When you or a loved one is taken to jail, the first thing you want to do is secure an immediate release.

The average bail amount in California is $50,000. Remember, at least half of the bail amounts are higher!

So now what do you do? You don’t have that kind of cash to hand to the court.

Most people require the assistance of a trusted bail bonds agent to get out of jail. A bail bonds agent makes a loan of the bail money to get you or your loved one out.

The agent will ask for collateral for the loan. What does collateral mean? Read on to learn more.

Get Out of Jail Fast

Contact a bail bondsman as soon as possible to start the process of posting bail. He can help use his knowledge and experience to navigate the bail system.

The amount of bail depends on many factors. The judge takes the severity of the charge and history of the accused into consideration. The court also looks at the job history, family situation, and overall stability.

The bail amounts set in the state bail schedule are minimums. The judge may increase the bail amount if the court feels that there is any danger of the accused fleeing.

Once bail amount is set the defendant may post a bond to get out of jail while awaiting trial.

How Does Posting Bail Work?

When you post a bond through a bail bond agent, you pay a nonrefundable fee of up to 10% to the bail bondsman. It’s like the premium on an insurance policy. The bail agent will then post bail to the court and guarantee that the defendant returns to court.

You and your co-signers (family and friends) will sign a contract with the bail bondsman. The contract states that the defendant (you), when released, promises to make all court appearances.  The obligation ends when the court legally declares that the case has concluded.

You and your co-signers put up collateral equal in value to the bail amount. The bail bondsman holds it until the defendant meets all obligations.

What Does Collateral Mean?

Your bail agent holds collateral just in case the defendant (you) fails to meet court dates an appearances. The bail bondsman has loaned you the money to set you free, after all. If you do not meet your obligations, the collateral is forfeit, meaning the bail bondsman may sell it to repay the loan.

For this reason,  you and your family need to place items like deeds to real estate, vehicle titles, bank accounts, jewelry, stocks & bonds, and other valuables with the bail bondsman until the court case is decided.

Items That You and Co-Signers Can Use For Collateral

All the items given as collateral cannot have other liens against them. A bail bondsman will use them to recover the loss of their loan if the defendant fails to make their obligations. Large items like homes and vehicles generally may remain in use, but small items are secured while used as collateral.

Homes

House property titles offered as collateral for securing a bail bond must be owned outright. Normally, the home is allowed to be used during the process. If the home is a rental property, the owner will continue to collect rent, even while the deeds are held by the bail bondsman.

If the house has a mortgage, the bank is the first creditor, so it will not work as a guarantee to a bail agent.

Land

Surrender title deeds to land as security. Homes and land need not belong to the defendant, but cosigners must understand that they will be forfeit if obligations are not met. Again, there can be no other liens against the property.

Vehicles

Some bail agents take titles of valuable items such as planes, trucks, boats, RVs, or cars as collateral. Some items may need to be secured in a yard or hangar until the case finishes. There can be no other loans against the vehicle.

Cash, Stocks, Bonds, Lines of Credit

Bail agents can take and hold these items for the duration of the court proceedings and return them promptly. Even bank and brokerage accounts can work.

Just be aware that the accounts used for collateral are locked and money cannot be withdrawn until the case ends. A bail agent can release collateral immediately at the end of their contract.

Handing financial instruments directly to the court can mean a wait of a year or more for their return at the end of the case.

Other Valuables

Some bail bondsmen can accept and secure things like watches, art, tools, antiques or jewelry to serve as collateral. Other items that may be acceptable include:

• Electronics
• Valuable Collectibles
• Equipment
• Business Inventory

Bail bondsmen are not expert gemologists or antique dealers. They may not put a high value on collateral like art, furniture or jewelry.

Bail collateral is typically returned after the defendant pays off all financial obligations and the case has been concluded. Usually, this is within five business days.

A Professional and Knowledgeable Bail Agent Is a Call Away

Getting out of jail in Hollywood is a high priority. We can work with your attorney and co-signers to secure your release quickly and discreetly. Emergency situations are our specialty.

With over 15 years in the business, we can help you gather cash and assets quickly to secure your release. All your information is confidential. You can trust us to fairly assess your risk and determine your premium.

Our husband and wife team are always available to answer your questions like “What does collateral mean?” and “How quickly can I get out?”

