LA Bail Bonds Guide: Understanding the Arrest Process

Any arrest can be difficult on friends and family of the person in legal trouble, but it’s possible to reduce some of the stress associated with the legal process by understanding how the system works. In Los Angeles, bail bonds are a necessary part of the booking and releasing process.

If you need help from a Los Angeles bail bonds company freeing someone you know from jail, consider these key steps of the arrest process in order to better understand what’s going on with your loved one’s arrest.

Those Arrested are Taken to a Holding Facility for Processing

Pretty much any police station has a city jail built in, in the form of a holding facility that can house multiple suspects.  Those convicted of serious offenses or not bailed out in a timely manner will be transferred to a County Jail or holding facility for processing.

Processing refers to the act of recording the details of the arrest through police paperwork, mugshots, fingerprinting and uploading information to a public database.

Seeing a Judge Determines Bail

Once the arrested person has been processed, they are slated to see a judge. Courtrooms exist in County Jail holding facilities and a judge determines whether or not the charge is valid, if it will go to trial or not and if so, what the bail amount is for release of the defendant until their scheduled trial date.

Once the judge sets the bail amount, a Los Angeles bail bondsman can proceed with posting their bail and releasing the defendant.

Hiring a Los Angeles Bail Bonds Company

It’s important to select a Los Angeles bail bondsman as soon as you catch word of your loved one’s incarceration and decide to help them get released from jail.  Though the processing stage of the arrest can take several hours, a good Los Angeles bail bonds company can initiate the bail process and paperwork by phone, fax or email so the release takes as little time as the holding facility allows.

Fulfilling Your Duties after Bail

Defendants released on bail will exit the jail with paperwork that references their charges and scheduled court appearance.  It is now your responsibility as the bail indemnitor to help ensure they do indeed appear for all scheduled court dates.  Missing any could result in creditors or bounty hunters seeking financial reparations for the total bail amount.