Bail is a way to allow you to get out of jail between the day you were arrested and the day your trial is set for. This gap can be months or even years, so people don't want to spend that time in jail when they plan on fighting a case.
Yes! In California, bonds can be posted twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week. But whether you can bail someone out of jail at any time depends on their situation. When someone is arrested, they have a first appearance soon after.
It is rather a way of securing a defendant's agreement to abide by certain conditions and return to court. In that sense, bail is like collateral left with the court to ensure that, after the defendant's release from jail, he or she will return for the remaining parts of the criminal case.
Prosecutors usually move cases along more slowly when defendants are not in custody. As a result, witnesses can disappear and cases can get stale, so that bailed-out defendants often wind up with better deals. As defense attorneys like to say, "Justice delayed is justice."
The decision to post bail for someone should not be taken lightly. Financially, you risk losing the bail amount or collateral if the defendant fails to appear in court. Legally, the defendant's absence can lead to arrest warrants and additional charges, complicating their legal situation further.
Meanwhile, the courts may find 'good cause' in alignment with PC 1382 to delay the trial. This usually relates to complex cases or the discovery of new evidence. As with most states, California has stay-out-of-jail periods lasting between 90 days and 120 days depending on the circumstances of the case.
You should only help bail someone out of jail that you trust to show up on time for all of their required court appearances. However, be assured that the outcome of the trail has no bearing on whether the bail bond will be released.
Most bond agreements include travel restrictions, confining you to a specific geographic area such as your county or state. These limitations are designed to ensure your availability for court dates. If travel is necessary, you must seek prior approval from the court or your bail bondsman.