Get the trusted help you need. Call us now!

Whether it is justified or not, watching your friend getting arrested or finding out after the fact can be stressful and confusing.

But if you want to help your friend, it’s best not to let the confusion or stress get to you. Instead, there are 5 important steps you can follow to help your friend get free and start taking the necessary legal steps.

Keep reading to learn those 5 steps and how you can use them to help your friend after an arrest.

1. Stay Calm

The worst thing you can do when your friend is getting arrested is panic.

If you feel that your friend is being arrested unjustly, you might be tempted to argue with police. Even if you know the arrest is warranted, the adrenaline of the moment might have you raising your voice, getting aggressive, or otherwise acting out.

But the only thing this type of reaction is going to do is cause more trouble for yourself and your friend.

If the officer hasn’t actually decided to arrest your friend, causing a confrontation could turn a simple warning into something more serious. If he or she has started the arrest process, you could end up getting yourself in trouble with an obstruction of justice charge.

Instead, stay as calm as possible throughout the situation. If possible, encourage your friend and anyone else involved to do the same.

Answer the officer’s questions, stand to the side or wherever you’re instructed to, and wait until you’re addressed. Don’t flee the scene, as you’ll need to be around for the next step on this list.

2. Get Any Information You Can

What happens after arrest will vary depending on the situation. But no matter what happens, it’s important for you to start getting as much information as possible.

If you can, ask to talk with the officer or one of the officers at the scene. Ask questions about why your friend is being arrested, what happened to cause the arrest, and what happens after arrest in this situation.

Ask these questions even if you’ve been with your friend the entire time. You’ll need to know what the officers think happened so that during the next steps on this list you can compare that information to what you know happened.

If you can’t talk with an officer a the scene, you can visit the police station or ask for a phone number for the arresting officer. Once your friend has been taken to the police station, ask whether they may have been arrested but not booked.

If they have, there may still be a chance of release without a charge.

Besides asking questions both at the scene and after the arrest, you should also pay close attention to what is happening around you.

Listen to the officer to see if he or she read your friend their rights when arrested. Note any aggressive behavior from the officer that you think might not have been justified.

3. Contact a Bail Bondsman

If you want to help your friend, the next step immediately after they are arrested and taken away from the scene is to contact a bail bondsman.

A bail bondsman will help you navigate the process of posting bail for your friend to get them out of jail fast.

If you can’t afford bail, a bondsman can help. But even if you afford the bail, it’s a good idea to work with a bondsman.

They’ll have the knowledge and experience it takes to get your friend out as fast as possible so that you can start working to help them start preparing for what happens next.

4. Get a Lawyer

If the charges against your friend are serious, or you feel they are unjust, the next step towards helping them is to get a lawyer.

A lawyer can help them navigate the charges against them and decide what they need to do next.

If your friend is short on cash or confident that he or she has a good chance of fighting the charges against them, they can also choose to represent themselves. Just make sure that they understand exactly what they’re getting into before they make that choice.

5. Offer Your Support

Once your friend has obtained a lawyer, they may not need additional help from you.

But one last thing you can do for your friend is to offer your support.

Fill in your friend and their lawyer on what you say, heard, and found out at the scene. This includes any details about the arrest, the answers you got from the officer, and even your own observations.

If there were other witnesses at the scene, you might also provide names and contact information to the lawyer in case they need to use those witnesses in court. You might also be called as a witness.

Another method of support you can offer your friend is emotional support. If you were there when the event that led to their arrest happened, you’ll be in the unique position to lend an ear to your friend and help them talk through exactly what went down.

What to do if Your Friend is Getting Arrested

When your friend is getting arrested, it can be tempting to panic or even leave the scene entirely.

But whether you are involved in the event that got them arrested or not, if you want to help your friend, there are several things you need to do.

Stay on the scene and pay attention to everything that is happening. Talk with officers to find out what they think happened. Help your friend get out of jail by contacting a bondsman.

Then, help them find a lawyer and offer your support to help as they begin the legal battle that follows every arrest.

If your friend has been arrested, we can help. Once the smoke settles and your friend is charged, contact us to get your friend out of jail fast so that you can begin helping them fight their charges.

Did you decide to represent yourself in criminal court? If so, you’re doing something very risky. Very few people can effectively plead their case alone, without the aid of an experienced and respected lawyer.

