You will be required to post bail to get back your freedom after you have been arrested. Sometimes, you may not have enough cash to post bail by yourself. In such a situation, you will need the services of a bail bonds agent.
If you are looking for a bail bonds agent in Alhambra, we invite you to contact us at Alomar Bail Bonds. We offer affordable and reliable bail bond services. With our help, you or your loved one can get out of jail fast. We are available 24/7.
What to Do when you Get Arrested in Alhambra
No one plans on being arrested. However, if you get arrested, it would be best to know what you should do to regain your freedom as quickly as possible.
The first thing you ought to do when you get arrested is to contact an attorney. You will definitely need professional legal representation. Don't make the mistake of answering any questions that law enforcement officers pose to you without the presence of an attorney. This is because you may unknowingly incriminate yourself.
Note that the police must read out to you your Miranda rights before arresting you. They should explain the reason for the arrest and inform you of your right to remain silent and contact a lawyer. If they don't do so, the arrest is considered unlawful, and your attorney can petition the court for you to be released.
Additionally, never permit law enforcement to search your property, including your car, without producing a search warrant. In California, any search conducted without a search warrant is unlawful. Suppose the police find incriminating evidence in a search conducted without a search warrant. In that case, your attorney can petition for an expungement hearing to have the incriminating evidence removed from the court record. In California criminal cases, the burden of proof is on the prosecution, and the standard of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt. If the expungement hearing is successful and some of the incriminating evidence against you is removed from the court record, the prosecutor will be left with insufficient evidence. As a result, he/she may be unable to reach this high standard of proof, and you may be acquitted.
After you’ve reached out to an attorney, you can inform your loved ones that you have been arrested. This way, they will know where to find you and can help you post bail.
When a police officer arrests you, he/she will take you to a police station. At the police station, you will be booked. The police officer will jot down your personal details and why you have been arrested. Then, you will be required to surrender your belongings, such as your phone, jewelry, or money, before you are locked up inside the police cell.
What Are Bail Bonds?
Simply put, 'bail bonds' refer to the money you pay in court to regain your freedom. In California, there are different types of bail bonds.
You must first post bail before you get released to guarantee your attendance at all court sessions. Bail serves as an assurance to the court that you will not escape and you will dutifully attend your court sessions.
In most cases, you will be required to post bail by paying the requested money at the courthouse. You may sometimes be required to surrender your title documents to the court to regain your freedom.
The Arraignment: your First Court Session
California criminal law stipulates that an arrested person should be brought before the court within 24 hours from the time of the arrest. This first court session is usually referred to as ‘the arraignment.’
During the arraignment, your charges will be read out to you, and you will be asked to take a plea. There are two basic types of pleas in California: guilty or not guilty. Your attorney will advise you on the best plea to take.
If you plead not guilty, your attorney will request that you be granted bail on your behalf. Note that it is the discretion of the judge to grant you bail, although the right to be released on bail or bond is a right guaranteed under the United States Constitution. In some instances, the judge may refuse that you be released on bail. This is especially if:
- There is evidence showing that you are a flight risk and can escape the court’s jurisdiction
- On prior occasions, you violated bond or bail terms
- There is evidence showing that if you are released on bond or bail, you may interfere with the prosecution’s case by destroying evidence or dissuading witnesses
- There is evidence showing that you can harm the victim after being released
- There is evidence showing that your personal safety and security will be compromised after you have been released on bail or bond
If the judge refuses that you be released on bail, your attorney can appeal his/her decision. Remember, bail is a constitutional right, and the judge should only deny you bail under exceptional circumstances.
Also, the judge will decide the amount of money you should pay as bail. Serious offenses attract huge bail amounts, while you may part with just a few hundred dollars for petty offenses.
Sometimes, the judge may set an extremely high amount, which you may find difficult to pay. In such cases, you can seek the services of a bail bondsman. Also, your attorney can appeal the judge’s decision to set this high amount. If the appeal is successful, the court will reduce this amount of money.
Note that the judge can still increase your bail amount even after you have already posted bail and gotten back your freedom. This is especially true when the prosecutor finds more incriminating evidence against you, discovers certain aggravating factors in your case, or presses more criminal charges against you. However, even if the judge raises the amount of money you should pay as bail, we at Alomar Bail Bonds will ensure you get all the help you deserve to post bail and get back your freedom.
Posting Bail in Alhambra
You can choose to use a bail bondsman who will post bail on your behalf, or you can do it by yourself.
In most cases, if you opt to post bail by yourself, you will be required to pay the bail amount at the courthouse. Remember that the court can also ask you to surrender your title documents. Moreover, the court may require you to provide a surety. A surety is any trusted person who can guarantee the court that you will attend all court sessions. The judge will require this surety to deposit his/her identification documents at the courthouse.
We at Alomar Bail Bonds can post bail on your behalf. We will do all the heavy lifting for you; what you will need to do is just wait for your release. We have an efficient team that will ensure you get back your freedom as quickly as possible. Once you opt for our services, we will require you to provide the necessary documentation; then, you can adopt a hands-off approach as we work towards helping you get back your freedom.
Depending on the nature of your case, you might be required to observe certain conditions after you’ve been released on bail. Some of these conditions include:
- Not to participate in any unlawful activities
- Not to take any drugs or alcohol
- To keep off from the victim or any potential witnesses in your case
- Not to make massive withdrawal transactions of money on your accounts
- Not to travel far away from the court’s jurisdiction
- If you are a public officer, not to resume your official duties until the case is heard and determined
- Not to own or possess a firearm
- To make frequent contact with a parole or probation officer
If you violate any of these bail conditions, you may be rearrested. At this point, the judge may be hesitant to release you, and you may spend jail time until your case has been heard and determined.
