If arrested or called in for questioning, California Penal Code Section 825 states that defendants must be brought before a judge within 48 hours to determine whether they will be charged or released. In other words, you can be held for 48 hours without charges.
Bail information is considered public record in the State of California, meaning that anyone (not only defendants themselves) can request this info. The details can be accessed via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system or the Criminal Intake Section.
If a defendant can't post bail, they will remain in custody until their court hearing. If a defendant cannot personally post bail, they may ask family or friends to help them. Alternatively, they can engage a bail bond company to post a bond on their behalf.
Anyone can post your bail bond. Usually you will go through a bail bondsman so you put up a small percentage of the bail, but you forfeit that once the bond a returned. To qualify you need to have credit and collateral. If your bail bond is $100K ...
Failing to post bond has several consequences: Extended Jail Time: You remain in custody until your court date, ranging from weeks to months. Court Appearances: Regular court appearances are required. Impact on Employment and Family: Prolonged jail time can lead to job loss and financial strain.
If a person can't make bail in Sacramento, they must remain in jail until their case eventually goes to trial. The so-called “pretrial detention” period — the time between when a person is arrested and their case reaches a courtroom for a trial — can take anywhere from several weeks to several years.
The court considers the seriousness of the crime, potential penalty, and criminal history in determining the bond length. If the individual has a history of violating the law, the bond length could extend beyond the usual 90 days.
In California, a bail bondsman typically has six months to find and return the defendant. If the defendant is not found in the timeframe, you will be responsible for paying not only the full amount of the bond, but also any additional expenses and any unpaid premiums.