The court’s bail system is intended to detain suspects if they can be considered a flight risk. It also provides incentive for those released from jail to appear at all their court dates because bail is returned to those who do. Sometimes a judge refuses to set bail because the suspect is viewed as a danger to the community. A bail bond agent in Contra Costa County CA assists people who cannot afford cash bail and do not have enough assets to use as collateral.
Consequences of Not Paying Bail
Without being able to pay bail, the person charged with a crime must stay behind bars until the case is resolved. That could mean waiting until trial, but often it means having a public defender negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecution. Critics of the bail system say that this situation forces many low-income individuals to plead guilty even if they are innocent. They have to get out of jail or they’ll lose their job, apartment and vehicle, and maybe even their children.
Flight Risk Indications
Why would a judge consider a suspect a flight risk? Lack of strong ties to the community is a common theme. The person may have moved to this area just recently and may have no family members there. He or she might have a job, but it could be the sort of job that has many openings throughout the country. It would be easy to move on and get hired at a retail store, a restaurant or a bar somewhere else.
A County’s Bail Schedule
A large number of criminal offenses have bail already pre-set by a county’s set bail schedule. These amounts can still be too high for a defendant to pay. In Contra Costa County, being arrested and charged with residential burglary has an automatic $50,000 bail amount. Instead of paying that, the defendant or a family member may be able to have a bail bond agent in Contra Costa County CA post a surety bond for a percentage of the bail. Fees generally are 10 percent of the bail and are nonreturnable. Check out to get started.
