criminal database. Additionally, bounty hunters can also arrest and present you in court for a cut of the bail sum.
Bench warrants differ from arrest warrants in that arrest warrants are issued on suspicion of criminal activity, while bench warrants are issued following your failure to appear in court. Therefore, you could be arrested if the bench warrant is issued at a traffic stop or when a police officer responds to a situation.
Additional Criminal Charges
Skipping bail or failure to appear (FTA) is an offense under California law, which results in additional charges. The FTA criminal charges apply to individuals released on bail and their own recognizance.
FTA charges are either misdemeanors or felonies. Prosecutors pursue misdemeanor or felony charges if the current charge is a misdemeanor or a felony, respectively. Failure to appear charges are prosecuted under:
-
Penal Code 853.7
When you willfully violate a written promise to show up in court, you violate PC 853.7. In most cases, individuals released on personal recognizance will make a promise to show up in court as required. The violation is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of no more than $1,000 and/or six months in jail.
-
Penal Code 1320
Under PC 1320, it is a crime to fail to honor your court appearances if you are on an OR release or required to make an appearance through a court order. If charged with a misdemeanor violation of PC 1320, you will spend six months in jail upon conviction. Felony charges result in jail or prison sentences of up to three years.
-
Penal Code 1320.5
You violate PC 1320.5 when you fail to appear in court after being released on bail and when required to make an appearance via a court order. PC 1320.5 violations are felonies punishable by a jail or prison sentence of up to three years and a fine not exceeding $10,000.
-
Vehicle Code 40508
VC 40508 is specific to traffic offenses. If your current charge follows a traffic ticket and you fail to appear in court as expected or fail to make bail following a ticket, you violate VC 405508. Violations of VC 40508 are misdemeanors, even if the underlying offense is an infraction. A conviction results in six months in jail and/or a fine of no more than $1,000. Additionally, a conviction results in a 30-day suspension of your driving privileges.
-
Vehicle Code 40509.5
VC 40509.5 provides additional penalties for FTA under VC 40508. Under the law, California’s DMV will put a hold on your driving privileges. The hold could mean a suspension of your driving privileges, which remain in effect until you appear in court.
It is necessary to engage an attorney when fighting the aforementioned charges.
Tips in Identifying Reliable Idyllwild Bail Bondsmen
There are various Idyllwild bail bond companies to choose from. However, you should rely on particular aspects to help you narrow down the pool to the best and most reliable in the industry. Here is a look at some issues you should look at.
Licensing From California’s Department of Insurance
All California bail bond providers must be licensed per Bail Bond Regulatory Act. Ensure the Idyllwild bail bonds agent you identify is licensed by the California Department of Insurance. Doing so protects you from being swindled.
An Agent’s Reputation
In an agent's reputation, you are looking for the quality of service and the company’s ability to offer timely bail. Reviews are the best way to gather information about a bail agent’s reputation. Check the online reviews and engage with friends or family members who have dealt with or know the bail agent’s services.
Additionally, a company that has been in operation for a long time has experience and connections within the justice system. Both aspects contribute to making the bail process easier.
Bail Bondsman’s Accessibility
You can engage a bail agent after an arrest as you look for help and information on the steps to take after the arrest. Thus, you need an agent with whom you can contact when required. Fausto's Bail Bonds team is available 24/7, even on holidays. Further, we attend hearings to ensure no delay in processing your loved one’s release.
Additionally, we offer several fee payment options. We customize payment plans for our clients and offer offline and online payment platforms, all geared to ease your bail processing experience.
Idyllwild Jail and Courthouse Information
Riverside County Sheriff's Department
Cois M. Byrd Detention Center
Blythe Jail
Phone: 760-921-5780
John J. Benoit Detention Center
Phone: 760-863-8252
Robert Presley Detention Center
Phone: 951-955-4500
Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility
Phone: 951-922-7300
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside - Palm Springs Courthouse
Palm Springs, CA 92262, United States
Phone: +1 760-393-2617
Find a Reliable Idyllwild Bail Bondsman Near Me
At Fausto's Bail Bonds, we understand how troubling and stressful the process is, from the arrest to securing bail. Our bail agents in Idyllwild work to ensure we secure you or your loved one’s timely release at an affordable charge. You do not have to make impactful financial changes to make bail. Rely on us to sort you out. Contact our team today at 855-328-7867.