The bail bond process in San Diego begins when someone is arrested and booked into the county jail. During booking, the defendant's information is recorded, and bail is typically set according to the San Diego County bail schedule.
Once bail is set, you have several options: pay the full bail amount in cash, work with a bail bondsman, or wait for a bail hearing where a judge may modify the bail amount.
When working with a bail bondsman, you'll pay a non-refundable premium (typically 10% of the bail amount) and the bondsman will post the full bail on your behalf.
After the bail bond is posted, the defendant is released from custody, usually within a few hours depending on the jail's processing time.
The defendant must then appear at all scheduled court dates. Once the case is resolved, the bail bond is exonerated and any collateral is returned.