A major problem with the bail system in U.S. courts is that it strongly favors people with money. Low-income individuals may not be able to scrape together even $500 for their release from jail, but those with savings and other assets can pay substantially more in cash bail or use assets as collateral. A bail bond service in Alameda County CA is one option for someone who cannot afford release before trial.
Bond Fees
With this type of service, the defendant pays a fee to the agency in turn for a bond to be posted to the court in lieu of cash bail. The fee normally is 10 percent of the full bail amount. For example, the person would have to pay $50 if bail had been set at $500. That $50 is nonreturnable because it is payment for a service.
Alternatives to Bail
In some instances, a judge allows an alternative to bail. For example, the defendant might be released with an ankle bracelet monitor as a form of house arrest. This device alerts authorities if the person leaves a restricted area. The defendant might be allowed to travel within a certain radius of home, for example, so he or she could get to work.
Judges also may allow defendants to leave jail without paying any bail, legally known as being released on their own recognizance. The judge has decided that the person’s flight risk is very low. Returnable bail is not necessary to provide an incentive to stick around because the defendant has a family, a stable job, a business or other strong ties to the community.
Resolution of the Case
For other people who have been arrested, a bail bond service in Alameda County CA is essential or they would have to stay behind bars until their trial date or until the case ends some other way. The prosecuting attorney may drop charges or a judge may dismiss the case during a pre-trial hearing. The defense attorney may negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecution. All of these possibilities take precious time, though. Someone who needs a quick release from jail may contact an organization such as Angela Maxwell Bail Bonds.
