When you are arrested for a criminal offense, you will be held in jail until you can appear before a judge. At this arrangement hearing, which will happen between 24 and 48 hours after your arrest, the judge will read your charges, inform you of your rights, and ask you to enter a plea. In addition, they will also set bail. If you’re not sure what bail is or if you are eligible, you’ll want to keep reading. The following blog explores how posting bail can benefit your felony defense and why working with an Oklahoma City felony defense lawyer is in your best interest during these complicated issues.
What Is Bail?
At your arrangement, the judge assigned to your case will determine the bail amount. Essentially, this is an amount of money you can pay the court to be released for the duration of your trial. It’s imperative to understand that the point of bail is to allow them to more easily work with their legal representation to craft a defense so they can receive their due process.
Bail acts as collateral, meaning if you do not appear for your scheduled court date, you lose the right to have the money returned to you. If you attend all scheduled court dates, you will receive the funds back, regardless of the outcome of your case.
Your bail will be determined by several factors. The judge assigned to your case will take the following into consideration when determining how much the amount will be:
- The charges against you
- The circumstances surrounding the crime
- Your criminal history
- If you are a flight risk
- Your ties to the community
Am I Eligible?
In almost all cases, bail is set for those facing criminal charges. However, it’s imperative to understand that certain circumstances can occur in which you are denied bail. Generally, crimes punishable by death, violent crimes, capital offenses, and drug charges with a maximum sentence is at least 10 years of prison time can be denied bail in Oklahoma. Additionally, if you are facing a felony charge and have two prior felony charges from two different instances on your record, you can be denied.
You’ll also find that if you are a flight risk, such as having ties outside of the country, or it’s believed you are a danger to the community, the court can deny bail.
As such, it’s imperative to connect with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help guide you through these challenging times. Your attorney will not only help you navigate the criminal justice system to ensure your rights are upheld, but they can also argue on your behalf to have bail lowered if it is set exuberantly high.
When you are facing legal trouble, the team at the Jones Firm, PLLC can help. We understand how complicated these matters can be, which is why our team is ready to assist you through the criminal justice process. Connect with us today to learn more about these matters.
