Bail Bonds: What You Should Know

08 January 2020

Paying bail bonds are not as simple as it seems. Knowing and having the right understanding of how these work, how it is determined, what the payment methods are, and other important issues are very important for anybody who is facing an arrest or who has an arrested loved one. There are several questions asked online to shed light and find out what bail bonds are all about which you may also have, click here to find out the answers.

What is Bail?

Bail

It is a term to describe the release of a person arrested for a criminal offense before the end of the criminal case. It can involve – but not every time – the defendant paying money to a court; this is not a punishment. It ensures the court that the defendant returns to the court now and then while the case is ongoing. It ensures the court that the defendant does not fail to go to court without having to keep him in custody all the time.

Bails are significant in both ends – the arrested and the authorities. It ensures that people, no matter if they have a case at court, are free and, also, it avoids having to jam-pack jails with offenders, while have not been convicted yet. With it, offenders can be released almost in any stage of the criminal justice process, either immediately after arrest or while the case is ongoing and the court has not issued a sentence yet. This means that if someone gets arrested, three possible scenarios can come to place: he is arrested and released without charge; he is arrested, charged, and released on bail; or he is arrested, charged and is held in custody until the verdict of the case comes out.

Schedule of Bails

This is a list of the amount of money applied to individual crimes and can be paid in terms of bails.

State laws determine the amount appropriated for a crime, and they decide whether the arrested individual be released without posting any bond at all or if the individual is allowed to post any or not; or if allowed to post bail, should it be posted (and individual is released with it) after booking or should they wait for a hearing. If the state laws allow for immediate release after the appropriate amount is paid, the defendant can post this immediately and release will follow. But if the state law requires a hearing, the defendant will not be able to pay immediately after booking and be released, instead, he will have to wait for the hearing to ensure before anything else.

Hearings

During a hearing, the court would determine the amount applicably. However, courts do not always allow this; they can also deny it according to applicable state laws. If allowed, the amount will be determined using the following factors as a basis:

Flight Risk Level:

Sometimes defendants would escape the system especially when they are facing possible major sentences such as death or life imprisonment. These defendants are most likely to flee and escape the penalties.

Degree of Connections to the Community:

An individual who has a strong connection to the community where he belongs would be less likely to flee. For example, a defendant who has a business in his locality or whose entire family is in that locality, he will have a lesser likelihood of fleeing compared to individuals who have nothing to lose in that locality.

Obligations in the Family:

Sometimes the court will consider and require lesser bail to defendants who are responsible for the well-being of his family or who have other dependents.

Assets and Incomes:

When a defendant has a lot of money and/or assets, he may likely not be considered for a low amount. If the defendant is employed, the court may consider that the defendant may likely lose the employment.

Court and Criminal Histories of Defendants:

Especially individuals who have had histories involving failures to appear in court will most likely have to face higher bonds compared to those who are first-timers in court. Also, the court would look into the number of times a person may have been granted bail and have violated conditions related to the given considerations or who have failed to appear in court. The court will most likely impose higher bond amounts to these individuals as compared to someone without such history.

The gravity of the Crime:

More serious crimes require higher bonds and lesser serious crimes require lower bond amounts.

Public Safety:

If the release of an accused individual would pose a risk to the safety of others and/or the community, the courts would most likely refuse to allow bail. Examples for these are cases of treason, rebellion, terrorism, or conspiracy – a defendant charged with these crimes would most likely not be allowed to post bail.

The Types of Bail Bonds

Most of the time bail bonds are associated with money. The notion is that when one is arrested and he has the money, he can get out of jail immediately. However, it is more complicated than that. There are several questions asked online to shed light and know what bail bonds are all about which you may also have.

Different states may have different types of bails, some may apply to another and in others, it may not. The different types may include cash bonds, signature bonds, property bonds, surety bonds, and others.

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Divorce 101: How To Get Through This Difficult Time and Come Out Stronger!

