When you find out a friend or loved one has been arrested and taken into custody, there are a few different types of Santa Clarita bail bonds available to you if you want to get them out of jail. Depending on your unique situation, one type may suit you better than another. Here is a breakdown of the different types of bail bonds available to you:
Cash Bail Bonds
Cash bonds can be quick, but they can also be incredibly expensive. Once bail has been set (let’s say $20,000), it’s possible to to immediately take that amount of money to the court clerk, pay it, and get your friend or loved one out of jail. Provided that the defendant shows up for all of their court dates, and regardless of the outcome, the money will be returned to you (minus any administration fees). If the defendant does not show up for all of their court dates and instead chooses to skip bail, the entire amount will be forfeit to the courts.
Property Bail Bonds
When a person doesn’t have the available cash for a cash bond, they can instead put up a piece of property, usually a home, as collateral. With a property bond, the owner of the property must have equity in the property totaling at least 150% of the total bail amount. So, using the amount in the example above, a person must have equity totaling $30,000 for a piece of property to quality for a property bond.
Once a piece of property has been put forward for a property bond, the court can take awhile to appraise the property and approve it. Your friend or loved one will remain in custody during this period, which can take a few weeks – if not longer.
Like cash bonds, if the defendant does not show up for all of their court dates, the property will be forfeit to the courts.
Surety Bail Bonds
Surety bail bonds are going to be your go-to form of bail when you cannot afford a cash bond nor do you own property eligible for a property bond. Surety bonds are obtained with the assistance of a bail bondsman and cost 10% of the total bail amount to secure your friend or loved one’s release. This form of bail bond can be posted at the vast majority of California jails 24 hours a day, meaning it’s possible to have your friend or loved one out of jail not too long after their arrest.
