How Is Your Bail Set?

Bail means freedom for those confined to jail but this way out is based on several factors. Judges use a wide variety of factors, including their own gut instincts, when determining bail. Read on to find out more.

Bail Considerations

Both the option for being offered bail as well as the price of the bail and the conditions are based on some or all of the below factors. Judges are usually free to set bail as they see fit, but some jurisdictions do have general guidelines for judges to follow. In some locations, you might encounter a so-called "bail schedule" upon incarceration. In those cases, the accused has the opportunity to pay the bail on the listed schedule and be released immediately. It should be mentioned that jailhouse bail schedules deal only with relatively minor crimes – mostly misdemeanors.

Factors That Affect Bail

  • The charges – People who commit certain serious crimes almost never get bail. Murder, rape, kidnapping, etc. are not crimes that merit a release on bail without some serious lobbying by a lawyer. The lawyer would need to show that the defendant is not a danger to the public that they will stick around for court later on The seriousness of the crime corresponds with the amount of the bail. In most cases, the accused is unable to afford the bail regardless of the crime and uses the services of a bail bonding agency to gain their release.
  • The criminal history of the accused – First time offenders are more likely to be offered bail. Those who have extensive records may still be offered bail, but only if they obeyed bail conditions in the past.
  • The reputation of the accused – Those who have little or no ties to the community may be more likely to disappear without returning to face court and thus any punishments rendered. Those who show stable employment, family in the area, are known to the community at large, etc are judged to be less of a flight risk and thus are more likely to offered bail.

When your bail is far too high to afford, you still have an opportunity to be free from jail by using a bail bonding agency. For a mere percentage of the bail, you can be free is a matter of hours. Contact a bonding company like Steele Boys Bail Bonds to find out just how inexpensive and easy it can be to be bailed out of jail.


Share