What Are My Options For Paying Bail Amounts In Los Angeles County?
One option for paying bail in LA County is to have a family member pay it. If that is not an option, someone can use a bail bondsman. Bail bondsmen will post the bail with the agreement that the individual meets certain conditions of release, including staying within the state of California. There are some important things to know about bail in a Los Angeles criminal case.
A bail bondsman typically charges a fee of six to 10 percent of the amount they pay for their services. If a defendant is bench warranted, the bail would be forfeited, and they or the bail bondsman company would potentially owe the entire amount of bail.
An attorney can guide someone through the bail process. Depending on the circumstances of a particular case, an attorney will know whether posting bail or waiting for a court date and being released on their own recognizance would be more beneficial. Unlike a bail bondsman who just wants to make money, an attorney will consider their client's best interests.
What Happens If I Don't Show Up For Court?
If someone has posted bail on a felony case and fails to appear in court when they promised to, the bond will be forfeited, and a warrant will be issued for their arrest. Once someone has been arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court, their bail will be set high or not at all.
If the individual who failed to appear in court after posting bond cannot be located, then whoever paid the bail will have 180 days to attempt to locate the defendant before they will be on the hook for the entire amount of bail.
Can Bond Or Bail Amounts Be Used For Court Costs?
If someone uses a bail bondsman, the fee charged will never be returned and, therefore, could not be used to pay court costs or fines associated with the case. If a defendant's family member posts bail, then the entire amount will be returned within a few weeks to the family member who posted it and could then be used to pay for court costs or fines.
