Controlling bail costs may sound like something you have very little control over when accused of a crime. However, you can have more influence than you think. In the following article, we’ll be discussing some of the factors that go into a judge’s decision to set bail, the amount he or she selects, and how you can actually make the process affordable. Let’s begin.
Factors for Setting Bail
The amount of bail a judge sets may seem arbitrary. To a certain degree, it can be. Charges of great violence where a clear threat to society or the individual exists may even cause a judge to deny bail outright. However, precedent often influences his or her decision. In other words, the judge will look at similar past cases for help in determining a number.
Small “petty” crimes can range anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. More serious crimes, however, can climb into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When it comes to meeting bail under these scenarios, you only need 10 percent to satisfy the bonding requirement. But for bail amounts that are $100,000 or more, this may still prove cost-prohibitive.
How You Can Make the Process More Affordable
Your first step: commit to making your court date at all costs. Failing to do so will trigger the rest of the bond requirement. This places you in a situation where, in the $100,000 scenario, you’re on the hook for $100,000 and not just $10,000. Few people have that in liquid assets, which means you’re giving the state carte blanche to seize property by no-showing.
Even so, $10,000 may be too much for you to handle. In that situation, you need a reputable bail bonds service to go to bat for you. Companies like A-EZ Out Bail Bonds provide such support. We also offer an affordable payment plan so you can pay the bond premium in more affordable, less invasive ways.
Your final step: if you believe the bail amount set is unjustly high, then you’ll need to go through an attorney, who can request a hearing to reconsider the bail amount. At that point, you’ll need to be able to prove the following:
- A clean work history
- Responsible behavior outside of the crime for which you’re accused
- A compelling argument you’re not a threat to yourself or others
- A strong case the bail amount set is excessive
Being able to pay your bail costs is important because it gets you the freedom you need to set affairs in order, limit the amount of work you miss in the buildup to your trial date, and support your family in the interim. At A-EZ Out Bail Bonds, we pride ourselves in helping clients throughout Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties navigate bail bonds requirements. Click here for a list of our office locations and contact information.
[Featured Image by Flickr Creative Commons]