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How To Choose a Bail Company For Your Los Angeles Criminal Case

Posted by Ronald D. Hedding, ESQ. | Oct 10, 2018

Figuring out bail is not easy because there's a lot of fly-by-night bail bond agencies. What I would say in general, is pick somebody who obviously is well-known – does a lot of commercial advertising.

Choose Established Bail Bondsman with Client Reviews

Why? Because those people are unlikely to do something bad to the public or the people that they bail out – or cheat their family, because with all the internet stuff that's going on right now, they would get bad reviews. You probably want to check out the bond company's reviews just to make sure they haven't done anything underhanded to anybody regarding a bond in Los Angeles County.

A lot of times what I'll do, if my client or their family needs a bond agency, I'll try to help them get one. I know a number of bond agencies and the main reason I might get involved with referring them is just so the clients don't get screwed.

We can get them out quickly and if there are any issues with the bail, I can go to the bond agency and say, we need this person out. I'm not going to let somebody cheat one of my clients. The bond agencies respect attorneys because they know that attorneys can send them cases, and also that attorneys have the intelligence to be able to challenge them.

Reputable Bail Bondsman Who Can Get a Quick Release

Really, I think first and foremost, is just getting somebody who is reputable and knows what they are doing and can get your loved one out as quick as possible. Then the next issue, obviously, when picking a bond company in Los Angeles County is the amount of money that they charge.

Usually, the standard would be 10%, but I know a lot of the bond companies are doing it for as low as 5% or 6% if you pay all the money up-front. So you really just have to do a little shopping around and negotiate with them and then you can get the best premium as far as bailing out.

Obviously, another way to bail out is to just put up the money, but a lot of people aren't able to do that. It's crazy now as far as choosing a bond company and dealing with bail, but in 2019 a new law has passed where they're going to completely get rid of the bail agents.

I'm sure that law is going to be challenged by the bond companies and people who make money off bails, and we'll see what happens with that. It hasn't gone into effect yet, but it's going to more like the federal system where the judges can just say, you don't get any bail.

You're going to stay in custody while your case is pending. They'll just detain you, or they could make you do a property bond or some sort of a signature bond.

So, the bottom line is, you just have to do your homework. Have your criminal defense attorney help you, because to me the most important thing as a criminal defense attorney – because they're the ones that are going to help resolve the criminal case.

Whereas, the bond agent doesn't resolve any criminal case. It just gets the person out while the case is pending, which is important, but that doesn't resolve anything. It's just like putting a Band-Aid over a bullet wound. The bullet's still in there. You still have to deal with the criminal case.

Retain a Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer

So, coordinate with your attorney as far as who the bond company is going to be, and if you run into any problems with the bond company, a lot of times I will assist my clients with the problems with the bond company. Call the Hedding Law Firm for help.

In this way, we we can be in a position to get the person out quickly, the client's family or the client don't get cheated as far as the bond goes, and we can get you into court, get your case dealt with as quick as humanly possible and get the result that you must have.

About the Author

Ronald D. Hedding, ESQ.

Ronald D. Hedding, Esq., is the founding member of the Hedding Law Firm. Mr. Hedding has an extensive well-rounded legal background in the area of Criminal Law. He has worked for the District Attorney's Office, a Superior Court Judge, and as the guiding force behind the Hedding Law Firm. His multi-faceted experience sets Mr. Hedding apart and puts him in an elite group of the best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Southern California.

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