But if your case is small or the other person is also unrepresented, you may have a chance to win your case.

However, you should never go in blind. There’s only a small chance you will win. You will have to make a compelling argument to the jury and the judge and you may even need to dress the part.

If you’re still making the decision to stand alone in court, here’s your guide to representing yourself in criminal court.

Understand Legal Names for the Parties Involved

Your first step is learning the legal names for all of the parties in the trial. This is easier said than done; legal names are complex and some are even in Latin.

Why do you need to know these names? The judge and your opponent’s attorney will refer to everyone in the court by these names.

Here’s a rundown of the names you need to memorize:

Pro Se Litigants: individuals in a civil lawsuit who are not represented by an attorney (in other words, you).

Pro Se Defendant: a Pro Se defendant is a defendant defending their own case (in other words, you).

Plaintiff: the person who’s filing the lawsuit (in other words, your opponent).

Prosecutor: the attorney that represents the state. They will present the evidence to the jury.

Knowing this basic information will increase your understanding of the court system.

Understand Court Rules

After you study the names and their meaning, you need to know the rules of court. This is a little more difficult because each state has their own rules including federal rules.

First, find out if your trial will be held in state or federal court. If it’s federal court, you’ll have to read either the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure or the Federal Rules of Evidence.

If your case is held in state court, you have to research the rules in your state. You can also contact the county clerk at the courthouse.

Provide an Answer to the Complaint

If your case is in civil court, you’ll receive a civil complaint. You don’t have to respond to this but it’s best that you do. If you don’t respond, the court will rule in favor of the plaintiff.

Before you respond, review the complaint. The complaint will list what you’re being sued for, how much, and how and when to respond. Retrieve an answer form; you can find them online and at the courthouse.

Your answer should be straightforward. Generally, you can decide to answer in one of four ways:

• You can deny the claim
• You can accept the claim
• You can state there’s not enough evidence in the claim
• Answer the way that fits best with the lawsuit.

Once your response is finished, pay the filing fee.

File a Cross-Complaint (If Applicable)

If you’re fully sure you’re innocent, you can file a cross-complaint. In other words, you’re suing the plaintiff who’s suing you. But you can only sue the plaintiff if your complaint relates to the one against you.

It’s highly recommended you have an attorney if you go this route. But if your case is small or the plaintiff isn’t represented, you can easily do this yourself.

Research the Law

Before court, research the exact law you’re being sued for. In addition to searching the general law, research the claims for both a defendant and a plaintiff.

But pay more attention to the defense portion of the law. This way, you can effectively defend your position.

Conduct Discovery

After you file your answer, a process called discovery begins. This means either party can request information from their opponents. This can help strengthen your defense.

This includes facts about the charges, evidence, witnesses, and even what arguments the opponent will make.

Discovery has two different categories: formal and informal.

In formal discovery, you’ll gain information by asking your opponent questions, interviewing other persons related to the case, requesting necessary documents, and ordering a subpoena.

You can also take the informal route. This includes conducting interviews, gathering documents, and even taking photographs or video.

Attend All Required Court Appearances

Your court date isn’t the only court appearance required. Many cases call for a pretrial. This is when all parties meet with the judge and discuss how the trial will play out.

You’ll have to discuss certain topics, such as:

• Settlement
• Scheduling a trial date
• The discovery process (whether ongoing or finished)
• Conceding issues not included in the dispute (if applicable)

You may have one pretrial date or even several.

Try and Settle the Case Outside of Court

If you can, settle the case outside of court. This helps if you personally know the plaintiff.

These are called a settlement conference. You two will meet with a third party to come to an agreement.

This is the recommended course of action, especially if you’re not represented. You’ll save a lot of time and money because you won’t endure a trial.

You can also have more control because you’re not leaving the decision up to a judge or a jury.

Representing Yourself in Criminal Court Isn’t Easy

As you can guess, representing yourself in criminal court isn’t easy. The stakes increase if you’re the defendant. But if your case is small and if the plaintiff isn’t represented, you may be able to win without an attorney.

Be sure to research and submit all documents on time. If you can, come to a settlement outside of court.

Do you need a bail bond while you or a loved one is in jail? If you’re in California, contact us.