Lake Forest was initially known as the El Toro and is famous for its forest and wide lakes. It is a quiet town which makes it a suitable family town, but even with all the serenity, several criminal cases are reported at Lake Forest every other day. Arrests are inevitable, but when they happen, they not only affect you as the defendant, they also have an impact on your family as well. A conviction has a financial and emotional effect on the defendant and their loved ones. It is a complex process, and facing it alone is nearly impossible. That is where the bail agents come in hand. Did you know that you do not have to be in custody throughout your case period? Bail bond agents help you access bail that allows you to return to your residence and pursue the case with freedom.
The whole process can be complicated; however, a bail bond agent can help you choose a strategy that works best for you. Finding an experienced and skilled bail agent can also be uphill, but you don’t have to worry. Steven Mehr Bail Bonds in Lake Forest has bail agents ready to walk with you through the whole process and prepare you for the decisions you may need to make. We understand how overwhelming the process can be, and we try to make it an easy, fast, and stress-free one for you. If you are looking for reliable and efficient bail agents, look no further.
Being Arrested at Lake Forest
When a defendant is accused of an offense, they are first arrested and charged with the crime, and they are detained and taken to the nearby jail. You do not have to wait till the defendant is in jail for you to start the bail process. To ensure they do not spend much time in jail, reach out to a bail agency while being taken to jail. An experienced bail agent will easily gather the necessary begin the bail papers. This should only take 30minutes. A bail schedule is the easiest method of acquiring bail. In this method, judges predetermine a list that they use to give the defendant a bail charge.
This method is only applicable if the defendant faces common or relatively minor charges, making the bail process fast. But, if a defendant is charged with a serious offense, they will have to attend a bail hearing to determine the amount they will pay as bail. (A bail hearing is a set court date that the judge looks at the offenses you committed and your criminal record and then decides on the amount you will pay as bail.) There are various ways in which you can be able to obtain bail even if you do not have the full bail amount. Below are a few ways we use to help our clients acquire bail without paying the full amount.
Lake Forest Bail Bond Facts
Bale charges are assigned depending on the charges filed against you. If the defendant or their loved one can raise the bail set, the defendant is set free and allowed to continue with their business while complying with the court orders. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, your bail amount will be less than those facing felony charges.
For instance, if Mike has been arrested in Lake Forest for domestic violence, which is one of the common arrests in the area, his bail will likely be as follows:
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If he is charged with a misdemeanor, he is going to be charged around$10,000
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If he is charged with a felony, his bail fee will be around $50,000.
Before, people were issued bail as the society waited for an official to set the case hearing and punish the defendant accordingly. This gave the defendants time to attend to their personal needs while waiting for their trial and conviction. Now, the experience in the delay of the process is due to the overload of cases in courts and not the wait of an official to attend to the case.
The bail and bail bonds are held as the case waits for the disposition. If the legal obligations are fully filled, the money is given back to the bail agent. Keeping in mind that there could be thousands if not hundreds of cases already in court, and your court hearing could take months before its hearing, it is only wise to pursue bail and have your loved one out of jail.
Bail Process
The 8th constitutional amendment entitles every American citizen to bail. So if you are an American citizen, the judge should not deny you bail not unless you pose a risk to society. It is crucial to reach out to litigation if you feel like the judge has violated this right. Remember, you do not always need bail to get out of custody. There are times that you can be released on recognizance. This happens when you face misdemeanor charges, do not pose any risk to society, and do not have a previous conviction. Although this option is not available to everyone, it is crucial to evaluate all options and see which one is available. If you cannot be released on your recognizance, it means you will have to pay some money for you to be set free.
If you cannot raise the bail money, here is where the bond comes in. Bonds help families from different backgrounds to be able to afford bail. Here are some of the bonds that you may consider.
The cash bond is the first option of paying bail that you will be exposed to. This method requires you to pay the bail fee upfront and in the total amount. Although cash bonds are the fastest option to get your loved one out of jail, they may not be the most efficient and affordable way. Bail fee is usually costly, and many families cannot raise that money within short notice. Most families face financial burdens when they are faced with bail fees. In theory, cash bonds are the fastest but raising the amount is not reasonable. That is why most people opt for surety bonds.
