The purpose of bail is supposed to ensure that a defendant appears at trial. There is a presumption of innocence built into the criminal justice system, which means that defendants should not be punished before being convicted of the crime charged. Also, a defendant who is in jail can have barriers to participating in their defense. Therefore, a court is supposed to set bail high enough to discourage a defendant from failing to appear, but not so high that the price of bail is out of that defendant’s reach. Unfortunately, how bail is supposed to work and how it is used in the modern criminal justice system do not always align. Many defendants, even those accused of misdemeanor or non-violent felony offenses, find that their bail is set at an unaffordable level.
What to Do When Bail Is Set Too High
When bail is unaffordable, there are a few options for a defendant and their friends and family.
- Use a service specializing in Bail Bonding in Tyler TX. Bail bond services charge a fee, usually a percentage of the bail, in exchange for their promise to pay the court the full amount of the bail if a defendant fails to appear. Paying bond means that a defendant’s loved ones have to come up with a fraction of the bail, but, unlike bail, the bond fee is not refundable, even if a defendant complies with all conditions of release.
- Use fundraisers to help raise money for bond or bail. These fundraisers may be done through churches or community organizations, fundraising websites, social media, or a combination of all three. This a good option when the community does not agree with the charges against a defendant or when the defendant has strong community ties.
- See if a defense attorney or bail bonds service can negotiate with the court to get a lower bail amount for the defendant.
Combine Strategies
Often, a single one of these strategies will not be enough to raise all of the bail money. Instead, a family may need to use multiple strategies and combine them with Bail Bonding in Tyler TX to get a defendant released. For help with the bail bond process or for more ideas on how to raise bond money, contact Sitename. You can also follow them on Twitter for more information.
