Once someone is arrested and a bail amount is set by a judge, there are a number of steps to get released from jail after posting bail. Here we're going to show you exactly what you need to do to bail yourself out of jail. What is Self-Bail? Self-bail, or bailing yourself out of jail, refers to the process where a defendant posts the full bail amount directly with the court or the arresting agency to secure their release from custody. This is one of the options available to defendants who have been granted bail by the judge. There are a few key things to consider: The defendant must pay the ..read more

Paying a bail bond can seem complicated if you haven’t done it before. However, the process is more straightforward than you think.  If you want to pay a bail bond, this guide can help. We run through how to make these payments, where bail bond money goes, and how much agents should charge. We also explore acceptable bond payment formats, like cash, credit cards, and checks. How to Pay Bail Bond: A Step-by-Step Guide Paying a bail bond in California secures the defendant’s release from jail and lets them return to their life during the pretrial period. It is a tool that ensures their rig ..read more

When an individual gets arrested, they’re charged with a crime and kept in jail. At this point, bail is set, giving the individual an opportunity to get out of jail and go home. Many people ask the question, what is the point of bail in this situation? Why are people who have been charged with a crime given the opportunity to get out of jail?  In short, bail is a critical part of the criminal justice system. It’s one of the most important aspects of the legal infrastructure and serves a big purpose. In this guide, we’ll explore the main reasons bail exists and why it’s so beneficial.&nbs ..read more

A bail bond gives defendants a way out of jail the moment they’ve been arrested. The defendant contacts a bail bond agency - such as Mr. Nice Guy Bail Bonds - and a bail bondsman will post bail for them. Following this, the defendant must attend all court appearances or they risk being arrested again with new charges. Even worse, their failure to appear in court will mean the full bail amount is kept by the court.  For this reason, bail bond agencies will ask for a co-signer with every bail bond transaction. If you’ve been asked to sign a bond for someone, you’re probably wondering what ..read more

In an ideal world, you’ll bail someone out of jail and they’ll follow the terms of their release as stipulated by the court. Most of the time, the terms will require the person to avoid traveling out of state, attend court appearances, and steer clear from committing more crimes. They abide by these rules and their trial ends, meaning there’s nothing for anyone to worry about.  What happens if you bail someone out and they go back to jail? This can be a common occurrence in California, but what will happen to a) the individual who was arrested, and b) the person who bailed them out? This ..read more

According to a recent report from the California Department Of Insurance, “there are approximately 175,000 bail bonds written per year in California.” However, there are some occasions in which a defendant may be denied bail. This is known as being “remanded without bail.”  Unfortunate Consequences: Remanded Without Bond.  What does it mean to be remanded without bond?  When an individual is remanded without bond, this means that the judge has denied them the opportunity to post bail. They will, therefore, remain in jail until their court date.  There are many reasons why ..read more

According to California Bond statistics, only around 60% of defendants are able to cover the costs of their bail arrangements. This means that 40% of defendants spend unnecessary time in jail, while awaiting sentencing.  In order to change these statistics for the better, it is important to note that there are many different ways to cover the cost of bail when defendants and their cosigners do not have significant savings or collateral to rely on. For example, many of those posting bail in California do so using a credit card. Paying Bail with A Credit Card Can bail be paid with a credit ..read more

Within the bail system, a cosigner is an individual who agrees to take financial responsibility for the bail bond. This means that if the defendant does not adhere to the terms of the bail, they will be expected to pay the costs associated with this. While many people are happy to cosign for friends and family, they may not be in the best financial position to do so. Alternatively, defendants may struggle to find a person willing to be a cosigner, as it is a significant responsibility that many do not want on their shoulders, even if they only want what is best for the defendant.  For th ..read more

Most people don’t know that there are several different bail options in the legal system, such as a personal recognizance bond (PR bond). This option allows a defendant to be released from jail without having to post bail. To many people, this is effectively a “get out of jail free” card, but it’s not as simple as it might seem and there are some conditions and criteria that you need to follow. In this post, we’ll explain what a PR bond is and help you determine if it’s the right option for your circumstances. Understanding Personal Recognizance Bonds A personal recognizance bond allows an in ..read more

A bail bondsman helps you out when you or a loved one needs to post bail. Using a bail bondsman enables you to put up just a portion of the bail amount, with the bail bond covering the rest. But do you have to use a bail bondsman if bail has been set? The short answer is no. You're not obligated to use a bail bondsman, and there are several other options you can consider. Some of them involve paying bail in another way, but you also have the option of remaining in jail. The other main options that you have are: Remain in jail and await trial (however long that could take) Pay the total amoun ..read more