When charged with a crime, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed and confused, especially if you’ve never been in legal trouble before. As such, you may be exceptionally confused by the complexities of what happens once you’ve been booked. Generally, you will go to a pre-trial hearing in which a judge will order bail. If you are unable to make bail, you may worry about what you can do. However, you may want to look into bail bonds. The following blog explores what you must know about these bonds and how Houston criminal defense attorneys can help you when facing charges.
What Is Bail?
Bail is an amount of money determined by the court, and if the defendant pays that, they are conditionally released from police custody. This money acts as a guarantee that the defendant will attend all necessary court dates and hearings.
You should also understand that it can be challenging to estimate how much your bail will cost. This is because each judge will set bail on a number of factors, including your risk to the community, whether or not you have been charged with a crime before if you are at risk to miss a court date, and the crime you have allegedly committed.
It’s essential to understand that you will receive the bail money back when your case or trial is over, regardless of whether or not you are found innocent or guilty.
How Does a Bail Bond Work?
If you are unable to pay the full amount of bail to the court, you may rely on a third party to post bail on your behalf. Generally, this will be through a bail bond service or agency. Most bail agencies require you to pay at least 10% of the owed bail. This 10% acts as a non-refundable down payment.
In the event you appear at all scheduled court hearings, the court will return the bail to the agency on your behalf. However, if you do not appear as necessary, the court will retain the funds. As such, the defendant will be responsible for repaying the funds.
What Should I Do if I’m Facing Charges?
If you are facing criminal charges, you must contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it’s up to a judge to determine your bail amount. However, the Eighth Amendment protects those accused of a crime from facing excessive bail. If the judge assigned to your case imposes excessive bail, your attorney will be able to fight for you during these times.
Not only will an experienced criminal defense attorney be able to help you with any bail issues you may face, but they’ll fight for your rights during your case. At the Gonzalez Law Group, our dedicated team understands how challenging it can be to deal with criminal charges. As such, we will do everything possible to fight for the best possible outcome for your circumstances. Contact us today to learn how our dedicated legal team will fight for you.
