By law, anyone arrested for any misdemeanor including drunk driving has the right to post bail. In most cases, the bail amount for DUI is already set because it is included in a “bond schedule.” This allows a defendant to obtain release on bail without having to see a judge. Anyone booked in a jail that doesn’t have a bail schedule may ask to see a judge to request bail.
If you are arrested for drunk driving in Colorado, you will likely be booked or held in custody and asked to post bail. Typically, the bail for drunk driving in Colorado starts at $1,000 and could go higher depending on the attitude and arrest record of the defendant. There are four types of bail bonds Colorado DUI suspects may be allowed to post. These are:
Cash Bond – The defendant posts the total bail amount in cash to the clerk of court. The amount will be forfeited by the court in the event the defendant fails to appear in court to stand trial. The bail amount will be returned to defendant at the completion of the case if he or she is present on all court dates.
Surety Bond – A bail bondsman like the bail agents Denver DUI attorneys trust posts a bail bond on behalf of the defendant for a fee of up to 15% of the entire bail amount. Surety bonds are provided by professional bail companies like the bonding agent Denver defendants have tried.
Personal Recognizance Bond – Also called PR Bond, it can be used to obtain temporary release in Colorado if the DUI suspect meets certain conditions that can convince the judge that he/she will appear on all court dates and promise to refrain from violating the law while his/her case is pending. Typically, a PR Bond doesn’t involve any amount of money, but the court may require the defendant to sign a PR Bond which he/she should pay for in the event he/she fails to appear in court to face trial.
Property Bond – It is a type of bail bond in which the defendant or someone else executes an undertaking granting the court the authority to secure a lien against a property as guarantee for the total bail amount. The court forfeits the property if the defendant fails to appear in court for the hearing.
As provided for by the Eighth Amendment, bail is not intended to punish a defendant, and it cannot be excessive. It is intended to serve as a guarantee that the suspect who is granted temporary liberty, will return to court to stand trial.
Before granting approval to a petition for bail, the court may impose certain conditions for the strict compliance of the defendant. These conditions include:
- Random urine analysis
- Breath analysis
- Obtain court approval should the defendant intend to leave the state of Colorado
- No alcohol and no drugs without prescription
- No driving without a valid driver’s license
- No firearms/deadly weapons
The court may also appoint “pretrial services” to help the defendant comply with monitored sobriety while the case is in court.
Getting arrested for DUI or any other alleged offense can cause anxiety to an entire family. It’s always good to know the entire DUI process when things like this happen. This can at least give you an idea of the sequence of events and what to do about it.
When a loved one is booked for DUI, the first and most important thing that comes to your mind is to obtain his/her immediate release by posting bail. The help of a proficient bail agent like the bail agents Denver defense lawyers rely on is priceless in times like this.
Call us at (303) 623-2245 for your bail bond concerns. We are open to serve you anytime, all the time.