Bail Bonds and Release

In California, as in many states, there are five ways to be set free from incarceration when awaiting a court appearance or trial, some involving bail bonds in California. These are:

• OC (Own Recognizance) - with OC a defendant is released without having to post any sort of money or use a bond agent. This is usually the result of an interview with the arrestee where an official decides the defendant likely to return to court. This is strictly for pending trials in which the defendant is not a flight risk
• Citation - similar to an OC release, but in this case the arresting officer issues the citation to the arrestee informing him or her that the court appearance must be made

The other ways involve bail bonds of different types. These are:

• Cash Bond - the full amount of the bond set by the judge is paid in cash. If the arrestee makes all court appearances, the cash is returned to whoever deposited (often a friend or family member of the arrestee or the arrestee him/herself)
• Surety Bond - this is where the bail bondsman comes in. A bail agent guarantees the arrestee will make all appearances. The cost to the arrestee is usually ten percent of the total bond. Collateral in the form of property or established community ties are sometimes necessary for the agent to offer the surety bond
• Property Bond - rarely done, the court sometimes accepts property as collateral in the release of an arrestee

For more information on bail bonds, continue reading our articles and browsing our site. Keep our number handy in case you ever need our services: (323) 464-8484 or toll free at 1-866-UN CUFF ME.

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