High bail charges can feel like an additional stress during what’s already a difficult period. Bail bonds, as provided by ‘The King’, give you an easy option for paying bail, even when you don’t have money in the bank.
But, with the potential for high upcoming legal fees and other worries, you don’t want to land yourself in a load of debt. Keep on reading to find out how much bail bonds cost in San Diego, and what that means for your case or your loved one.
What is a Bail Bond?
Bail bonds, also sometimes known as surety bonds, are contracts forged between a state-licensed bail agent and a signer or co-signer. The bail agent will agree to post the full bail amount if the defendant doesn’t appear at their court date. They offer this service based on the payment of a non-refundable premium at a pre-agreed percentage of the overall bail.
There are different kinds of bail bonds depending on a defendant's requirements and the specifics of their case. The most commonly used bail bonds include surety bail bonds, cash bail bonds, property bail bonds, and federal bail bonds.
Most defendants benefit from seeking a bail bond, as this agreement ensures that they have funds free to form a strong defense for their upcoming trial. Bail bonds also ensure a fast release from jail, making it more likely that a defendant will be in a better position to handle their upcoming legal challenges.
Understanding Bail Bond Costs
Bail bond costs are designed to be more affordable than simply paying your bail upfront. This helps you to avoid debt at a time when you’ll likely need to pay for legal representation. It also ensures that you’re able to secure release from jail until your trial date.
On average, bail agents will charge a 10% premium upfront in return for their services when bail is set over $2,500. If a bail amount is smaller than $2,500, some bail agents will charge a set bond fee depending on the bail in question. There are no taxes to pay on a bail bond.
So, if your bail is set for $10,000, you’ll likely need to pay £1,000. This makes bail costs far more manageable for the majority of individuals. ‘The King’ will also price match any bail quote to ensure that you can secure manageable bail bond costs at all times.
Collateral Requirements
When lending on large bail amounts, or if a defendant is a flight risk, bail agents may also have collateral requirements that must be fulfilled before release. While not a bail bond cost in themselves, these requirements will include financial leverage such as –
- Rental estate
- Vehicles
- Business property
- Stocks and bonds
- Other valuable belongings
If a defendant later fails to appear in court, the bail agent will sell these collateral properties to cover the full bail amount. Collateral can belong to the defendant, or a co-signer on a bail bond contract.
What Impacts Bail Bond Costs?
While working with a trustworthy bail agent like ‘The King’ can ensure the best value bail bonds in San Diego and surrounding areas, bail amounts can still vary a great deal depending on a range of factors.
That said, The U.S. Constitution does prohibit judges from imposing excessive bail amounts. Generally speaking, bail will be set between $20,000-$50,000 for minor crimes. However, bail can be set in the millions for more severe crimes according to the Bail Schedule.
Most commonly, a judge will consider a range of factors when setting the bail amount, including:
- The severity of a crime
- The type of crime (e.g. felony vs misdemeanor)
- The defendant's flight risk
- The potential societal danger of release
- Criminal history
A judge may also set higher bail amounts if a defendant has a history of skipping bail, or is currently on probation or parole.
It’s important to note that, with a bail bond, the defendant needn’t pay the full bail amount. Still, the percentage fee that you’ll pay a bond agent will also increase alongside these factors.
Bail Bond Payment Options
Some bail agents will require a 10% premium payment upfront, but others will provide a range of flexible payment options according to your situation. This can be invaluable for easily managing premiums, even in the face of high bail amounts.
Flexible bail bond payment options, as offered by ‘The King’, include upfront card payments and monthly payment plans. Card payments are the most economical way to cover bail bond costs. However, monthly plans can still make high bail bond costs more manageable.
‘The King’ also offers a full range of discounts, which can further reduce bail bond costs by 20% for military personnel, lifetime San Diego residents, and AARP members among others.
‘The King’ Can Keep Your Bail Bond Costs Down
Working with the right bail agent is one of the best things you can do to ensure manageable bail bond costs. King Stahlman has over 50 years of experience delivering affordable bail bonds to a wide range of locations in Southern California, including San Diego, Chula Vista, and National City. As a bail agent that you can trust, we’ll work closely with you to simplify what could otherwise be a complex and costly process.
We work day or night, and across holidays and weekends from our offices, which you can find in San Diego, Chula Vista, East County, and North County. Whenever and wherever you find yourself in trouble, our experts are King at explaining bail bond costs and arranging flexible payments that bring them easily within your reach.
As one of the most recognized nicknames in the bail bond industry, ‘The King’ is certainly the right bail agent to have in your corner. From the moment you get in touch, we’ll start setting your king-size bail anxieties at ease, and ensuring that you are free to focus on building the strongest defense. So, what are you waiting for? Get royally ahead of your case by contacting ‘The King’ today.
Additional Bail Bonds Topics
We specialize in “emergency crisis management” for your KING-SIZED problems and we are known for being trustworthy, discrete, affordable and fast-acting. As we like to say, “It’s better to know me and not need me, than to need me and not know me,” so don’t hesitate to call King Stahlman Bail Bonds 24 hours a day, seven days a week.