Some bail amounts are standardized in a jurisdiction; each person charged with a certain type of crime is levied with the same bail. Other amounts are decided on by a judge.
Many defendants cannot afford bail and contact an organization providing 24 Hour Bail Bonds in Dekalb County for help. More information on one particular service can be viewed with a click here.
Factors a Judge Considers
When a judge sets bail, the amount depends on factors such as the seriousness of the charge and the person’s criminal record. Another factor is the judge’s perception as to how much of a flight risk the defendant might be.
This is a main reason why the more serious charges have high bail amounts or no option for release at all. The individual is at substantial risk for a long prison sentence if convicted of murder, for example.
That’s true even if a lawyer can arrange a plea bargain for this defendant. An organization offering 24 Hour Bail Bonds in Dekalb County must also take these kinds of factors into account before accepting a customer.
A Financial Incentive
If the person is indeed guilty and the evidence is strong, running away may seem like a very good idea. A high bail amount provides a strong financial incentive for the defendant to stay put, as all that money is lost if he or she flees.
Courts don’t keep bail if defendants appear for their scheduled hearings and, if applicable, for trial. Most or all of the money is returned, even if the person is found guilty or pleads guilty before trial.
The Risk for the Bonds Service
However, if the defendant acquires assistance from an organization such as Free at Last Bail Bonds, all this person pays is a fee to the bonds service. The bondsman takes on the risk by committing to pay a full bail amount to the court if the defendant disappears.
Disappearing won’t solve anything for the defendant, however. The next thing that typically happens is a bounty hunter being sent to find and return this person. The defendant also now has an additional charge from the prosecuting attorney of willfully fleeing.
