What Is a Bail Forfeiture?

What Is a Bail Forfeiture?: what it means in California and what to ask. Bail Bonds Monterey Park Experts offers this general overview for loved ones.

Overview

Bail forfeiture happens when a person misses a required court date and the court declares the bail amount forfeited. For a bond, that creates an obligation that the agent may look to the signer to cover.

Practical Steps

If a court date was missed, contact the bondsperson and the attorney without waiting. Waiting makes it harder to fix.

Key Points

Usually there is a period during which the missed appearance can be addressed, such as by returning the person to court. What applies varies with the court.

Details to Gather First

A bail agent needs these details to look up a case:

The charges, if known
Your own name and phone number
The person's full legal name and date of birth
The booking number, if you have it
The jail or station where the person is held

Talk to Bail Bonds Monterey Park Experts

Bail Bonds Monterey Park Experts is based at 220 S. Glendora Ave Suite J, Glendora, CA 91741 and takes calls at (626) 513-8778 (open 24 hours / 7 days). For what is a bail forfeiture?, an agent can explain how bonds work in Los Angeles County, where people are held after an arrest by Monterey Park Police Department, such as Men's Central Jail, and which courthouse, for example Alhambra Courthouse (serving Monterey Park), hears the case.

A Note on Limits

Rules and local practice change over time. Check the current bail schedule and court procedures with the county, and use this page as general background only, not as legal advice.