When it comes to bail bonds, figuring out prices before someone has been arrested can be tricky. This is due to the fact that bail amounts vary depending on the crime a person was arrested for, their criminal record, and the kind of mood the judge was in in that day. Without that information, we can only guess how expensive the bail will be.

However, here at Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles, we know that our clients will only have to pay 10% of the full bail price. This is due to the fact that our bail bonds cost 10% of the bail they are for. On top of that, we provide payment plans for all of our clients and additional discounts for clients who qualify.

When it comes to our payment plans, they break up the cost of the bail bond and spread it out over several months. This makes paying for the bond so much easier. Since we do not charge interest on our payment plans, there is nothing to worry about. Our payment plans give you the time to save up for payments without charging you extra for the benefit.

At Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles, we offer a 20% discount off the price of the bail bond if one of the co-signers meets one of the following requirements:

 
So long as one of those requirements is met by just one of the co-signers for the bail bond, then you qualify for the discount. This means that instead of paying 10% of the full bail price, you only have to pay 8%.

Figuring out the price of a bail bond before an arrest can be tricky, but finding an affordable way to pay for it is a piece of cake. Here at Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles, we provide all of our clients with affordable payment plans with 0% interest. On top of that, we offer a 20% discount for qualified clients.

Do you want to post bail at an affordable price? If so, call 877-793-2254 or click Chat With Us now.

When people work hard, they are able to earn money and buy themselves some nice things. This is how people earn enough for their homes, cars, and everything else that they own. Since most people worked very hard to get the things they have, they would hate to lose them, especially if someone stole them.

Theft can be a big problem, and so one sheriff’s department came up with a catchy routine to help people help themselves. This routine is so simple and became so popular that it rapidly spread across the entire nation until pretty much every law enforcement agency in the country is periodically reminding people to conduct the routine every night.

The 9 PM Routine

In August of 2016, Pasco County Sheriffs in Florida began tweeting about how homeowners should perform a 9 PM Routine every single night. The idea was to reduce theft and burglaries by reminding people to lock up their homes and cars every night.

 
By performing these simple actions each night, a person greatly reduces the chances of them being robbed. The simplicity of this routine, coupled with constant reminders made it easy for people to follow, and the county did see a drop in reported thefts and burglaries.

What Do Thieves Look For

In most instances, thieves perform crimes of opportunities. This means they weren’t looking to commit a crime, they just stumbled across an opportunity where something could be easily stolen. This is why the 9 PM Routine is so important and effective. By locking up cars and removing valuables from a vehicle, a person removes those easy opportunities for theft.

Thieves typically look for the following:

Penalties of Theft and Burglary

Theft is made illegal in California under Penal Code (PC) 484. Under this law, theft is defined as the taking of someone else’s personal property without their permission. If a person steals items with a combined value less than $950 dollars, than they will face misdemeanor charges that come with:

 
If more than $950 worth of items are stolen, than a person will be charged with grand theft. This is a wobbler offense that can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the facts of the case. As a misdemeanor, a person faces up to 1 year in county jail. As a felony, a person faces 16 months, two years, or 3 years in jail.

Burglary is made illegal under PC 459. Burglary occurs when a person enters a building, structure, or vehicle that they don’t have permission to, with the intent to steal something. There are two levels to burglary, first-degree and second-degree. First-degree burglary is a felony that comes with:

 
Second-degree burglary is a wobbler offense which can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the facts of the case. As a misdemeanor, a person faces:

 
As a felony, a person faces:

The 9 PM Routine Is Simple

Following the 9 PM Routine is a quick and simple way for a homeowner to reduce their chances of having something stolen from them. By removing their valuables from the yard and car and locking all of that up inside the home, would-be thieves are less likely to attempt stealing the items altogether and move on to another house.

Pasco County Sheriffs were just trying to help out their community, but their little idea quickly gained traction and gained support across the country. The simplicity of bring in, lock up, and turn on is hard to forget, which is why the routine is so effective.

Do you participate in the 9 PM Routine? What do you think of California’s take on theft and burglary? Are the consequences too much, perfect, or not enough?

Dealing with the prices of bail can be tricky. Most bails for crimes, even at their lowest amounts, cost several thousands of dollars. This is far too much for the average person to afford, but you don’t need to worry. Even if a loved one’s bail is too expensive for you, there is a way to get the price reduced for you. All you have to do is get a bail bond from Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles.

Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles is a statewide bail bond company that has helped Californians afford bail for over 30 years. Thanks to our years of experience, we know everything about bail and how to make it more affordable for our clients. You can count on getting a huge discount on the price of bailing someone out when you come to us for help.

For starters, our bail bonds only cost 10% of the bail that they are for. This means that if your loved one’s bail is set at $20,000, a bail bond from us will only cost $2,000. You save 90% and get help from our professional bail agents.

If this isn’t enough of a discount for you, don’t worry. We also provide personalized payment plans for every single one of our clients. This way, the upfront cost of the bail bond is reduced and you have the time you need to gather the funds to pay for it. Meanwhile, your loved one still gets released from jail the day you make your first payment.

Some of the other services that we provide for our clients include:

 
If that still isn’t enough, we provide additional discounts for clients with qualified co-signers. You can get a 20% discount off the bail bond if one of the co-signers has a private attorney or is:

 
With this discount, you will only have to pay 8% of the full bail price. The best part about all of this is that these discounts all work together, making posting bail with Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles an affordable option.

If you need to post bail, just contact Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles. Our agents provide free consultations, all you have to do is call 877-793-2254 or click Chat With Us now.

Smart phones are pretty spectacular little devices. They allow their users to access all sorts of things whenever the person wants. While this has greatly increased the spread of knowledge and information, it has also created some problems.

Using smart phones can be incredibly addicting, making it hard to put them down. Pretty much everyone is aware of the dangers of driving and using a cellphone. However, that isn’t the only time when using a smart device can be dangerous. Even just walking and using a cell phone can be dangerous.

What Is Distracted Walking?

Smart devices do a lot for us, however, they are also very distracting. If a person isn’t watching where they are going because they are using a smart phone, they can easily run into something. Most of the time, the result is harmless, and even entertaining. At least for any witnesses. There are millions of videos online of people paying more attention to the phone in their hands than to the sidewalk in front of them and so they crash into something.

On sidewalks, the results of this lack of attention are often harmless. At crosswalks, they can be deadly. Pretty much everyone is taught as a kid to look both ways before crossing a street. Unfortunately, a lot of adults forget to do just that. This becomes even more prominent when smart phones are added to the mix.

According to several studies, the dangerous issue is getting worse each year as smart phones become more popular and more advanced. This in turn leads to more distracted walking, which leads to more pedestrian involved accidents. The issue is becoming so prominent across not only California, but the world as a whole, that many jurisdictions are looking for ways to deter people from committing the act in the first place.

Laws against “Walking and Talking”

Several cities across the nation have taken matters into their own hands and enacted ordinances that allow their local law enforcement agents to issue tickets to anyone caught crossing the street while using a cellphone. Depending on how aggressive the city wants to be on the issue, a first time offender can either face a warning, or a small fee, likely no more than $100.

Hawaii’s state capital of Honolulu enacted a law like this and called it their zombie law. This is in reference to how people using phones while walking often move around and stumble like zombies.

There’s a Time and Place for That

The bottom line is, there is a time and place for everything. Walking down the street is not a great time to be scrolling through Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. Crossing the street is an even worse time to check a smart phone.

Remember everyone, look both ways for traffic before crossing a street.

Doing this, and putting the smart phone away can easily prevent a person from getting hurt, and can even save their life. If a person values their health and safety, then they should either put the phone away while walking, or stop and take a moment to examine the phone before proceeding again. After all, nothing on that little device could be worth more than a person’s life.

If that isn’t enough to deter a person, than perhaps the possibility of getting a ticket for distracted walking will stop them. What do you think of so called zombie laws? Are they a good idea or not? Would you be happy if your own city enacted one?

When you learn of a loved one’s arrest, the first thing you want to do is figure out how to get him or her released from jail. However, looking up jail release information for the first time can be confusing. After all, most people don’t deal with jails and bail on a daily basis.

When looking to get someone out of jail, you want to post bail. Bail is a certain amount of money that the court requires to be paid in order for them to release your loved one from jail. While this sounds simple enough, bail in California typically costs several thousands of dollars. To make matters worse, the whole bail amount has to be paid in full before the jail will release your loved one.

