Without Bail Bonds Grand Rapids Accused May Have To Remain In Custody

By Virginia Morgan


Law enforcement agencies place thousands of people under arrest every year. The vast majority of those arrested are ordinary citizens that can by no means be described as career criminals. They made stupid mistakes such as trying to make an illegal profit, cheating on their taxes and driving while under the influence. After they have been booked, they are normally allowed to go free. By applying for bail bonds Grand Rapids accused are normally released within a few hours.

When arrested, the most immediate priority is to obtain the services of an experienced criminal defence attorney. It is lunacy to try and represent oneself. The legal field is full of pitfalls and it is very easy to make disastrous mistakes. Once a lawyer is appointed he will review the circumstances of the arrest. Thereafter he will arrange for the release of his client.

It is common practice to let accused go free until their trial dates. There are conditions, however. The court will have to be convinced that the accused will, in fact, attend his trial and that he will not contact other witnesses. The court will then set an amount that must be paid in cash to act as security that the conditions of release will be observed. This amount can be borrowed from a bondsman.

Bondsmen make quick loans available to accused that do not have the cash to pay the amount specified by the court. They can approve an urgent and instant loan within an hour or two to clients that qualify. Once the loan is approved, the bondsman will pay the security at the court and the accused will them be allowed to go home immediately.

The cost of a loan from a bondsman is normally about fifteen per cent of the loan amount. Bondsmen charge steep fees because they have to take the risk that the client will indeed honour the conditions for release. Of course those arrested are not in a position to negotiate. The accused will have to pledge his assets as security for the loan and he will have to sign a legal agreement.

Because many accused sign agreements with bondsmen whilst under duress, they often fail to read the terms and conditions of the contract that they signed. If they so much as break a single condition the bondsman will be entitled to attach the assets that were pledged as security and sell them to cover his costs. It is best to leave the matter of negotiating a loan from a bondsman to the attorney.

No accused should even contemplate breaking the conditions of release set by the court. The consequences can be very serious. He may be arrested and charged with additional offences and he may be remanded in custody until his case is heard. This may mean months in prison. He will also lose the money he paid as security for release. The only course of action is to strictly adhere to all the conditions set by the court.

Critics say accused should all be kept in jail until their trials. This is not possible. Firstly, it would be unconstitutional to keep someone in custody if he has not been found guilty of a crime yet. Secondly, the welfare of the family of the accused is also taken into consideration. If the accused is in custody, he cannot provide for his family.




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