I tell everyone that if they’re going to be in court, it’s best to have an attorney. With that being said, there are some circumstances where there just isn’t enough time or the immediate ability to hire an attorney. One of these instances is at the bond hearing.
When someone is arrested for an offense, a bond hearing is generally held within 48 hours. Sometimes it can be sooner than that. Because of the short timeframe, it is sometimes difficult for family members to secure an attorney for the accused.
So what do you do?
A bond hearing is limited to two things.
- Flight risk and
- Danger to the community.
This is what a magistrate or municipal court judge will address when deciding someone’s bond. If you cannot speak on the person’s behalf, have the defendant prepared to address where the work, how long they’ve lived in the area, lack of criminal record, family ties here, non violent nature of the crime, etc. These things will go a long way in to lessening a surety bond or getting a PR bond.
If you have the opportunity, it is always best to hire an attorney prior to the bond hearing. If you think I can help you, call us and we’ll chat.
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