Bail bonds are a critical part of California’s legal system. But how do they work? That’s the focus of this article. We explore the bail bond process, how you pay for them, and what happens when defendants skip bail in California. By the end, you will understand the role of bail bond agents and how the system functions to uphold the law.  Understanding Bail Bonds in California Bail bonds make accessing cash bail for pretrial release easier, helping you get back to your routine faster after arrest.  Bail bonds are not free. Instead, you pay a non-refundable fee to the bail agent ..read more

Bail bonds are critical financial tools to reduce the cost of busting out of jail and returning to your regular life.  Usually, bail bond agencies will ask you to pay a non-refundable fee upfront while you are in jail. Then, they will post bail on your behalf, securing your release.  However, sometimes, you can pay the non-refundable fee on finance. Here, you pay a small downpayment (or none at all) and then repay a lender monthly for three to six months while you await trial. (The lender pays the money you borrow to the bail agency upfront). The question is this: does failing to mak ..read more

Bail bonds are essential for getting you out of jail and back to your regular life. But how long do they last? Do they expire after a set period or continue forever?  Fortunately, this post provides answers. We explore bond durations and provide information to help you understand factors affecting bond length.  Bond Duration Explained Bail bonds in California are valid for the life of the cases unless you miss court or get rearrested. Then, depending on the circumstances, you may need to post another bond. Courts will return bail money to you (or whoever paid it) when you meet the fo ..read more

The short answer is “yes,” anyone can bail you out of jail. However, the person must meet various legal requirements, including:  Being over the age of 18, Agree to personally vouch that the defendant will show up in court (and agree to forfeit the bail money if they don’t), Be able to pay the bail amount. The following guide will help you choose the right person to bail you out of jail. It will also explain the bail process, the various options available, and the factors that affect the bail amount. By the end, you should know more about what to do to secure your release.  Choos ..read more

When law enforcement arrests you, it can be an unpleasant experience. Officers will take you to a jail cell, awaiting a bail decision by a judge.  If you are in this position (or you know someone who is), you probably have many questions, including:  How long can you stay in jail without a bond? Can you be held without bail? What are your rights when released on bond? What are the consequences of being held without a bond? We provide some answers in this post. By the end, you should have a better of your options and where you stand.  Maximum Time in Jail Without Bond Californi ..read more

Whether you are waiting for your bail bond to be processed or serving your time, finding things to do in jail to pass the time is crucial. After all, various studies have found that prison-based boredom and frustration can trigger a range of mental health struggles.  With that in mind, here are ten fun activities to make jail time fly by! 10 Creative Ways To Pass Time In Jail. While it may not seem that way, there are plenty of entertaining things to do in jail to make time pass faster while also protecting your best interests. For example, you could:  Take up reading. Consider acad ..read more

Being taken to jail on suspicion of a crime is never enjoyable. However, it can be a particularly confusing situation if you have not been officially charged for an offense. When this happens, asking “How long can police hold you without charges in California?” is essential. Here at Balboa Bonds, we offer a range of bail bonds for individuals who are charged with a crime. Before contacting us to arrange your freedom from jail, though, this quick guide will answer all of your key questions like “How long can you be detained in California?” and “How long can you be held in jail without a trial ..read more

The bail system in America can be fairly complex and confusing to understand, especially when a bail bondsman is involved. One of the questions that we get quite often is “Do you have to pay bail bondsman if charges are dropped?”. The short answer to this question is: yes, you do. However, we’d like to go further into the details and explain the reasoning behind it, and also provide some other helpful information should the charges against you or someone you know be dropped. Do You Have To Pay a Bail Bondsman Fee if the Charges Are Dropped? People often wonder why they still have to pay a bail ..read more

The purpose of bail bonds is to encourage a defendant to attend their court date. Bail is paid to the court and only released once they complete their trial according to the bail terms.  However, what happens to a bail bond if a person dies? Sometimes, defendants and their co-signers don’t make it to the trial because of death due to disease, accidents, or crime.  So, after paying bail, if the accused dies, what happens to the bond? That’s the question we answer in this post. Bail Bond and Death: Exploring the Consequences When a defendant dies, legal officials recognize (thankfully ..read more

Facing jail time raises one big question. How long will the period of incarceration be? So, how is jail time calculated in California? Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. Figuring out how long someone spends in jail in California can be really complex.  There are many factors impacting jail time in California. Here, we’ll break down how prison time is calculated in California and how these factors impact the sentence issued by the judge. 1. Calculating Jail Time in California A whole range of factors feed into how much jail time a defendant will serve in California.  Whether you ..read more