Going through a divorce is never easy. There’s, of course, the prospect of a marriage ending, but there are also a lot of other processes you have to brave through. The first is obviously is deciding if it’s truly over. Then comes the hard bit. Don’t believe us? Keep reading! Divorce 101: How To Get Through This Difficult Time and Come Out Stronger: Hire a Good Lawyer A great divorce lawyer is a key to getting through your messy divorce with dignity and peace. The folks over at the Lawrence Law Office, among others, have experience with this. A reliable and experienced divorce attorney will know exactly which strings to pull to win your case. Of course, there’s a ton of things you should consider before you hire an attorney but eventually, you will have to hire one. We suggest you start as early as possible. Embrace the Unknown Now onto the more messy, emotional bit. You're going to be so scared of the strange that you're going to reason with yourself. You’ll tell yourself that you're at least comfortable, even though you're miserable, and that you can continue your troubled marriage. You'll try to convince yourself of this, though you know it's not true in your heart. But you're going to tell yourself lies and reason that you're not supposed to split–for the kids, finances, etc. You are going to negotiate with yourself because you are afraid. Know this is all normal. You have to get up and go through with it because hey, there’s a reason you wanted an out in the first place. Pay Attention to Your Self Esteem You may shatter your self-confidence and you will be hopeless for validation and love. You will think no one is ever going to want you again, and you may be tempted to date quickly and latch on to the primary person who is handling attention. Resist this urge to attach yourself, even if for a long time you didn't have that romantic touch or intimacy. Trying to fill that void with a different relationship robs you of an opportunity to heal. Go with the flow and try to stay on track. Don’t Let Your Spouse’s Action Affect You It may seem as if your spouse is attempting to cause your life as uncomfortable as they possibly can, which, if you let it, could end in a long, drawn-out, costly, soul-sucking divorce for you. You'll need to remember that while you can't control their behavior, you can control how you're responding. It is entirely up to you to decide to take the high way notwithstanding how they act. It'll be easier said than done, like many things during the division. You’ll just have to take deep breaths and continue with the divorce process. Cultivate A Support Group Even though you might say you're okay, you'll need a support system: a therapist, a support group, good friends, online forums non-judgmental anonymity. Whatever system combination you choose should help you achieve two goals — creating a secure place to wind up while also helping you find effective means to cope with divorce in a healthful way. Read Also: Think Positive: 6 Realistic Benefits of Getting a Divorce Tips and Tricks to Hire the Best Lawyer for Your Case

Things to Know about Surveillance Methods

Surveillance is the method of closely observing a person, object, or place. This is the art and practice of watching a subject so that the person who does the investigating, often called as a detective or investigator, can document the whereabouts, interactions, and other things about it. Many people employ surveillance when there are cases of missing people, cheating spouses, vandalism, fraud, worker compensation cases, theft, and criminal investigations. Here are the Most Common Types of Surveillance There are a lot of ways that an investigator can carry out the surveillance of a subject. You will find tools such as electronics and technology that can make the job easier. There are also jobs such as physical observations and conducting interviews that can be used during the process. When it comes to electronic surveillance, this often utilizes devices such as wiretapping, CCTV cameras, television, radios, and others so that the investigator can document the activity. They can monitor their subjects’ email, social media accounts, or even hack their phones for information. There are also ways, such as physical observation. This involves following the subject anywhere he will go. This often includes stakeouts and disguises so that the individual being investigated will not become suspicious. There are cases when the person of interest is already caught, and the physical observation is done through the jail cell. Other investigators utilize interviews. They are often conducted to gain as much information as possible about the subject. The people that are interviewed are usually close to the person under investigation. They can be friends, neighbors, family, co-workers, and others. There are technical ways to watch a subject closely. This can involve photography where most cunning detectives take pictures of what happened during the day or night. Other technology can involve the use of audio recordings and videos. Some examples of these are dashcams used by drivers and surveillance cameras used by the police. Tactics Used for the Job Others employ tactics as part of the job. There is covert and overt. The overtones are surveillance cameras often used in convenience stores to prevent customers from stealing. The covert one is an undetected way of trailing a subject from a distance. There are times when the subject is mobile. This means that he can move freely, and the detectives often follow the person of interest anywhere. This can be done while on foot or riding a vehicle. There are times when the subject is stationary such as in cases of prison cells or when they parked their car the outside of a store and stay there for long periods. Mechanical investigations often involve the use of camcorders, voice recorders, cameras, videos, and other equipment. Human investigation can be done by checking files, and the source of information came from the team that makes the inquiry. Learn more through instructors with field knowledge about surveillance in sites such as Investive learning. You can get tangible skills and awareness if you are interested in this kind of field by talking to the right people. Why Do You Need Surveillance? There are lots of reasons why surveillance is conducted. These reasons can include preventing crime, obtain evidence, document the person’s current location, note the activities of the place where the person is, to get more pieces of information through interrogation, and to obtain other pertinent proof that can be used in court. Some conduct surveillance with their properties, spouse, or children so that they know their whereabouts and the status of the family. Most people have a sense of security when they know that their husbands or wives are not cheating behind their backs. Others want proof that their money, assets, and properties are safe. How Does a Surveillance Usually Work? The investigator will schedule a meeting with the client. They will ask about their expectations, what they want to happen, and the end result of the whole investigation. The detective may require a background check on the subject. He will note the physical description, phone number, full name, photographs, and other important information about the subject. The detective will then familiarize themselves with the area where they will be doing the surveillance. Familiarity with the location means that they can do the inspection at any time of the day. The person investigating can decide on the equipment that they will use, such as tinted windows, cameras, dash cams, videos, and more. They will plan a practical and reasonable explanation in case they are caught. Most of the investigators will follow the subject, and they keep several things in mind. These things can include never making eye contact or not walking by the house more than ones. Extensive notes are then taken, and the report should be very accurate.

