Jail Information
Cois M. Byrd Detention Center
Riverside County Sheriff's Department - Menifee Station
Courthouse Information
Superior Court of California, County of Riverside - Southwest Justice Center
Riverside Superior Court
Being arrested and locked up is one of the most challenging experiences in life. The immediate concern is what happens to your family, especially if you are the breadwinner, whether you will lose your job, and how you will fight the charges. Bail bonds offer you an opportunity to secure your release before your trial, allowing you to return to work, take care of your family, and prepare for your trial.
At Get Lucky Bail Bonds, we are ready to offer a bond to secure your release if you are arrested in Menifee. Contact our licensed, skilled, and experienced bail bonds team.
What is Bail?
Bail refers to sums deposited on behalf of a defendant as a commitment that the defendant will show up in court when required upon his/her release. The bail value varies depending on the nature of the crime and the jurisdiction. Every county has its bail schedule, which judges refer to when a criminal case comes before them in a bail hearing.
You can secure your release by depositing a cashier’s check equivalent to the bail value or by depositing your property’s title to secure your release. However, bail values are incredibly high. Using the above options will undoubtedly negatively impact your finances. The bail bond option is preferable to avoid this situation.
Bail bonds refer to sums deposited by third parties (bail bond agencies) on behalf of the defendant to secure their pretrial release. By paying a percentage of the bail as a non-refundable fee to the bail bondsman, the defendant or their loved one can pay the bail without a significant dent in their finances.
Menifee Bail Bonds Process
The bail bond process starts at the arraignment. An arraignment is the first court appearance a defendant makes to plead their case before a judge. The judge will then set bail after evaluating the circumstances of the case, namely:
- If you have a prior conviction or any criminal record, including past complaints against you.
- If you are a flight risk.
- Whether you are a danger to the public.
- Your connections to the community and
- The facts of the case at hand.
It is worth noting that the more aggravated the circumstances in your case, the higher the bail a judge sets.
Bail schedules offer a baseline for the value a judge can set for any crime. However, the law allows judges to exercise their discretion when setting bail. They can set bail as it appears in the schedule or modify it as they deem necessary based on the circumstances of your case. This means the bail value can either increase or decrease beyond the value set in the bail schedules.
California law allows you to challenge the set bail in a bail hearing. He/she has two days to contest the set bail.
At the hearing, the judge considers your attorney’s submissions and those of the prosecution. Afterward, a judge could retain the bail as a set, increase it, or release you on your own recognizance. An O.R. release or an own recognizance release means you do not need to post bail or a bond to be released from custody. Your written commitment to honor your court dates is sufficient.
After your bail is set, a Menifee bail bondsman posts your bond.
Understanding Menifee Bail Bonds
First off, it is necessary to appreciate that, whereas bail bond agents work to help you, it is a business. Therefore, they charge a non-refundable fee for their services. Bail bond agents charge up to 10% of the bail sum as their fee.
You bear particular responsibilities you should uphold once a Menifee bail bondsman bails you out. Your release is conditional, meaning the preceding judge will issue specific bail conditions you should adhere to. Top among them is showing up in court on the court-appointed dates. Failure to show up is reason enough for the courts to forfeit the bail.
Bail forfeiture translates to a loss for the bail bond agents. Menifee bail bondsmen thus require collateral to be attached to the bail agreement. The collateral covers the loss should you fail to appear in court or violate the terms of your bail release.
You can deposit titles to your properties or assets as collateral. In most situations, defendants do not have properties they can attach as collateral. If so, a loved one can offer their property as security for the bond. In bail bond agreements, this individual is referred to as a co-signer.
Note: The same conditions apply: you should appear in court and honor the court dates if you have a co-signer. Should you violate the terms of your release, the co-signer risks losing his/her property. The law allows bail bond agents to repossess the assets or properties and dispose of them to recover the value lost when a court forfeits a defendant’s bail.
Bail Conditions
Judges determine bail terms after assessing the case and considering submissions from both the prosecution and the defense. In most cases, the defense attorney suggests several conditions to convince the courts to grant you bail or to reduce it.
Some conditions include the following. However, the list is not exhaustive.
- No contact with the victim — This condition is more common in domestic violence cases or cases involving sexual crimes.
- No driving with any amount of alcohol in your system — The judge will go as far as requiring you to install an IID (Ignition Interlock Device) in the car you drive. The gadget takes a reading of your breath. It can only start your car if you have no alcohol in your system. This condition is set in DUI cases.
- A suspension of your driver’s license — A suspension means being denied your driving privileges. Therefore, driving on a suspended license is a crime. However, you can apply for a restricted driver’s license. This will enable you to drive to court-approved locations, namely, school, work, and the courthouse.
- You should not leave California.
- Surrendering your passport — A measure to enforce travel restrictions.
- Remaining under house arrest while wearing an electronic monitoring device.
- Attend an alcohol and drug education program.
- In-person check-ins with the authorities.
- Submitting to random drug and alcohol testing.
- Wearing a Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM).
Failing to Appear
You have to appear for all your court dates. Penal Code 1320 makes it a crime to fail to appear in court when mandated to willfully. If you fail to appear, a judge will issue a bench warrant for your arrest and forfeit your bail. Individuals who posted cash bail will lose it. If you used a bail bond agency to post your bail, the sum posted would also be forfeited by the courts.
Bench warrants are different from arrest warrants. Arrest warrants are issued when an individual is suspected of committing a crime and there is evidence to support the suspicion. Bench warrants, on the other hand, are issued when defendants fail to appear in court, fail to pay a fine, or fail to obey a court order.
Police officers effect bench warrants since the arrest warrants are reflected in their system. An officer could pull you over and arrest you after running your name through the database and seeing the pending warrant.
