Warrants & holds
Holds and Multiple Cases: Why Posting Bail Does Not Always Mean Release
The most expensive surprise in bail: the money is posted, the bond is accepted, and the person still does not come out. Here is why.
Every week somebody pays for a bond, waits outside a jail, and watches the night go by. The bond was fine. The problem was a second case, or a hold, that nobody checked for first. This is the single most avoidable way to lose money and time in the bail process.
The rule underneath all of this
Penal Code 1269b(g) provides that posting bail discharges a person as to the offence the bail was posted on — and nothing more. Bail is case-specific. A bond on tonight’s arrest does nothing about a warrant from 2019, a probation violation, or a hold placed by another agency.
A warrant and a hold are different things
| Warrant | A court order to bring someone in. Most bench warrants carry their own bail amount, so a second bond (or cash) can usually resolve it. See warrants. |
| No-bail hold | An instruction to keep the person in custody regardless of bail. No bond, of any size, releases someone held on one. The person stays until the holding agency or court acts. |
The holds we see most often
| Probation hold | Under Penal Code 1203.2, a person on probation can be held pending a violation hearing. See probation violation. |
| Parole hold | State parole may hold a parolee under Penal Code 3056. A county bail bond does not touch it. See parole violation holds. |
| Out-of-county warrant | A warrant from another California county. It may carry its own amount or require transport to that county. See out-of-county warrants. |
| Out-of-state warrant | A person wanted by another state is held for extradition. A California bond on the local charge will not open the door. See out of state. |
| Immigration detainer | A federal request, not a state bail matter. A California bail bond cannot remove it. See immigration holds. |
| Source-of-funds hold | Under Penal Code 1275.1 a court may refuse the bail money until its source is shown to be legitimate. See PC 1275 holds. |
How to find out before you pay
- Ask the facility directly whether there are any holds or additional cases. Custody staff will generally tell you whether a person is bail-eligible.
- Check court records for other cases — see how to check for a warrant.
- Tell the bail agent everything you know, including supervision status. A licensed agent should check eligibility before taking any money; that is our practice.
What it does to the timeline
Multiple matters mean multiple amounts, sometimes in different counties, and each must be satisfied. Where one is a no-bail hold, the practical question moves from “how much?” to “when is the hearing?” — a question for a criminal defence lawyer. See warrant recall for how a lawyer can sometimes clear the older matter first.
Where they are, and what happens next
ProcessHow Long Release TakesWhat controls the clock once the money is in, and why releases stall.Read more
LawHow Bail Schedules WorkPC 1269b, 1269c and 1289 — who sets an amount and who can change it.Read more
ReferenceWhat Kind of Jail Is Holding Them24-hour Temporary Holding versus 96-hour Type I, and why it matters tonight.Read more
Local guides: Anaheim, Brea, La Habra, Fullerton, Buena Park, Yorba Linda and Tustin, plus our Orange County and Los Angeles County guides.
Please note: American Freedom Bail Bonds is a licensed bail bond agency, not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and we cannot predict how any case will be charged or resolved. Statutes and local court practice change — confirm current details with the court, the facility, or a criminal defence lawyer. California bail license 1841014.
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