Not all crimes are created equal. Whether it is a simple misdemeanor or a felony except maybe for murder and some violent felonies, most offenses are bailable. What does this mean? If this is your first time committing a crime or someone close to you has committed one, read on further as this might help you in understanding how the bail system works.
When a person or group of persons commits a crime, the police have the right to pat down or frisk to see if they are carrying any weapon. A search of the area is also done almost immediately to ensure that any weapons or evidence are properly handled. And then, the offenders are taken to the jail or police station for the booking process. This then starts the arduous process awaiting to be faced by the judge for trial. If you are looking for a loved one who is in custody, an inmate locator Denver might help you.
Most people will opt to be out of jail fast. Who wants to hang out there for weeks before the trial, right? Thus, contacting a bondsman Denver Co could make the process easier. Not to mention that 24 hour bail bonds Denver Co are always available for you any time of the day.
So, how can a bail bondsman help you? The first thing that needs to be looked at is how much the bail amount is. A judge is the one who sets the amount of bail of the defendant as this serves as an incentive for the person to return for his/her court appearances. In this sense, bail is the amount of money or property that an accused person needs to give to the court for his/her temporary release from jail. Once the trial is over, the bail amount paid will be returned to the person accused of the crime. Thus, bail is not a fine but rather a sort of guarantee that the person will appear on the trial proceedings set by the court.
The next question would be how much the bail would be. Well, the amount and type of bail would be determined by the judge upon the accused person’s first appearance in court. Several factors need to be considered regarding the bail amount.
First, the judge will look at the severity of the crime committed. As mentioned above, more critical and serious crimes such as murder and rape would most likely be required to pay a higher amount of bail or not at all. Those who committed a simple misdemeanor such as trespassing and littering on public or private property would be charged with a lesser bail amount.
The criminal history of the defendant would also be taken into account as well as to determine if he/she has a history of failing to appear in court which would make the bail even higher. The court could also consider public safety when setting the bail and determine if the defendant is considered a danger to the community or has a chance to commit another crime which would make the bail amount even higher or the judge will deny it altogether.
Also, if the accused person has roots in the community, wherein he/she has family residing in the area, has a good reputation within the community, and has been a member or involved in neighborhood organizations, it is likely that the judge would set a lower amount of bail because of the person’s ties to the community.
Lastly, did you know that a person’s financial status also determines the amount of bail? Typically, a judge will examine the accused person’s financial resources and employment to see if the person has a stable job and dependents in which he/she will have fewer reasons to miss the court hearings and in turn be subject to a more lenient bail amount. Other times, when a judge sees that the defendant has the means to pay a higher bail amount, the court then sets a higher bail amount.
Though the factors mentioned above determine how much the bail amount is, there are cases wherein the court releases the accused person without the requirement of posting any bail. This is known as a “personal recognizance bond” which permits the release of the defendant from custody as a sort of promise to appear in court proceedings on the intended date. In cases like this, no monetary deposit is required by the court. However, failure to appear on court date will result in the issuance of an arrest warrant much like what happens to those who paid for their bail.
So what happens when an accused person does not show up on the scheduled court date? A bondsman Denver Co. might tell you that it will be a big mistake. The consequences for missing a court date are quite hefty. It would not only cost the person the bail money but a bench warrant will be issued for the immediate arrest. Also, increased bail amount in subsequent criminal proceedings will mostly happen as the court would not likely want the same thing to happen again as failing to appear on a scheduled court date on a criminal charge is considered contempt. And contempt of court means more penalties and an arrest warrant on the way. This can be a headache particularly if a defendant is under bail bonds in Denver Colorado. A bail bond is an agreement wherein the money set by the court would be paid off on behalf of the defendant by a bail bondsman as long as the defendant promises to appear in court on the prescribed date. This is particularly common for those who have a higher bail amount than they can afford. The defendant will have to put in collateral in the form of any asset that the bail bonds in Denver Colorado can sell if they fail to appear in court.
If a defendant is under a bail bond, the bail bondsman has the right to apprehend, sell the collateral, and put the defendant back into custody if they fail to appear on court date. These are 24 hour bail bonds Denver Co so they won’t sleep until the defendant has appeared in court and faced their charges. If your loved ones need help or want to locate them, your trusted local bail bondsman can help through inmate locator Denver and can help you navigate through this ordeal.