The first person you call when you get arrested is not always your lawyer, in many cases, the person first called when someone is arrested is a Grand Rapids bail bondsman. Not all crimes will warrant the need for a bondsman as there are many minor offenses in which a standard bond is issued and the arrestee is released quite quickly, spending very little if no time in a jail cell. Serious charges, however, may require a bail hearing by a judge. It is in this type of situation that a judge determines the bond amount and several factors go into a bail determination.
Petty crimes will likely have a lower bail than crimes of a more serious nature. But a judge will also look into your past. The judge will check to see if you have had any past failure to appear warrants, any current warrants and your previous criminal history. So your past actions can be used to determine bond as the judge might see a certain pattern of behavior.
The judge will also evaluate several factors to determine what type of flight risk you may pose. If you have close family ties in the area, it usually means an arrestee is less a flight risk. The judge will also consider how long you have lived in the community and financial position.
A judge will also consider other factors like your employment or student status. For example, if keeping you in jail for a long time will cause you to lose your job or affect your college enrollment, lighter bonds may be handed out.
Once a bond has been set, give us a call and we can help.
