Lompoc Bail Bonds

Did you know that, when Jefferson Davis was captured, his bond was set at $100,000? Among the cosigners of his bail bond were Horace Greely and Cornelius Vanderbilt. He made his court date.

When a suspect neglects to appear in court, not only does the bail bond service forfeit the 90 percent of the bail he or she posted, but the judge will also issue a bench warrant for the suspect’s arrest. If the bail bonds service locates the suspect, typically through a bounty hunter, and returns the suspect to prison, the bail posted will be refunded.

The origin of the term "bail," in the legal sense, comes from an old French word meaning "to control, guard, deliver," and this came from a Latin word meaning "to bear a burden."

Did you know that bond agents in the United States have been around since the founding of the country? However, the laws regarding bail bonds have been changed and refined significantly over the years.

Bail bond laws differ by whether the crime is at the state or federal level—states maintain their own bail bond system. It is the judge, however, who sets bail amounts, which typically depend on whether the defendant presents a danger to society or is likely to flee.

Bail bonds play an important role in the American judicial system. They help ensure that those who’ve been accused of a crime but not yet tried or convicted are free to work and able to continue with their lives.

A court-appointed judge can place limits on the period in which your bond can be raised. This is most often seen when a requisite amount of time has passed and the requirements of a legal agreement have not been met.

How does the bail bond system operate? Bond agents must post a so-called blanket bond with the court. At the same time, agents generally have a business relationship with an insurance company or bank that guarantees the payment of any bonds in the event a client does not show up for a scheduled court appearance.

A large part of whether an accused person is released on bail is determined by whether he or she is a "flight risk." Someone who's a flight risk will either "jump bail," and miss his or her court appearance, or flee to another country/district, where he or she can't be prosecuted.

A lot of people in the US live from paycheck to paycheck, which means they simply don’t have the savings or resources to pay bail if something happens. Bail bond agencies exist for this precise reason, and can help you get released until your trial.

The right to reasonable bail was established with the US Constitution in 1789, but it took a while for the bail bond industry to get going. The first modern bail bond business was established in San Francisco in 1898 by Peter and Tom McDonough.

Defendants are able to help move the bail process along more smoothly by understanding and abiding with bail bond laws. Defendants may arrange bail through a bail bondsman or by paying the full amount directly to the court.