Alternatively, bounty hunters interested in earning an income from your arrest could execute the arrest warrant. Bounty hunters earn a portion of the bail sum for every defendant they present in court who has an outstanding arrest warrant.
You can, however, avoid forfeiture. If you appear in court within 180 days of the bail forfeiture notice and provide satisfactory reasons why you did not appear in court, the presiding judge could vacate and exonerate the bond. You will not lose the cash or bond posted as bail. Some of the reasons the courts have considered in the past include:
- You were ill on your court date.
- You were involved in a crash that incapacitated you.
- You were attending to an emergency.
- You suffer from mental illness.
- You are disabled or supported by a disability and could not attend the court session.
- You were in custody in a different jurisdiction — Jurisdiction here refers to another county. It is presumed that you will remain in California during the remainder of your trial. You will receive harsher consequences for leaving California while out on bail.
Note: Failure to appear (FTA) in court can result in criminal prosecution whose conviction is punishable by jail time, fines, or both.
What Happens to Bail After Trial
Once your case is concluded, the courts exonerate or release your bail. Therefore, your Menifee bail bonds dealers will recover the bond he/she posted for your bail. Other situations when courts exonerate bails include when:
- Courts order defendants into drug diversion programs per PC 1000.
- Defendants are in custody following an adverse verdict.
- Courts declare you incompetent to stand trial.
The bail money can be used to pay fines and restitution fees if convicted.
Advantages of Using Bail Bonds
Bail bonds offer several benefits to using other options, like posting a cash bail or using your property to secure your release. These advantages are reasons why you should opt for bail bonds. They include:
Cheaper Option
Defendants secure their release from prison through bail bonds at a fraction of the cost. By paying a non-refundable fee of up to 10% of the bail amount, defendants save as compared to using cash to post bail.
For example, if the bail is $100,000, a defendant must pay the entire sum to secure his/her release. However, should he/she use the bail bond option at a 10% fee, he/she will pay $10,000.
Additionally, not many individuals can raise the cash bail value. You should not remain in custody simply because you cannot afford to pay.
Several Payment Options
Every bail bond agency has several payment options. Most Menifee bail bond companies offer online payment, bank deposit, or credit card options. Furthermore, the entities customize a payment plan if you have difficulties raising the fee upfront. It is best to engage your bail bondsman to see what payment options you can take advantage of.
Constant Availability
In some situations, the release process could go on long after working hours. It can be frustrating since you could spend more time in jail than necessary. Bail bond agents address this challenge. By operating 24/7, defendants can access bail bond services round the clock. Therefore, you do not need to wait for the bank to open to secure the money necessary for a loved one’s release, a difficulty experienced by those choosing the cash bail option.
Quick Release Processing
Bail bond agents have established contacts within the criminal justice system and have a working rapport. It helps fast-track your release. Additionally, the agents come ready to post bail as soon as you sign the bail agreement. Thus, it is advantageous, especially if you need to post bail fast.
Access to Attorneys
Being arrested is both challenging and confusing, especially for first-time offenders. No one needs to seek legal representation until a necessity arises. Therefore, it becomes difficult to identify a credible attorney when you are arrested for the first time.
Bond dealers can help you identify a reliable attorney to help with your case. It is beneficial for alleged offenders to rely on a bail bond company’s reach within California’s criminal justice system.
Drawbacks of Using Bail Bonds
Bailbonds come with their own fair set of challenges you should be aware of. They include the following:
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You Risk Losing Your Collateral
Bail bond agents can repossess your collateral should you fail to appear in court. As a co-signer, you risk losing your car, house, or other property you signed away as collateral should your loved one fail to show up in court.
Most relatives or friends agree to cosign a defendant’s bond agreement, trusting that they will show up. However, the defendants violate the trust when they do not show up in court or violate the conditions of their release. Most co-signers are unaware of this and are surprised when bail bond agents show up to repossess their assets.
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Non-refundable Fee
It bears emphasizing that the fee payable to a bail bond agent is non-refundable. Even if the courts find you not guilty, you cannot access this fee. Individuals who use cash bail do not have to worry about this since they will recover the entire amount if found not guilty.
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An influx of Untrustworthy Bail Agents
Like any other industry, the bail bond segment is not immune from bad actors. Some individuals have suffered losses on account of untrustworthy bondsmen.
You do not have to suffer the same fate since your situation or that of a loved one is already troubling as it is. There are a few considerations you can consider when assessing the credibility of a bail bond agent in Menifee.
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Experience
Whereas the years of operation are a pointer to a bail bond company’s experience, do also check customer reviews. Visit the company’s website and check the customer reviews. It is also good to look out for companies referred to you through your contacts.
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Knowledge of Bail Laws
Agents do not necessarily need to be legal experts. However, they should be familiar with the bail process and its regulations, as well as an understanding of the bailable offenses. You can assess this by asking questions about your case. The agent should be able to answer them exhaustively without constantly referring to the internet.
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Professionalism
Bail agents should do their job thoroughly without making avoidable mistakes that will cause delays in your release. Be keen on an agent's attention to detail and handling of your case at every stage. Professional bail bond agents make a few errors and respectfully handle each client. Furthermore, they take the time to explain every process to clients at every stage.
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People Skills
A good bail bondsman is patient with clients. He/she does not exhibit unnecessary aggression towards their clients. Furthermore, he/she is empathetic to the situation and understands how to remain sensitive when addressing clients.
Contact a Bail Bond Service Provider Near Me
Being arrested is stressful, especially for first-time offenders. The high bail amounts aggravate the situation further. When in this situation, it is easy to despair. Worry not. Melifffee bail bondsmen are ready to offer assistance. At Get Lucky Bail Bonds, our team will pay your bail to secure your release. Contact our team at 951-506-0006 to enquire about our bail bond services.
