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Why Your Loved One May Need To Wait On A Judge To Set Bail And What Affects The Amount

Sometimes, when a person is arrested, they'll learn how much bail they need to pay right away. The jail can refer to a bail schedule, and as long as you can pay it, your loved one can get out of jail quickly to await their hearing. If you don't have money for bail, then you can call a bail bond agency to work something out. Other times, bail has to be set by a judge. Here's when a judge may need to set bail and the factors that affect how much the bail costs.

Why You Might Have To Wait For A Bail Decision

If the charges are serious or complicated, then the jail may not be able to provide a set amount of bail by looking at a schedule. In that case, your loved one needs to go before a judge. It's also possible the jurisdiction where your loved one was arrested won't have an automatic bail schedule, and in that case, waiting until a judge sets bail is necessary. Also, when bail can be paid at the jail, the amount is set and there is no negotiating, so if you or your loved one doesn't want to pay that amount, then your loved one will have to go before a judge.

What Factors Influence The Bail Amount

The judge can set any amount of bail they want after they consider several factors. The severity of the crime is one important thing that influences the bail amount. For a serious crime, the judge may set the bail high enough that you and your loved one can't afford it just to keep your loved one in jail. The judge also considers the defendant's past criminal history. A first-time offender might get a lower bail amount than someone who is a repeat offender. The judge also considers if your loved one might be a flight risk and if they'll be a danger to the community if released on bail. If you think the bail amount will be a problem, you might want to hire an attorney to attend the hearing, but it shouldn't be necessary.

If you intend to use a bail bond agency to help pay bail, then you'll need to wait until the judge sets the bail amount. During that time, you can gather all the information the agency will need and decide on the collateral, such as your house or your loved one's house that you can use. By having all the paperwork ready to go, once bail is set, you can get your loved one home as quickly as possible.


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