Surety bonds, also termed bail bonds, are one of the easiest ways to pay bail fees. Usually, the co-signer and the bail agent sign a contract agreeing to comply with the court for a more fair bail amount. This bail process requires the co-signer to pay a fraction of the bail amount to the bail agent. They then go to the court and cover the whole bail amount. The fraction the co-signer paid is non-refundable, and it will end up being the profit for the bail bond agent. According to California law, the fraction you should pay should be 10% of the bail fee. This is constant and applies to all bail bond agents, so avoid agencies that require you to pay any extra charges. At the Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, you will only be required to pay 10% of your bail fees, and our bail bond agents will fill the application in less than thirty minutes.
The other alternative is a property bond, but this only happens when mandated by the judge, mostly in immigration crimes. They are anchored with collateral, and you cannot pass them to someone else. In this case, collateral can be real estate, cars, jewelry, or any item worth one and a half of the bail fee. This is to cover the extra costs of registering a property. This option is not the most efficient one because property can sometimes be hard to come up with cash.
Remember that a property bond cannot be passed to another person, so if a time comes when the co-signer is no longer comfortable using their property as a bond, the only option is to relinquish the bond through the paperwork. The defendant will be taken back to jail. This is a long and complex process, so the co-signer needs to take their time to think about it. If the co-signer or the defendant does not follow the orders issued by the court, the property will be auctioned, and the money will be used to pay the bond fees.
Being Set Free
Once the bail agent is done with the application, they will be asked to report to the jail that the defendant is detained and start filling the discharge documents. Once they are successful, the discharge will take between 3-13 hours. The hours the process will take are mainly based on the population in the jail and if there are enough staff. Having a skilled and experienced bail bond agent is also crucial because they will know the tools to use and follow to make the discharge process fast and easy.
After you have been set free, it is crucial to reach out to an attorney to help you build a defense against your charges. It is also essential to prepare for your business and other personal affairs in case of future jail time. Also, ensure that you are following all the set rules to avoid being taken back into custody.
Locating the Lake Forest Jail
After the authorities arrest a person in Lake Forest, they, in most cases, take the arrestee to the Orange County jail facility. Some arrestees choose to handle the case by themselves, but it is advisable to reach out to a bail agent to help you attain your freedom without a hassle.
Handling the case by yourself means you will have to wait more than 8 hours for the release process to be completed, and you will need to pay a lot of money as bail. Note that there are maximums on your credit cards, and you can’t also sign a check if your bail amount is over $7,500. You can also find many people waiting to be served, so you may have to spend extra hours to be served. But why go through all that when Steven Mehr Bail Bonds can help you be free easily and efficiently even if you cannot raise the bail amount. Reach out to us; we are a call away.
With that in mind, if our family member or friend was arrested in the Lake Forest area, they are probably detained here:
(550 N. Flower St. Santa Ana, CA 92703)
For inmate records, you can call (714)647-4666
It is open 24/7.
The Lake Forest Park Municipal Court
The RCW 3.50 organize the municipal court to handle the misdemeanor charges and any legal infractions in Lake Forest, CA. The city’s mayor is responsible for appointing the presiding judge, who is later confirmed by the city council. Each presiding officer serves a term of four years.
If your loved one has committed a more significant offense, they will have to appear in court before a judge, and the judge will determine the amount the defendant will post as bail. The court Lake Forest Park Municipal Court is located at:
(17425 Ballinger Way NE, 2nd floor Lake Forest Park, WA98115)
You can also call them at (206)3647711.
Find Lake Forest Bail Bonds Near Me
Finding a trustworthy and reputable bail agent is the most crucial part of the bail process. It is essential to ensure that the bail agent you choose will not gamble with your case. At Steven Mehr Bail Bonds, we have a great experience, and we have mastered how the bail process works throughout the region. Our agents are well trained and handle each case professionally regardless of how unique your situation is. We also let you know every move we take and allow you to have a present role in the process. We respect your privacy and we ensure that you feel safe and secure throughout the whole process. Our agents will do their best to reunite you with your loved one. Reach out to us today at 800-834-8522 for a free consultation.