After an arrest, the judge in your case may require you to pay bail before you can be released from jail. The purpose of bail is to offer you an incentive to appear at your trial. If you decide to forgo attending your trial after paying your bail, the court will not be obligated to return your bail amount to you. Then, the court will issue a warrant for your arrest. The following are three tips that will help you understand how each person’s bail is set:
1- Do You Present a Danger to the Community?
The judge considers several factors when deciding whether or not to grant bail. For example, if you have a long criminal history, this signals to the judge that you would be a risk to have on the streets. Sometimes, the prosecution presents evidence to the court that demonstrates the possibility that you will commit another crime if you are released on bail. This evidence will cause the judge to set bail very high so that you will be unable to afford to pay it.
Judges also set very high bail amounts for those who commit violent crimes. You are likely to receive bail if you are being charged with a non-violent crime.
2- Will Being Out on Bail Increase the Risk that You Will Run Away?
If you were arrested on a violent charge, the judge will want to reduce the risk that you will run away. Therefore, if the charge is for a violent crime, the bail amount is likely to be very high. The prosecution may also have evidence that you plan to escape before your trial begins. In this instance, you will receive a high bail amount.
The flight risk is always a consideration when determining whether or not to grant bail. Therefore, if you have a job and you have strong ties in the community, the judge will consider you to be a lower flight risk. On the other hand, if you do not have any family or friends in the community and you are not working, the judge will be very likely to deny bail.
3- How Severe is the Crime?
The judge also determines how high bail should be set based on the severity of the crime for which you have been charged. A crime with a high degree of severity will encourage the judge to set a higher bail amount. In this instance, bail will not be denied outright if you are not considered to be a flight risk and are not involved in a gang. For example, if you were arrested on a murder charge or an assault charge, you would receive a higher bail amount than someone who was arrested on a shoplifting charge.
You are not required to pay the entire amount of your bail in full because you have the option of obtaining a bail bond from a bail bondsman. You will pay the bail bondsman a fee, and the bail bondsman will guarantee payment of the bail.