Can an Employee Claim for a Personal Injury When Working From Home?

The modern digital workforce has changed the way employees work or rather from where. The recent COVID-19 Pandemic has shown that working from a remote location isn't a luxury anymore. However, even when employees are based in a home office, it doesn't mean that accidents can't happen. So what happens if your staff member is on the clock and gets injured while working? Company Legal Responsibility The question is if one of your workers gets injured during work hours, is your company liable? According to law experts at flcrimedefense.com, the short answer is yes. When working from home, employees are entitled to the same worker's comp benefits as their office-bound colleagues. As an employer, the fact that you have no control over your employee's remote workspace conditions is irrelevant. Any injuries must be reported to your insurer. A licensed adjuster will determine the coverage and benefit eligibility. As a business owner, you're responsible for providing a safe work environment. It's regardless if it's at your premises or a remote location. Criteria for Work-Related Claims Of course, no one expects you to take the employee's claims at face value. Some questions will help determine whether a home sustained injury was work-related. The three main things that workman's comp will want to know is: Were you as the employer benefiting from the employee's actions when they got hurt? Did the company require the individual to engage in the injury-causing activity? Did you give your permission for the off-site work in advance? If, for example, an employee is injured in the company's cafeteria while having lunch on-site, the workmen's compensation will cover those injuries because it benefits the employer. Having the individual on-site saves the organization time and keeps the person accessible should they be needed when on break. This analysis works the same for telecommuting employees. If a worker can reasonably explain how an injury is work-related, chances are they'll get the benefit of the doubt. Protecting Your Business You can protect your business by creating practices that may limit liability for home-based employees. Some recommended actions include: Creating a policy that outlines the company's expectations for remote staff. Develop a set of guidelines for a home office, which includes having a designated work area. Providing training related to setting up the correct safety measures with a focus on ergonomics. Establishing operational hours, meal times, and rest periods for remote workers. Having this in place will help determine whether a claimed injury occurred within the course of employment. Ensuring that you've got workers comp insurance that'll protect your business against lawsuits resulting from accidents. Final Thoughts Figuring out if an employee is entitled to compensation for an injury when working from home is difficult. As a business, you're responsible for providing your remote workers the same benefits as office-bound staff. If you want to establish if an injury was work-related, there are a series of questions that you can ask your employee. Ensure that you have the right policies and insurance coverage. It will protect your company from any lawsuits resulting from workplace accidents. Read More: Top 5 Colorado Springs Personal Injury Attorneys The Benefits of Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer Reasons For Hiring a Long Island Personal Injury Attorney Reasons for hiring any Personal Injury Attorney is Important 5 Things To Look For In A Personal Injury Lawyer

Bail Bonds: What You Should Know

What is Bail?

Schedule of Bails