How Does Bail Work In San Diego County?

If you or a loved one are arrested in San Diego County, you may want to do a brief internet search on how bail works in the area. The last thing you want is for you or your friend/family member to sit behind bars for an unnecessary length of time. 

That’s why we wrote this quick article, to cover all things bail-related. Check it out and forward it along to anyone that would benefit from this information.

What does “post bail” mean?

Bail is the amount of money, or money equivalent, that a person gives to the court to secure a defendant’s release from jail. If the arrested person shows up to all required court hearings, the money will be returned to him/her. If the arrested person does not show up to all required court hearings, a warrant will be issued for his/her arrest and no amount of bail will be returned.

Typically, bail can be granted to the courts in the form of a cash, check, property bond, bail bond, or release on one’s own recognizance.

Who puts a dollar amount on how much bail is to be paid?

No particular person in the judicial system sets bail. Instead, every county adheres to a bail schedule. The bail schedule is a list that names each crime and its corresponding bail amount. It can not and will not be increased or decreased by a judge. 

Bail is quite simple; if it’s not posted, the defendant will not be released from jail. There can be a negotiation on the dollar amount between the judge and the arrested person if he/she would rather sit behind bars until arraignment is scheduled. This can take place approximately three to five days after an arrest. The judge may even choose to release a person on recognizance without any bail money, case dependant. 

How is bail paid for?

There are two routes to pay for bail in San Diego county and they include the full amount in cash or equivalent payment method, or a bail bond. 

A bail bond is kind of like a check held in reserve. You pay a bail bonds company a small portion of the full bail amount and they fork over the rest. It serves the same way a bond paid in full would. You must continue to show up to scheduled court appearances. If you do not, the bonds company will hire a bounty hunter to find you and return you to jail until a verdict is made in your case. 99.9% of the time, the bail bondsman will require a 10% fee paid in full to assist you in getting out of jail. This route is often taken.

If you technically want to “save” money, you will pay the full cash bail amount (if you have it). Some bails can be set pretty high, at very unaffordable rates. But if you can manage, posting the full amount and appearing up to all scheduled court sessions will be beneficial. Why? Because you’ll get the full amount that you handed over to the courts once the trial is over. With a bail bond, you will not get a penny back that you’ve paid to them. 

If you have any questions or need any assistance with bail and bail bonds, please reach out to our professionals at Synergy Bail Bonds. Our mission is to assist every client with obtaining their immediate freedom. Each case is treated professionally, giving informative information every step of the way. We’ll stay loyal and dedicated to you throughout the process and request that our clients do the same in return.