If someone is arrested for an offense in Dublin, Alameda County, they are often subject to confinement in a jail facility. Usually, arrestees can be released before their trial, but only if they are granted bail and have posted it. On a few occasions, arrestees are granted an own-recognizance (O.R.) release. However, in most cases, bail is required.
Bail is an amount of money a defendant (or someone on their behalf) posts with the court to guarantee they will return for their court dates after being released before trial. Bail can sometimes be unaffordable for most families, and understandably so. The amounts are usually so high, and, considering that arrests happen unexpectedly, many people do not have the required bail amount readily available.
However, being unable to afford bail does not mean you cannot secure your loved one's pretrial release. A Dublin bail bonds company can help you. At King Stahlman Bail Bonds, we can provide you with the fastest and most reliable bail bond service so your loved one is out of jail within the shortest time. Call us to initiate the process.
What Is a Bail Bond?
A bail bond refers to a payment to the court by a bail bonds agency on a defendant’s behalf. That makes it a form of surety bond. If your loved one has been arrested in Dublin and you cannot raise the required bail amount on your own, you can retain a Dublin bail bonds agency at a fee to post the bail amount for you.
Rather than paying the entire bail value, often tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, you pay a fee to a bondsman. The bondsman then guarantees the whole amount of bail to the court. The bail bond fee is generally regulated at 10% of the total bail amount. However, it is non-refundable even if the defendant complies with all pretrial release terms.
If the defendant makes all court appearances, the court will refund the bondsman their bond money. But if the defendant misses their court hearing, the bondsman will forfeit their bond money to the court. Since you helped the defendant secure the bond, the bondsman can pursue you to recover their bond amount.
How Dublin Bail Bonds Work
The Dublin bail bonds process usually starts with a criminal arrest and police booking and ends with the defendant's release. It is as follows:
Arrest and Police Booking
Once your loved one is arrested in Dublin, the officer will likely take them to the Santa Rita Jail, where they will be booked. Booking includes fingerprinting, taking of mug shots, recording of personal information, and being processed into the jail system. The process can take 2 to 12 hours, contingent on the specific jail facility.
Setting of Bail
Law enforcement may set bail in accordance with the Alameda County bail schedule, or a judge may set it during arraignment. Law enforcement usually sets bail in less serious cases, such as low-level misdemeanors. However, if the crime the defendant is accused of is severe, they will have to wait until they are arraigned in court for the judge to decide whether to grant bail.
Judges also set bail in accordance with the bail schedule. However, they have the discretion to increase or decrease the amount displayed in the bail schedule after considering several factors. Examples of these factors include:
- Severity and nature of the charges in question
- Defendant's criminal history
- Public safety concerns
- Whether the defendant is a flight risk.
- Defendant’s community ties
The judge can also deny bail altogether. In this case, your loved one will remain in custody until their case is over.
Contact a Dublin Bail Bonds Agency
Once bail has been set, you then contact a certified and licensed local Dublin bail bonds agency with your loved one's details. You must also have the jail's location where they are being held so the bondsman can verify bail.
Generally, the bondsman will require you to provide your loved one's full name, their birth date, charges they face (if you know), and jail location, among other details. Do not worry if you do not know some of the details. The bondsman can help you obtain them.
Paperwork and Payment
The bondsman will arrange the payment of the bond premium. They may offer you a payment plan if you qualify. You will then complete the necessary paperwork, including the bond contract and application. Based on the present risk factors and bail amount, the bondsman may need you to provide collateral.
Many bail bond companies can complete paperwork remotely, over the phone, or online, rather than in person at the bondsman's office.
Posting of the Bail Bond and Release from Custody
After making the required bond payments and completing the paperwork, the bondsman posts the bond. Posting the bail bond will trigger the jail release process. However, release timing is contingent on processing speed and jail staffing. Most releases occur within a few hours. However, in busy jail facilities, it can take 8 to 24 hours for a defendant to be released after posting bail.
Bail Bond Co-Signer Responsibilities
Since you will help secure a bail bond for your loved one, you will be a cosigner on the bond. As a co-signer, you assume responsibility for ensuring your loved one appears in court as required and follows other court requirements. Consigning will not make you responsible for the defendant’s criminal charges. You will typically:
- Assume financial obligation for the bond agreement
- Help ensure your loved one attends court
- Provide collateral if necessary
If your loved one misses court hearings and disappears, you will be responsible for paying the bondsman the bond money they forfeited to the court. If you provided collateral, you may lose it, as the bondsman may sell it to recover the bond money instead of coming after you.
Jail Information
Santa Rita Jail
5325 Broder Blvd
Dublin, CA 94568
Phone No.: 925-551-6500
Court Information
East County Hall of Justice
5151 Gleason Drive,
Dublin, CA 94568
Phone No.: 925-227-6700
Find a Reliable Dublin Bail Bonds Service Near Me
Not being able to bail your loved one out of jail can be a stressful situation. The worry of where the money will come from or what will happen to your loved one in jail will not give you peace of mind. Luckily, there is the option of securing a bail bond at an affordable fee.
If you are in Dublin, Alameda County, California, we at King Stahlman Bail Bonds can help you. We provide fast and reliable 24-hour Dublin bail bonds, helping families through the bail process with care and professionalism. Call us any time at 619-232-7127 to secure your loved one’s release from jail as quickly as possible.
