When You Can’t Get Out, Call a Lawyer Immediately

Sometimes suspected criminals are surprised when a judge does not allow them to be released on bail. The exchange recorded in this news article describes it quite well. The suspect complains that they did nothing wrong and the judge replies that the system is for people specifically like him.

If you are arrested, you may or may not be able to be released on bail. It depends on the severity of the crime and the opinion of the court whether or not you’ll show up again if they let you go. The idea behind paying bail or bond (the terms are very similar) is to ensure appearance in the court through a financial penalty. If you don’t show up, whoever paid bail will forfeit the money or property to the court.

You could be released “on your own recognizance”, which means that the court trusts you to keep your promise to return to your trial. This happens most often with very minor crimes and ordinance violations. However, if you must pay bail there are generally three ways. One is to pay the court in cash. The second is to offer a property title of some kind to the court as surety. The last is to have a third party pay on your behalf with a surety bond.

However, if you are not able to get out on bail, it can severely hamper your ability to get your affairs in order before your case continues. The sooner you can get a lawyer on your side, the better your chances of getting your case dropped or your sentence reduced. They can even negotiate with the court about bail options if they can get on your side soon enough. If you have been arrested, call the law offices of Katz & Phillips as soon as possible. We can help.