This is where Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles comes in to help you out. We will pay the bail amount for you, and only ask for a percentage of the bail be paid for our services. For instance, if your loved one’s bail is set at $20,000, we will pay that and ask for only $2,000 for doing so. That’s only 10% of the full bail price, meaning you save 90%!

To make things even better, unlike the court, we allow our clients to pay for the bail bond with a payment plan. This gives you the time you need to collect the money for the bail, while still getting your loved one released from jail today. We only need a down payment before we talk to the jail about releasing your loved one.

Some of the other services we provide for our clients include:

 
We know the act of getting your loved one released from jail for the first time can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles helping you, rescuing your loved one will be a piece of cake. We will guide you through the whole process and make it affordable for you.

If you want to know more about getting a jail to release someone, call 877-793-2254 or click Chat With Us now.

With the arrival of fall in California comes lots of windy weather. Typically, this just means a lot of dust and leaves everywhere. Unfortunately, for many people this year, this also means a loss of power. This is due to the controlled blackouts being issued by power companies like Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

After being found responsible for several of the recent large wildfires which plagued the state, these utilities companies are being extra cautious with their equipment. This means that if there is any chance that thigh winds could down a power line and spark a blaze, they will shut off power to large portions of towns for several hours. This can be very annoying for homeowners, but it can cause unforeseen danger to drivers.

When the Lights Go Out

Most of the modern world runs off of electricity and so when utility companies shut off their power for any length of time, a lot of things come grinding to a halt. One of the many important things that are affected by this loss of power is traffic.

When the power goes off, the all-important traffic signals that govern our intersections stop working. This can make driving through city streets feel impossible and crazy. Drivers are so used having their routes dictated to them by these little lights, that when they are taken away, some people seem to have no idea how to drive.

Coming across a stoplight that is completely off, with no colored lights showing in any direction, can be startling, but they are actually easy to deal with. Anytime a person approaches an intersection with a traffic light that is either flashing red, or off altogether, they need to treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

This means that whenever anyone approaches the intersection, no matter which way they are going, they need to stop. Basically imagine that each direction of the intersection has an invisible stop sign. Follow basic stop sign etiquette and right-of-way laws from there.

This means coming to a complete stop behind the white limit line, which is usually the outer line of a crosswalk. Look both ways for traffic. If another vehicle is already stopped at the intersection before coming to a full stop, that vehicle gets to go first. Cars take turns proceeding and should do so with caution, as not every driver will realize they need to stop for a broken or unpowered stop light.

Consequences of Running through a Down Intersection

Aside from the obvious consequences of possibly getting into a car accident just to save 5 seconds of travel time, there can also be legal consequences. A person could possibly face infraction level charges under California Vehicle (VC) 21453, running a red light, or even VC 22450, failing to stop at a stop sign. Both of these charges come with no jail time, a small fine, and a point on the driver’s record.

Just as likely as those charges, a person could be charged with reckless driving under VC 23101. This is California’s reckless driving law, which makes it illegal for a driver to operate their vehicle with wanton disregard for the health and safety of others. That is what a person does when they ignore a traffic light, on or off. This can earn a person a misdemeanor charge that comes with:

 
Remember, acquiring too many points on a driver’s record too quickly can lead to their driver’s license being suspended, and eventually, revoked altogether.

Just Slow Down and Take Your Time

Coming across a down traffic light during a blackout may be shocking or confusing, but it is actually a really simple hurdle to deal with. Whenever a traffic light is down, just treat the intersection like it is governed by stop signs in all directions. As long as everyone stops and takes turns, everyone can get through the intersection relatively quickly without getting into any trouble.

While this may not be fun, and can increase travel times, it is best to get prepared to deal with this again. As fall and the windy weather continues, it is safe to assume that so will the controlled blackouts. This means that drivers will have plenty of chances to come across unpowered stoplights this season.

Arguably the biggest part of Halloween is dressing up in spooky, fun, or entertaining costumes. Both adults and kids alike get a kick out of dressing up as something else for the evening. The act of getting suited up can be a bit involved, especially for some costumes. As such, some people may decide to drive to their destination while fully decked out in their costume.

This may seem harmless, but it could be considered dangerous, or even reckless. Driving while in full costume can actually get a person into legal trouble if they are not careful.

What Is Reckless Driving?

