Bail Bond For a Corruption Charge

Bail is money that the court demands as a guarantee that an accused person will return for hearings, trials and other proceedings. A judge may set a standard bail amount for any alleged crime, but they have broad discretion to raise or lower it as needed. The defendant can either pay the full amount in cash at the courthouse or hire a bail bonds to do so on their behalf.

The company will charge a fee, which is generally 10 percent or less of the total bail amount. This fee is never refundable and it can require that loved ones provide additional money called collateral to secure the bond. In some cases, the bondsman will not release the accused until they have received all the payments in full. If the defendant fails to appear for any court appearances, the bond agent will forfeit the entire bail amount to the court.

A bond agent is responsible for tracking down the defendant if they fail to show up for court and will likely have to pay for bounty hunters to do so. The person who provided the bondsman with collateral can also lose that property, and in some states they can be charged steep late fees or even interest rates as high as 30 percent.

Can You Get a Bail Bond For a Corruption Charge?

If a person has been arrested on charges of bribery, it is important to contact a criminal defense attorney right away. The lawyer can review the evidence and help their client determine what options are available. One option that is often discussed is a plea bargain where the lawyer can offer reduced charges in exchange for a guilty plea. This could lead to lesser penalties and less money spent on the case.

In some instances, a prosecutor will not agree to a plea deal and will want the accused to face trial. The accused will then have to ask the judge to reduce their bail amount so that they can afford to pay it in full and get out of jail sooner. Whether this will be possible depends on the severity of the charges and what is deemed to be a flight risk by the judge. Defendants who stick to their bail conditions by attending all their court dates and complying with other bond conditions should have no problems getting their bail returned once they are cleared of the charges.

If they fail to do so, the judge will deem the bail forfeited and it will be taken back by the bond company or the person who provided the funds to the bail agency. The accused can still apply for their money back if they successfully appeal the decision to forfeit it. However, this can take many months to complete. For this reason, it is always a good idea to work with a trusted criminal defense firm like Sevens Legal, APC. The attorneys will make sure that all the evidence is reviewed and a case is made to avoid a forfeiture of bail.