If you have recently received a call that a friend or family member has been arrested and is in jail, and you are finding yourself in need of the services of a bail bonds agency offering bail bonds Santa Monica CA, it can obviously be an incredibly overwhelming and stressful experience. While no one would wish to find themselves in this boat, it is important to keep in mind that you do not have to go through this process alone. The team at Lopez Bail Bonds is here to help and guide you along every step of the way, in order to help make this experience as painless as it can possibly be. If you can not afford to pay the entire bail amount — and many people can’t — then working with a bail bonds agency is the best way to ensure that your loved one get out of jail as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Once your friend or family member has been arrested, a judge at the bail hearing will typically set a bail amount, based on their evaluation of the charges and several other factors, including previous convictions, severity of the crime, the potential to be a flight risk, the defendant’s ties to the community, and whether or not the defendant is gainfully employed. Once the bail has been determined and set, you have two options for posting bail.

The first option is to pay the entire amount of the bail, up front and in cash. This is called a cash bond. While this is typically pretty easy and manageable to do if the bail is a smaller amount, such as $1,000, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage as the bails get higher — and they often do. Also, it is important to keep in mind that if the defendant fails to miss a scheduled court appearance, for any reason at all, you automatically forfeit all of your money and it then belongs to the court. You will only get your money back from a cash bond, minus any court or legal fees, fines, etc if the defendant appears in court every time as scheduled, if the defendant is charged, or if the case is dismissed.

Your other option is to purchase a surety bond through a licensed bail bondsman or bail bonds agency. A bail bonds agency will charge you a flat fee or premium, which is set by the individual states and can vary from state to state. In California, this fee is a flat 10 percent of the total amount of bail. Keep in mind that if an agency in California claims to offer a bail bond to you for less, then they are in violation of the law. In other words? Keep on looking and take your business elsewhere.

Many people choose to secure the services of a bail bonds agency, and for different reasons. Not only is purchasing a surety bond a much less expensive route to take (for example, if your loved one’s bail is set at $5,000, you would only need to pay the bail bonds agency $500), but it also affords and lends you access to the bail bonds agent’s experience and expertise. This can prove to be an invaluable resource, and can give you a little extra peace of mind, if nothing else.

When working with the team at Lopez Bail Bonds, you can rest assured that you are working with the best. In case you are wondering why you should choose them over another agency, here are just a few of the many reasons:

• Their team can work with any court
• Their team can also work with any jail
• They make it easy to negotiate
• They respect and assure your privacy
• Property is not always required
• Credit is available, to applicants who qualify
• They accept a wide form of payment, including personal checks, Master Card, Visa, Discover, and American Express

Should you ever find yourself in need of bail bonds Santa Monica CA or bail bonds OC, remember the team at Lopez Bail Bonds. They will work with you to get your loved one our of jail as quickly and efficiently as possible, and will do it all while respecting your privacy. This can be an especially challenging journey, so don’t walk it alone. As one of the area’s leading bail bonds agencies, the team at Lopez Bail Bonds would be happy to help you during this most difficult and confusing time.

Feel free to browse through their website for more information on their company and the bail bonds process, in general. Should you have any questions, or should you need to speak with a member of their team directly, they are always standing by and ready to help — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Give them a call or connect online to find out more today!