Here in California, there may not be any law that specifically states that a person cannot drive while wearing a costume, however there is another law that could be applied to the situation. California Vehicle Code (VC) 23103 is the state’s reckless driving law.

As far as this law is concerned, a person commits reckless driving whenever they drive on a highway, this includes public roads, or in a parking facility with wanton disregard for the safety of people and property. Basically anytime a person drives in a way that could be considered dangerous, they are guilty of this crime.

While it may not seem like it, this law could apply to driving while wearing a costume. This is due to the fact that the costume can make it difficult for the driver to operate their vehicle safely. For instance, driving while wearing a mask can restrict a person’s view, making them less likely to notice pedestrians.

Loose or bulky outfits can also make driving difficult. Bulky costumes can prevent a person from moving properly to operate the vehicle, or accidentally bump something. Loose clothing can catch on switches and activate them without the driver meaning to.

If the costume starts to noticeably affect a person’s driving, a police officer will pull them over. Then the person will likely be charged with reckless driving. Even if the person’s driving isn’t noticeably affected by the costume, if they are pulled over, the officer could still charge them with reckless driving while wearing the costume.

Penalties of Reckless Driving in California

The penalties for reckless driving are dependent on whether or not the driver injured someone with their driving. If no one is injured, other than the driver themselves, then the person faces misdemeanor charges. These charges come with the following penalties:

 
When the driver causes severe bodily injury, then they face felony charges. As a felony charge, a person faces:

 
If the reckless driving leads to someone’s death, then the driver could face vehicular manslaughter charges under Penal Code (PC) 192.

Drive Safely This Halloween

Halloween is supposed to be fun. Dressing up as something spooky or a favorite character can be very entertaining. Unfortunately, if a person is not careful and decides to drive while wearing their costume, they could get into legal trouble here in California. That is the last thing anyone wants to happen on Halloween, so it is best to drive carefully and only do so without a mask or bulky, loose-fitting costumes.

What do you think of California’s reckless driving law and how it can be applied to driving while in costume? Is this too ridiculous, or is it a good idea that can keep people safe?

One of the biggest questions people have when it comes to bailing someone out of jail is: how much is this going to cost? The answer to that varies from case to case. If a person is tackling the bail on their own, then it will probably cost several thousands of dollars. If the person gets a bail bond from Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles, then it will cost significantly less.

Here at Cal Bail Bonds in Los Angeles, our bonds only cost 10% of the bail they are for. This means that when our clients come to us for help, they get a 90% discount off the price of the bail. This can take the cost of a $20,000 bail and turn it into a much more affordable $2,000 bail bond. Who wouldn’t want a discount like this?

Aside from that discount, which all of our clients get, we also have other ways of reducing the cost of bailing someone out. For instance, we provide all of our clients with affordable, 0% interest payment plans. This breaks up the cost of the bail bond and spreads it out over several months.

We also offer special discounts for qualified clients. For instance, clients with approved credit can qualify for 0% down on their bail bond. This means they don’t have pay for the bail bond until a month after their loved one has been released. We also provide a 20% discount of the price of the bail bond for clients and co-signers who:

 
So long as a co-signer meets just one of those requirements, they can qualify for that discount.

While how much does a bail bond cost should be a simple questions to answer, it is hard to give a good answer without knowing the specifics of the case. Luckily, our bail agents are available to offer free consultations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our bail agents will be more than happy to answer all of your questions about bail.

If you want to know how much a bail bond will cost for your loved one, call 877-793-2254 or click Chat With Us now.

When it comes to interacting with the police, it is often wise to do as they say. Resisting or arguing with them will often only lead to more trouble than people want to deal with. So, unless a person wants to end up in some trouble with law enforcement, then they should probably do whatever an officer asks them.

However, California law has recently changed in one aspect of doing what officers ask. It used to be that if a law enforcement officer asked a person to help them with something, such as arresting another individual, that person had to agree. If they didn’t, they could end up in trouble with the law. However, thanks to the recent passing of a State Senate Bill, that is no longer the case.

A Law from the Wild West

Back in the days of the Wild West, the state of California enacted the California Posse Comitatus Act of 1872. The law was enacted to help sheriffs create posses to hunt down escaped prisoners or other criminals. The law stated that any able-bodied person 18 or older has to help an officer with an arrest if the officer requests assistance from the person. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor offense that could come with a max fine of $1,000.

