Keep Bailing

According to the LA Times and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, 20 inmates  at Los Angeles County jails have been infected with the swine flu. Most of the inmates that were infected reside in the Castaic Pitchess Jail.

All inmates that were diagnosed with the swine flu were placed in isolation, similar to that of San Diego jails. There they will be receiving tests and monitoried for seven days. All infected inmates are not receiving visitors. Two of the infected inmates have been taken to a local hospital and are said to be in good condition.

This is not the first reported case of swine flu at the Los Angeles County jail Read more »

Thousands of people of arrested for DUI, but if you’re a celebrity, it’s going to make the news. The star of USA Network’s hit “Burn Notice” is the latest to have his mug shot front and center.

According to reports, Actor Jeffrey Donovan charged with DUI in Miami Beach after swerving his vehicle to avoid hitting a police cruiser stopped at a red light. The officer observed Donovan to appear under the influence of alcohol and performed a roadside sobriety test.

Donovan refused a breathalyzer Read more »

Overcrowding leads to early release of inmates and questions from city officials…

It’s argued by some that Sheriff Margaret Mims was in violation of the law when she released 72 inmates from jail early due to overcrowding at a Fresno Jail facility. The city argued that there were enough beds for the inmates.

Sheriff Mims was doing what a Federal decree said she could do: release inmates early when the jail had reached its capacity. However, Fresno County officials disagree and the city has launched a lawsuit. The battle between Mims and the Fresno Police Department is ongoing.

Fresno is not alone in early release. Early release is common across the state of California in order to Read more »

Makes For Longer Jail Time…

To halt the potential spread of Swine Flu at an Otay Mesa Jail in San Diego, immigrant inmates are being quarantined. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials report that while these inmates wait for their day in court, two more cases of the Swine Flu were confirmed.  Those two cases have since recovered and have been returned to the general population.

The quarantine is for observation. Those scheduled for an upcoming court hearing have to wait. “Detainees under quarantine are removed from the active calendar,” states Elaine Komis, spokeswoman for the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

This subject sparks heated discussion Read more »

Bail bonds are a critical part of the Criminal Justice System,” began Scott Steiner, Deputy District Attorney for Orange County Superior Court and judicial candidate as he addressed the July monthly meeting of the Orange County Bail Agents Association (OCBAA). He added that many see bail as an after thought in a case, but every single case involves bail at some level.

Mr. Steiner wanted to make sure that local bondsmen knew Read more »

This week has seen the closing of Orange County Women’s Jail. The County will now house female inmates and defendats at the Intake Release Center (known as IRC) and James Musick Jail, known as “The Farm”.

The County hopes to use the facility which formerly held Orange County’s female inmate population for “Beds For Feds,” where Read more »

A writer by any other name… is a bail bondsman

Nope, this is not Stephanie Plum or Jackie Brown. This is Robin Sandoval-March: copy editor, blogger, published songwriter and screenwriter… and our newest bail bondsman (bondswoman?).

Robin grew up in San Jose. Bail bonds in San Jose is incredibly competitive, perhaps one of the most competitive bail bond markets in California. But Robin wouldn’t have dreamed of that connection. She set her sights on the songwriting business in L.A. “It was a challenge at first, but I finally managed to have some of my songs published in film, records and television. Unfortunately, the pay wasn’t enough; I still needed a full time job,“  Robin told me when we spoke about her become a licensed California bail agent.

“I didn’t know the first thing about bail bonds,  Read more »

OJ Simpson just doesn’t go away, even though we thought that he had been “put away” last year after his Las Vegas felony assault with a deadly weapon during a robbery involving a gun.

Now, awaiting appeal in that case, OJ Simpson is requesting bail. Ken Ritter of the Associated Press reports:

“Simpson recognizes that he has a heavy burden in demonstrating that his release will pose no danger to the community and that he is not a flight risk,” attorneys Yale Galanter and Malcolm LaVergne said in a follow-up document filed Monday with the state’s only appellate court. “Simpson will strictly adhere to whatever conditions this court sets for bond.”

The Nevada State Supreme Court will hold a bail hearing on August 3.

Imagine you’re a criminal defense attorney and you receive a 3:00 AM call from an arrested client. “I’m in jail—get me out”, demands your client!  “But I’m not acquainted with a bail bondsman,” you humbly reply.   Your client responds, “You’re a criminal defense attorney–what do you mean you’re not acquainted with a bail bondsman! That’s like a dairy farmer who’s not acquainted with a veterinarian.”

If you’re an attorney, it makes sense to develop a close relationship with a professional bail bondsman. Ok, so maybe you’re not an attorney. You still might want to know a good bondsman. Here’re a few reasons why:

• A quality bondsman can do many extra Read more »

Bail Bondsman and Magistrate Team Up to Tip the Scales of Justice – Electronically

Look around the bail industry and you will find an inordinate number of families in business together. Usually when we think of family business, we assume trust. Unfortunately, a family in Virginia decided to take their family bail business in a completely different direction and bring us our latest reported incidence of bail scams.

In Abingdon, VA, local magistrate, “Tiny” Mullin, was released from his job after using a coworkers electronic signature to set bail for clients of his father, J.C. Mullins, a local bail bondsman from an Abingdon bail bond company. Read more »