After an arrest, jail may be your home for a while unless you know how to assert your rights. Read on for a summary of what your rights are after an arrest and what to do to take advantage of them.
The Right to be Informed of Your Charges
Not everyone understands why they ended up in jail. In some cases, you may not be told about your charges at first. However, you will be informed of your charges during the first few days after an arrest. An arraignment is often held, and you are told of your charges there. However, not all locations have arraignments.
The Right to a Lawyer
You can ask for a lawyer at any time and you cannot be questioned until a lawyer appears. Even if you don't need a lawyer right away, though, if you are arrested you will need a lawyer to help you with your charges so make that a priority once you are released from jail.
The Right to Reasonable Bail
As far as getting out of jail goes, many defendants find out about bail at the arraignment along with their charges. Bail is not guaranteed, however. If you are denied bail, speak to a criminal defense lawyer about the issue. Others are released on their own recognizance, which means they are released on bail without having to do anything. However, they must obey bail conditions.
If the bail is too high, you can also ask a lawyer to argue for a reduction in bail. The cost of bail is based on your criminal record, the seriousness of the charges, and the likelihood of the defendant returning for future court dates.
Unfortunately, bail can be very expensive for many, and the judge may have little incentive to lower the amount charged. That doesn't mean though, that defendants have no other choice but to either stay in jail or pay the bail sum.
Using a Bail Bond
The simple addition of the word bond changes the affordability factor of bail. A bail bond, as opposed to just bail, is only a percentage of the full bail amount. The percentage varies from state to state but it's never as much as the full bail charged by the court. Bail bonds can be arranged by contacting a bail bonding agency and speaking with a friendly agent. Just let them know about the charges, the bail charged, and the location of the defendant, and let them do the rest.
For more information, contact a local bail bond agency like Air Capital Bail Bonds.
Share