The law is nearly 150 years old, and that caused some people to take notice of it. Specifically, Senator Bob Hertzberg and his interns. They deemed the law too old and outdated to still be a law today. That is why, back in January of 2019, the Senator introduced Senate Bill (SB) 192.

Senator Hertzberg was quoted as saying: “Thank you to my interns for finding a law that belongs in the history books, not the law books.”
At the start of September, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law, which officially repealed the California Posse Comitatus Act of 1872. This means that it is no longer illegal for an adult to refuse to help a police officer during an arrest if the officer asks for help.

The Ongoing Debate

Of course, like with any law these days, there is some debate to this new law and the message it sends. Many law enforcement agencies here in the state of California fear that this bill’s passing will make people think they don’t have to listen to police officers.

On the other side of things, there is the Senator and his team who seem to think that the law is old and outdated. They think that no one should be forced to help a police officer just because the officer asked them to do so.

What do you think about the recent passing and signing of SB 192? Should California have gotten rid of the law because it was old and outdated, or was it a good idea to make sure people provide help to law enforcement officers who need it?

Every driver has seen a sign telling them and their passengers to buckle their seat belts. Most people don’t need to be reminded to buckle up. They know that wearing their seat belt is the best way to stay safe in the event of an accident. However, there are still some people out there who need to be reminded of that fact.

In an effort to try to keep everyone safe, every state in the union has created laws against driving without a seat belt. Here in California, Vehicle Code (VC) 27315 is the state’s seat belt law. It lists the times when a person needs to wear a seat belt and what kind of consequences a person would face for not wearing the belt.

California Vehicle Code 27315

VC 27315 is more commonly referred to as the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This act was created in an effort to keep motorists safe while driving across California. The act basically states that no person over the age of 16 can ride or drive in a moving vehicle without being properly restrained.

Being properly restrained is defined as having the lower lap portion strapped over the stomach and the upper shoulder portion of the belt being strapped across the front of the chest. Basically, for any vehicle from the year 1996 or newer, passengers have to wear the full seat belt. A person cannot place the shoulder portion of the seat belt behind their back.

Another factor in this law is that all seat belts need to be kept in proper, working order.

Consequences of Not Buckling Up

Breaking VC 27315 is an infraction level offense. This means it does not come with criminal charges or jail time. A person simply faces a small fine for not wearing their seat belt while riding in a moving vehicle.

When a person doesn’t wear their seat belt, they will be the ones to get a ticket, not the driver of the vehicle. Unless the un-belted person is a minor, in which case the driver is responsible for the child’s safety.

For a first time offense, a person faces a $20 base fine.

For any subsequent offenses, a person faces a $50 base fine.

In some instances, a person may be able to avoid a fine if they can take a traffic school course, provided the course teaches about seat belt safety.

Despite the nature of breaking this law, a person will not receive any points on their driver’s license. This helps a person avoid collecting too many points on their license and the increased insurance rates that would come with them.

It is important to remember that all of these consequences are on top of the fact that if a person doesn’t wear a seat belt and winds up in an accident, they are much more likely to receive serious injuries. Seat belts save lives. By not wearing one, a person is risking their own life.

Kids and Seat Belts

It is pretty easy to see how seat belts aren’t exactly designed for children. That is why there are car seats built to keep kids safe at all ages. According to California law:

 
Failing to follow these regulations can result in the parent receiving fines, and a point on their driver’s license.

A first time offense comes with a base fine of $100.

Subsequent offenses come with a base fine of $250.

Don’t Ignore the Ticket

With such a small ticket price, some people may feel like ignoring the ticket and its court date. However, that is a terrible idea. By ignoring a ticket and failing to appear in court, a person violates VC 40508. Unlike VC 27315, breaking VC 40508 comes with actual criminal charges.

When a person breaks this law, they can face:

Just Wear the Seat Belt

At the end of the day, it is best that everyone just buckle up when they get in a vehicle. Doing so can keep them safe in the event of an accident. Plus, getting caught not wearing a seat belt can earn a person a nice fine, and they will have to appear in court. It is so much easier to just wear the seat belt.

What do you think of California’s take on seat belt laws? Is it too much, or not enough? Should driving without a seat belt earn a person a point on their driver’s license?