Have you recently been accused of a crime and are concerned about the amount of bail being set in your case? Judges have some level of discretion as it relates to bail in your case and assigning a bail amount that is too high requires the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney. A Brooklyn bail reduction lawyer can help you to argue for a lower bail amount.
Trying to handle this without an attorney could expose you to mistakes or could lead to the judge not understanding your request or your reasoning for asking for a reduction in bail. When you have an attorney, however, he or she is knowledgeable about the way that the court system functions and can give you further information about the most appropriate way to address this particular situation. A judge has to weigh a variety of economic and criminal factors in order to set a reasonable bail amount at the conclusion of an arraignment. However, in some situations a judge may stipulate too high an amount of bail. And in these cases, it may be possible to reduce the request for bail payment lower, such that you or your friends and family are able to pay it. Even if bail has not yet been set, it is a good idea to have a relationship with a Brooklyn bail reduction attorney, such that if the case does appear to be going in that direction that you have legal representation to assist you immediately. Knowing your options and exercising them in the moment is extremely important when bail is set.
The majority of serious misdemeanor cases and practically all felony offenses in New York will conclude with a judge setting a bail amount for the defendant. When the conclusion of the case is reached, that bail amount is returned, although a portion of it is kept as a surcharge. If the bail amount is set too high, such that you would have to spend time in jail, your bail reduction defense lawyer in Brooklyn will explain to the judge the factors that should cause him or her to reconsider this bail amount. If a defendant has a prior criminal history, the judge may surmise that that individual is more likely to offend again and will therefore, raise bail. Furthermore, the severity of the crime in question can also adjust the amount of bail. Non-violent crimes, generally, warrant lower bail costs.
Another thing a judge has to consider when setting your bail amount is whether or not the defendant is considered a flight risk. An individual who may be likely to skip town could receive a higher bail amount. This is in the personal estimation of the judge, which means it is subject to bias. While the majority of judges will try to arrive at a fair figure, they may ask for too much, thus making it a reality that you could spend the necessary time in jail. In some cases, judges will even assess a very high bail amount as a preventive method. This is very common in felony cases.
A bail reduction defense attorney in Brooklyn will analyze the details of your case and identify whether or not, the bail has been set too high. In the case that it has, your lawyer will work to drive down the cost of bail in a secondary hearing, where they will cite changes in personal circumstance as a reason for the judge to reconsider the evaluation of your ultimate bail amount. You may not even know all of the avenues available to you and it is likely that you would make a mistake while trying to do this on your own. Since the majority of defendants are unable to post the complete amount due of their bail, they will need to use bail bondsmen to supplement the fee.
By finding an experienced criminal defense attorney to argue for bail reduction, however, you may not need to owe a bail bondsman at all. The entanglements of the legal system lead many people to believe that they simply have no choice but to accept the amount of bail that has been set in their case. However, this is not always true. Having an experienced attorney to guide you through the process can make a big difference.