Making Sure the Law Is On Your Side

Bail is often available for several criminal charges. However, some charges could make it more difficult and more expensive to attain bail. Read on and find out what might happen when a defendant needs to be bailed out for an assault charge.

Assault is a Violent Crime

While everyone should be considered innocent until proven guilty, those charged with violent crimes may face more problems when trying to be released from jail. Assault can be a felony and that can mean the defendant won't necessarily be offered bail. The key issue is that the court needs to protect the community by keeping violent offenders behind bars.

If the defendant is viewed as being dangerous, the bail set could either be extremely expensive or they might not be offered bail at all. When bail is not offered, the defendant is usually better off finding a criminal defense lawyer to help them. Bail can still be offered if the lawyer convinces the judge. It should be mentioned that some incidents of the alleged assault are charged as misdemeanors rather than felonies and therefore bail is usually offered.

Dealing with High Bail Costs

When it comes to bail charged by the court, the thousands of dollars expected are connected to deterring the defendant from failing to come back later for their court cases. The more the court charges, the more likely it might be that the defendant will comply with all the bail conditions. That is because the bail money is refunded to the defendant once the case is over. However, the biggest problem is when the defendant cannot afford to pay those exorbitant bail costs. That leaves them waiting in jail for their court dates, which could be months away. Jail is not an ideal place to meet with a lawyer and plan a defensive strategy to fight the charges.

A Bail Alternative

Fortunately, the full cost of the bail, no matter how high it may be, may not need to be paid by the defendant. Bail bonding agencies allow defendants to be free from jail so that they can work, spend time with family, and work on their cases. Bail bonds are very different from regular bail in these ways:

• They are less expensive since the bail bond is but a small percentage of the full bail.
• Bail bonding companies are not directly connected to the court. They are standalone private businesses.
• Bail bonds are inexpensive, but they are not refundable. Only the collateral, if used, is refunded.

To find out more about bail bonds, speak to a surety bail bondsman.