Bakersfield Bail Bonds
Cowboy Bail Bonds has been part of Kern County since 1969, long enough to have watched the local jail system change more than once. The family-owned company works from an office on Blanche Street near downtown Bakersfield and serves families from Shafter and Wasco to Tehachapi and Lake Isabella.
When someone calls, a licensed agent answers, finds out where the person is held and explains the next steps in English or Spanish. The company also publishes plain-language guides on everything from weekend arrests to clearing a warrant, so families can read up while they wait.
Serving Kern County Since 1969
Cowboy Bail Bonds describes itself as family owned and serving Kern County since 1969, with a licensed agent available 24/7 in English and Spanish. Paperwork can be started over the phone once the agent confirms the facility, the bail amount and the charges. The company is candid about cost: it says the premium is most commonly 10% of the bail, that rates are filed with the California Department of Insurance, and that many sureties file rates as low as 8% for qualifying cases, so callers should ask what filed rate applies.
The company also stresses that not everyone needs a bond, since many people are cited and released or let go on their own recognizance. Its guides point out that the old Central Receiving Facility downtown is now a court holding facility, that most Bakersfield arrests are booked at the Sheriff's Inmate Reception Center at Lerdo, that Taft Police run their own city jail where bail can be posted directly, and that the Sheriff's Mojave Jail handles east Kern arrests.
Services Offered by Cowboy Bail Bonds
- 24/7 licensed agents in English and Spanish
- Paperwork started over the phone
- Bonds for Lerdo, the Taft city jail and the Mojave Jail
- Online bail bond cost calculator
- Guides on warrants, weekend bail and missed court
- Service across Bakersfield neighborhoods and outlying Kern towns
Patience and Honest Information
Reviewers describe Cowboy as patient and compassionate, even when they called repeatedly in the early morning hours. A notable theme is honesty: one family says the agent kept helping with information on a relative who had no bail set, even though there was no bond to write. Others credit the company with finding information they could not get elsewhere, answering every question and following up afterward. Speed and an easy process round out the feedback.
Cowboy's Blanche Street Office and Kern County Custody
Cowboy Bail Bonds is a short walk from the Kern County Central Receiving Facility, now used for court holding, and from the Kern County Superior Court - Metropolitan Division. The Kern County Superior Court - Metro Justice Building is about half a mile away. The Lerdo Justice Facility, home of the Sheriff's main booking center for Bakersfield arrests, is about 11 miles north of the office.
- Kern County Central Receiving Facility (Bakersfield)
- Lerdo Justice Facility (Bakersfield)
- Kern County Superior Court - Metropolitan Division (Bakersfield)
- Kern County Superior Court - Metro Justice Building (Bakersfield)
How Bail Really Works in Kern County Today
- Booking at Lerdo: Most Bakersfield Police and Sheriff arrests are booked at the Inmate Reception Center at the Lerdo Justice Facility, not downtown. Taft Police arrests go to the Taft city jail.
- Bail or no bail: Some people are cited and released or released on their own recognizance. A bond is only needed when bail has been set.
- One call to Cowboy: A licensed agent confirms where the person is held, the bail amount and the charges, and starts the paperwork by phone.
- Posting the bond: Once the co-signer signs and the premium is arranged, the bond is posted with the jail.
- Waiting for release: The Sheriff says release can take up to 8 hours after posting, depending on how busy the jail is. Court dates follow at the downtown courts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cowboy Bail Bonds
Where are people booked after an arrest in Bakersfield?
According to Cowboy Bail Bonds, most new arrests are booked at the Sheriff's Inmate Reception Center at the Lerdo Justice Facility. The old Central Receiving Facility downtown no longer books new arrests.
How long does release take after bail is posted?
Cowboy cites the Kern County Sheriff's Office, which says release can take up to 8 hours depending on jail volume.
How much does a bail bond cost through Cowboy?
The company says the premium is most commonly 10% of the bail, based on rates filed with the California Department of Insurance, and some qualifying cases may be lower. Ask which filed rate applies.
Does everyone who is arrested need a bail bond?
No. Many people are cited and released or released on their own recognizance without any bail.
Is Cowboy Bail Bonds family owned?
Yes. The company describes itself as family owned and serving Kern County since 1969.
For straight answers about bail in Kern County, in English or Spanish, Cowboy Bail Bonds has an agent on the line any hour. Call and let them find out where your loved one is held.