Being arrested and charged with a crime can be bad enough on its own, but to make matters even worse, a court is likely to require a person to pay a certain amount of money before they can get out of jail. Bail is meant to make sure a person will follow the court’s requirements, show up for future hearings or other court proceedings, and remain in the area during their criminal case. The amount of bail can be high, because a court will want to prevent a person from fleeing in order to avoid prosecution. Fortunately, bail bonds are available to help a person or their loved ones pay these amounts. Those who will be paying for a bail bond will want to understand the factors that may lead to larger amounts of bail.
Issues That May Lead to Higher Bail Amounts
When setting bail, a judge may consider a number of different factors that are relevant to a case, including:
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Bail schedules - Some courts have adopted standard bail amounts that apply for certain offenses. This may simplify the process of setting bail in some cases, although it will not consider unique factors that may play a role in a certain situation. In Texas, a judge is required to consider a person’s ability to pay bail, and a person with limited financial resources may be able to show that the standard amount of bail would not be appropriate in their case.
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