Address:
2100 Martin Luther King Jr., Way
Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone:
510-981-2489
Does Alameda County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Alameda County?
Who can set bail in Alameda County?
When is bail set in Alameda County California?
Yes, California is a bail state, and Alameda County allows bail; however California is among a growing number of states who will attempt to release a defendant under bail conditions and/or a reasonable dollar amount rather than impose a dollar amount that cannot be met.
The court will consider what type of bonds from the following list depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
1. Judicial public bail/bond is the release of a defendant without any money but must have some kind of supervision while out on bail.
2. Cash bail is payment by the defendant or another person in part or in full of the total bail. The Alameda County Clerk of Court supervises this bond.
3. Property bail is when one or more people put up property owned in the state of California to cover the bond.
4. Professional surety bail is when the defendant is release on bail by having a professional bond company execute the bond.
5. Unsecured bond is where the arrested is released from custody without having to pay a dollar amount upfront. Instead, the arrested and/or surety signs a bond that says that they will pay the full bond amount if they don’t show up to court. Even though there is no money paid, there are usually conditions such as supervised release, curfew, restraining order or attendance at a treatment center.
6. A secured bond is where someone called a surety puts up property with greater value than the bond. A professional bondsperson can be a surety in California or a family or friend with property value that exceeds the amount of the bond amount.
For most misdemeanors, the police and bail magistrate can set bail at the time of the arrest and initial detention.
There are many factors to consider whether the arrested should be given bail and released or be detained until the arraignment. If the circumstances are such that the bail recommendations do not apply, then bail is set by the judge in Superior Court. The Superior Court judge can also consider changing the initial bail terms at the first court appearance.
For some lesser crimes, bail can be set at the time of initial detention and for other crimes, bail is set at the arraignment which must occur within 48 hours of the arrest.
Bail is what the arrested in Alameda County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Alameda County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Berkeley Police Jail Facility until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
In California, bail can be denied under the following circumstances:
Capital crimes as with murder, acts of violence or threats to another when the evidence given supports the likelihood that the arrested committed the crime or will act upon the threats. Bail can also be denied if terms of parole, mandatory supervision, post-release orders or felony parole are violated.
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different.
The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions.
Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Alameda County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid. Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing.
Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Yes, California is a bail state, and Alameda County allows bail; however California is among a growing number of states who will attempt to release a defendant under bail conditions and/or a reasonable dollar amount rather than impose a dollar amount that cannot be met.
The court will consider what type of bonds from the following list depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
1. Judicial public bail/bond is the release of a defendant without any money but must have some kind of supervision while out on bail.
2. Cash bail is payment by the defendant or another person in part or in full of the total bail. The Alameda County Clerk of Court supervises this bond.
3. Property bail is when one or more people put up property owned in the state of California to cover the bond.
4. Professional surety bail is when the defendant is release on bail by having a professional bond company execute the bond.
5. Unsecured bond is where the arrested is released from custody without having to pay a dollar amount upfront. Instead, the arrested and/or surety signs a bond that says that they will pay the full bond amount if they don’t show up to court. Even though there is no money paid, there are usually conditions such as supervised release, curfew, restraining order or attendance at a treatment center.
6. A secured bond is where someone called a surety puts up property with greater value than the bond. A professional bondsperson can be a surety in California or a family or friend with property value that exceeds the amount of the bond amount.
For most misdemeanors, the police and bail magistrate can set bail at the time of the arrest and initial detention.
There are many factors to consider whether the arrested should be given bail and released or be detained until the arraignment. If the circumstances are such that the bail recommendations do not apply, then bail is set by the judge in Superior Court. The Superior Court judge can also consider changing the initial bail terms at the first court appearance.
For some lesser crimes, bail can be set at the time of initial detention and for other crimes, bail is set at the arraignment which must occur within 48 hours of the arrest.
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction if the bail had already been set.
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of California could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Yes, California does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Berkeley Police Jail Facility for more information about the jails in Alameda County.
What options are there to pay bail in Alameda County California?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted.
Go to the Berkeley Police Jail Facility for more information about posting bail in Alameda County.
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount.
If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
The Berkeley Police Jail Facility or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.
Since bail bond procedures in Alameda County and California are subject to change, it’s best to call Berkeley Police Jail Facility at 510-981-2489, or the court in the applicable jurisdiction (Municipal Court, District Court, etc.), right after an arrest has been made to get updated information.
You should ask the staff at Berkeley Police Jail Facility or the Alameda County Court Clerk the following questions:
If the bail amount seems high, contact a lawyer or the defendant’s public defender to explore the possibility of a bail reduction. Starting the process early can help secure the release sooner.
The process can be smoother with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling the details for you.
Option 1 - How to Post Cash Bail at Berkeley Police Jail Facility
A cash bond requires the full bail amount to be paid in cash, cashier’s check, or money order. Personal checks are not accepted.
Bail amounts can vary from $100 to $75,000 or more depending on the crime.
You can post a cash bond at Berkeley Police Jail Facility or the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going to the jail directly will expedite the release process, as paperwork from the court must be processed at the jail.
Cashier’s checks and money orders should be made out to Berkeley Police Jail Facility, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, or the Alameda County Court.
Money orders can be obtained at Western Union, Moneygram, or any Post Office.
Option 2 - How to Post a Surety Bond at Berkeley Police Jail Facility
If you don’t have the full bond amount, a surety bond is an option. A bail agent posts the bond, and you pay the agent a premium, which is typically 10-15% of the bail amount.
For example, if bail is set at $5,000, the premium would range from $500 to $750.
The bail agent may require collateral such as property, a car, or valuables to ensure compensation if the defendant skips court.
By signing with a bail agent, you take responsibility for the full bail amount if the defendant fails to appear in court.
Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond at Berkeley Police Jail Facility
Property owners in Alameda County can post a property bond using real estate as collateral. All owners must be present to sign the bond documents.
For properties outside of Alameda County, consult a local bail agent or attorney for assistance.
Click here for more details on posting bail at Berkeley Police Jail Facility.
Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.
In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.
Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a California state licensed Bail Bond firm.
Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.
