Not everyone gets a chance to be at home while waiting for their court date. Some people don’t qualify for bail. If you don’t know if you’re qualified or not, educate yourself. While no one wants to be arrested, or spend time in jail, knowing your options give you a better understanding, and a bit more control, over the process. So, below is some information that will help you understand whether or not you qualify for bail.

Severity of the Crime Impacts Chances for Bail

Usually, following an arrest, a cost for bail is established in a timely manner and you are allowed to pay the fee and go home until your court date. This is for the majority of cases. However, the crime itself plays a role in whether or not you are granted bail. If the courts believe that you are a threat to others because you are accused of a particularly severe or heinous crime, your bail can be denied. Other potential factors include the possibility of if this crime involves a minor or if the crime can result in life in prison or the death penalty. Every state has different laws about these subjects, but most states allow the court to deny bail in some situations, such as if there is an overwhelming amount of evidence in a murder case.

How Criminal History Plays a Role

Even if your most recent crime is unrelated to prior crimes, the court will take your criminal history into account to understand what the risks are if bail is granted. If your criminal history shows a pattern of repeatedly committing crimes, a judge is going to take notice of this and possibly deny bail. If you have a clean record of attending your previous court dates, and if the severity of the previous crimes is low, you could be allowed to go home until your scheduled court date.

Risk of Flight Can Determine Eligibility for Bail

As a judge reviews where you live, how long you’ve lived there, how long you’ve held employment in your area, and where your family lives, they weigh whether or not you might be at risk of flight. If you have a long track record of stable employment, have a family, and have lived in the same area for years, a judge is more likely to assume that you have roots in the area that are not easily broken. The flipside of this is if you committed a crime in an area that you recently moved to, have no family or community ties to the area, and no long history of work. The idea here is that you would have less to lose if you fled the area and never showed up for your court date. If there’s nothing emotionally or financially tying you to an area, you have less to lose and might take on the risk of evading the authorities for the foreseeable future.

If you do qualify for bail, it is an important opportunity that you shouldn’t pass up. Posting bail allows you to resume your life and show the courts that you can live freely without committing more crimes. If you need any help with more information about the bail bond process visit the AAAA Bail Bond’s website or call 936-539-4444.