Hi guys, a prospective hobbyist here. I've searched the forums on LE topics and read a lot of them. I know there is always a risk and there are ways I can reduce that risk (but not eliminate it). I can live with that.

What I haven't found is a general idea of what events will be involved if the unlikely did happen and I got detained/arrested and possibly charged. My concern is family finding out. Here are some specific questions (I'm in San Diego if that helps):

1. How long would it typically take before I'm released? If I get morning appointments, will that make it more likely I can get home at night?

2. Will I be able to call a bail bondsman myself? Should I carry coins for payphone or will I have my cell phone?

3. Will I be able to pay the bail company myself?

4. Will LE or the bail bondsman notify my family or supervisor?

5. Can I assume that in a reasonably sized town like San Diego, the arrest won't make it to the news?

6. Will my car get impounded? The family will definitely notice the car missing.

You can tell I have no clue about the process. I'm not paranoid, just trying to be informed. Knowing what to expect should help a lot. Thanks!

1. How long would it typically take before I'm released? If I get morning appointments, will that make it more likely I can get home at night?
A. Depending on jurisdiction it might be a fine without jail, or a few hours, or if over a weekend with a holiday might be longer. In any case a magistrate has to be called in for the arraignment. If he is not available you will wait.

2. Will I be able to call a bail bondsman myself? Should I carry coins for payphone or will I have my cell phone?
A. Yes, you are given that opportunity but in some jurisdiction they take your phone so you best have his number in your head or tattooed on you. I believe that if you are without money they still have to give you a phone call.

3. Will I be able to pay the bail company myself?
A.Yes, you or someone else will have to, unless you are married to his daughter.

4. Will LE or the bail bondsman notify my family or supervisor?
A. Nom they don’t want to create waves.  It is usually not a steep bail, and you often will be able to pay it yourself.

5. Can I assume that in a reasonably sized town like San Diego, the arrest won't make it to the news?
A. Depends, if it is part of a sweep then it might, check your local papers to see what is being printed, also Internet rags.

6. Will my car get impounded? The family will definitely notice the car missing.
A. Only if you are soliciting a streetwalker, and this is only in some jurisdictions in California. Check with the local donut boys to see if this is going on in SD. Glad your family is so astute!

You can tell I have no clue about the process. I'm not paranoid, just trying to be informed. Knowing what to expect should help a lot. Thanks!
A. Go to a reviewed Indy lady or guy or T girl and have a blast; very rare that anyone gets busted, we just talk a lot about it here.

Are they required by law to give me access to one and is it like towing cars where I get the next bondsman on their list or am I SOL and have to seat in jail and wait for someone to file a missing persons report on me?

In phoenix, there is a list of the local bail bondsmen and their phone #'s taped up next to the bank of phones in the holding cells.

They only call collect but the bondsman will accept the call and you will tell him what is up and he'll tell you to call him back in ___ hours and he'll tell you if he can do it.

One thing a friend of mine did that was pretty nifty was she knew that she couldn't get ahold of me because I only have a cell phone and at the time, they wouldn't let a collect call go out to a cell phone so she called the bail bondsmen and told him to get ahold of me in regards to her bond, which she wasn't actually expecting me to pay, but it was just a way to get word to me that she was locked up.

You are most likely not going to have to worry with a bondsman because you will either get released on your own recognizance which means after you see the judge, you will be released and trusted to come back for your court date.. If you have Charles Manson type murders in your past criminal history or a habit of failing to appear for court, then you might need a bondsman.

Now if you got a plan b date set up that you don't want to be late for, there is an option to pay the cash bond, and you or a loved one can pay this pretty much immediately upon landing at the jail ... its cash, of course,  and some police stations will not take any bills larger than $20 but this would be a 24/7 option available to you.

In arizona, the cash bond would be $500, I dont know about Cali.

If you can't pay it, there's a good chance the judge will release you on OR in a few hours or the next morning, anyway, but I prefer the "Get Out Of Jail For $500 Right The Fuck Now" card instead, because by this time, I probably have to pee and I'm not sure how they do it in there but I've heard some suggestions that weren't on my "acceptable ways to pee' list,  which is sort of scary, since I'm a hillybilly and my list is normally quite comprehensive.

http://www.bail.com/