If you or a loved one has recently been arrested for a crime, one of the initial things that will happen is that the judge will usually set an amount for bail. When bail is set will often depend on the severity and degree of the crime committed. Bail can sometimes be set immediately after a defendant is booked for a crime for misdemeanor charges; however, for more serious crimes, the amount of bail may not be set until the arraignment. By definition, bail is the amount of money that is required to be paid in order for you or your loved one to be released from jail.

It is important to note that you may not be required to pay the full amount of the set bail. Often times, people choose to pay a set percentage or portion of the bail, otherwise known as a bond. Essentially, the bond is a promise that you or your loved one, or the defendant, will appear in court for all scheduled appearances and hearings. Fortunately, there are multiple ways that a bond can be posted. One of the most common methods for posting bond is to enlist the services of a bail bondsman agent or agency.

Basically, a bail bond works in two ways:

1.     The full amount of the bond is paid, either by the defendant or on behalf of the defendant. This is called a cash bond. After everything is said and done, if the defendant has made all scheduled court appearances, the person who put up the money on behalf of the defendant will get all of their money back, less any criminal penalties, court costs, court fees, or any other fines.

2.     A surety bond can be purchased through a bail bondsman agent. The purchaser of the bond pays a set fee or percentage to the bail bondsman agent, who then, in turn, presents the court with the bond. Provided that the defendant does not miss any court appearances, typically no other money is due to the bail bonds agency.

If the defendant fails to make any of his or her scheduled court appearances, the bail is immediately and fully surrendered. If a surety bond has been secured through a bail bonds agency, the agency has full legal authority to search for and locate the defendant, and then return him or her to the court.

Bail Bondsman Agent in Los Angeles

If you find yourself in the need of a bail bonds agency, rest assured that you are not alone. The team at Ernie Lopez Bail Bonds understands that this can be an exceptionally stressful and difficult time, and they want you to understand that you do not have to handle this all on your own. They are here to help you through every step of the way, and their team has the experience necessary to handle any and all of your bail bonds service needs.

Ernie Lopez Bail Bonds has been in business since 1956, and to this day they still remain a family owned and operated local business. They have the experience and professionalism to handle all of your bail bonds needs, but their strong ties to their community and family encourage them to treat each client as individuals, and give them the specialized attention that they need and deserve.

If you get a phone call that your friend or family member has been taken to jail, the team at Ernie Lopez Bail Bonds hopes that they will be one of your first calls. You will just need some basic information to get started (the name of the defendant, the charges against them, where they are being held, what happened, etc), and then their team will take it from there. You can trust that you are in good hands throughout the entire process.

If you have any questions or if you would like to speak to a member of their team about how the bail bonds process works, please don’t hesitate to give them a call. Someone is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call. Don’t go through this alone!