As one of the longest serving bail bonds agencies in Angleton, we often work with people who have had no experience whatsoever with the criminal justice system, until they or a family member have been arrested. One of the most common questions we’re asked about is what factors into a court’s decision when setting bail.
There are many factors that go into a judge’s decision when setting bail, such as:
- Legal bail schedules: It’s very common for courts to use bail schedules—a legal document which matches specific crimes with a specific required amount of bail. This is pretty useful in jurisdictions where bail schedules are used, as it provides much-needed transparency to the bail process, and shields courts from accusations of favoritism, etc. In some cases, if the defendant is unable to afford the bail, they may be able to petition the judge for leniency.
- Criminal record/active warrants: The court tries to take into account the likelihood of an individual repeating their criminality, both in its sentencing and when it’s setting a bail amount. If you’re an otherwise good citizen, have been to college and have a job, you’re more likely to get leniency and pay a lower bail bond amount than if you have a long criminal record, and more generally a historical record and reputation as a ne’er-do-well.
- Alleged crime: Basically, the more serious the crime, the more violent or destructive or antisocial, the higher the amount of the bail bond. This is the case whether or not your jurisdiction is using a bail schedule.
- Flight risk: A defendant’s likelihood to show up on time to court is taken into account, too. If a defendant seems likely to flee the district, or to simply refuse to show up to court, it makes sense from the perspective of the court to do whatever it can do to ensure the defendant sticks around. If a bail bond is high enough, the likelihood of a defendant skipping out on it and then leaving their family picking up the pieces decreases significantly.
- Risk to others: Finally, if a defendant seems unstable, or has proven to be a danger to those around them in a way that cannot be mitigated by the court, then the defendant may have their bail set inordinately high, or else not be offered bail at all. Ensuring public safety is a huge part of the court’s responsibility, and the bail bond process is an integral part of that.
We’re well versed in the bail bonds process, as we have over 20 years of experience guiding families through it. As one of the premier bail bonds agencies in Angleton, Brazoria County Bail Bonds has made its reputation for dedicating ourselves to customer service, and simplifying the bail bonds process as much as possible. We know the families we work with have better things to worry about. That’s the great benefit of working with a bail bonds agency such as ours. Our expertise, sensitivity and connections can help make an almost unbearable process a little more bearable. If you could use our help, call Brazoria County Bail Bonds today.