California Penal Code Section 825 says that a person arrested in California must be brought before a judge within 48 hours to be charged or released. These rules prevent law enforcement from holding suspects indefinitely while providing sufficient time to collect evidence and decide whether to take the case forward.
For instance, a California judge might post bail at $50,000, letting the defendant secure their release for just $5,000. However, judges may not grant bail in some situations. When this happens, it can result in a “no bond” situation.
No bond status means a person cannot be released from jail by paying bail unless a judge later sets bail.
The defendant can post their own bail or ask a family member or friend to post it. If the defendant uses a bond company, the company may require the defendant to have a co-signer (someone who will help the company find the defendant should they fail to appear).