Once you have been released on bail, ensure you attend all court sessions. If you don’t, the judge may issue an arrest warrant against you, and you may be forced to forfeit your bail amount. If you have a surety, the court may summon him/her to explain your absence. If he/she does not give a viable reason, he/she may be placed under arrest. In such situations, your surety may stop guaranteeing your presence during court sessions, and you will be forced to look for a new surety.
If you cannot attend a court session due to unavoidable circumstances, it would be best to inform the court beforehand. This way, the judge will not falsely assume that you’ve willingly absconded a court session.
You may not be required to attend all court sessions if an attorney represents you. Your attorney can attend some of these court sessions on your behalf.
Types of Bail Bonds
To be released, you may be offered any of the following bail bonds:
- Surety bonds
- Recognizance release
- Citation release
- Immigration bail bonds
- Property bonds
- Cash bail
- Federal bail bonds
Below, we explain each of them briefly:
Surety Bonds
You will have to present someone else before the court to act as your surety. This surety will provide a personal guarantee to the judge that you will attend all court proceedings. In most cases, sureties are family members or close friends.
As explained earlier in this article, if you abscond from court sessions, your surety may get arrested. The judge may also require him/her to explain your absence. In such situations, most sureties opt to stop being one.
Additionally, not all individuals can qualify as sureties. To qualify as a surety, an individual must:
- Have a fixed place of residence
- Have a stable source of income
- Not have violated bond or bail conditions on prior occasions
- Not be deemed to be a flight risk
Sometimes, it may not be easy to find an individual with all these qualifications willing to become your surety. This is why many people prefer posting bail by themselves or using the services of a bail bondsman.
Recognizance Release
This is not a type of bail bond per se; it is simply one of the ways you can get back your freedom. Getting a recognizance release means that you are getting back your freedom not because you have posted bail but because you have provided a personal assurance to law enforcement that you will attend all court proceedings.
In a recognizance release, you don't have to post bail to get back your freedom. All you are required to do is sign a document stating that you will attend all court sessions and accept that you are being released on your own recognizance.
You cannot get a recognizance release if you have been charged with a serious crime. You only stand a chance of being released on your own recognizance if you are facing charges for a petty offense. Moreover, to be released on your own recognizance, you must prove that:
- You do not have a criminal record
- You are of good moral repute
- You have never absconded court sessions on prior occasions
Note that the police also have the power to release you on your own recognizance. This means you can get a recognizance release before you are arraigned in court.
Citation Release
Citation releases are most common in traffic cases. A law enforcement officer may issue you a citation if you violate a traffic rule. A citation is simply a notice indicating when you will attend court for the hearing of your traffic offense charges and a warning that you may face further penalties should you fail to attend the court session.
If the police issued you a citation and failed to attend court proceedings, you may face further criminal charges. In such a case, you may be arrested, and you will be required to post bail for your release.
Immigration Bail Bonds
Non-US Citizens who have been arrested must post immigration bail bonds to regain their freedom. Immigration bail bonds are more expensive than other types of bail bonds. This is primarily because law enforcement believes that non-US citizens can be a flight risk.
Not all bail bond agents in Alhambra offer immigration bail bonds. However, we at Alomar Bail Bonds provide immigration bail bonds, regardless of how expensive they are. We are committed to ensuring you get back your freedom, no matter the price.
Property Bonds
You may post property bonds to secure your freedom if you own valuable property. The judge will require you to deposit title documents at the courthouse. For instance, the judge may order you to deposit your car logbook.
If you abscond court proceedings, you will forfeit your property. In addition to being arrested, the court may sell your property.
You can only post property bonds if you own valuable property. If you don't own any, this type of bail bond may not be a viable option.
Cash Bail
Most defendants in Alhambra post cash bail to secure their freedom. Here, the judge will issue an order stating that you will be released if you pay a certain amount of money at the courthouse. The judge has the sole discretion to determine the amount of money you ought to pay.
Typically, the nature of the offense you have been charged with will determine the amount of money you ought to pay as cash bail. As earlier explained in this article, serious offenses attract huge cash bail amounts compared to petty offenses. If you cannot afford to post cash bail by yourself, you can utilize the services of a bail bonds agent.
Federal Bail Bonds
You’d have to post federal bail bonds if you are facing criminal charges for a federal offense. Federal bail bonds are usually more expensive than other bail bond types.
Most bail bond agents in Alhambra are normally reluctant to post federal bail bonds. However, we at Alomar Bail Bonds can help you post federal bail bonds to secure your freedom.
Alhambra Jail and Courthouse Information
A person will most likely be taken to the Alhambra City Jail. The City of Alhambra manages this jail, and you can visit your loved one anytime from 10: 00 am to 5:00 pm. The phone number is 626-570-5145 and it’s located at 211 S. First Street, Alhambra, California 91801.
Also, your loved one will most likely be arraigned at the Alhambra Courthouse. Unlike the City Jail, this Courthouse is managed by the County of Los Angeles. This courthouse is always open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The general line for the courthouse is 626-293-2100 and it’s located at 150 West Commonwealth Alhambra, CA 91801.
Find an Alhambra Bail Bondsman Near Me
If you or your loved one has been arrested in Alhambra, we invite you to reach out to us at Alomar Bail Bonds for help. We will help you post bail so you can get back your freedom quickly. Call us today at 626-449-4118.