Is There a Right Way to Act When Out on Bail?
If you’ve been arrested, chances are you will be eligible for bail so that you don’t have to spend however long waiting in jail for your court date. Obtaining bail in Broomfield County and Adams County is easy. Simply contact the bail bond agent, inform them of where you are being held, the charge against you and the bail amount and then do what they tell you.
To learn about factors which could affect your eligibility for bail, and conditions which are often required for bail bonding agreements, review the following guide: Conditions Attached to Bail
If your first call is to a loved one, that loved one’s next call should be to a local bondsman in order to secure your release. Once you’ve been released you are free to go about your life until it’s time for you to appear in court. But is it really that easy? Below we’ll look at how a person should behave when they’re out on bail.
How to Act When Out on Bail
It’s rare for an accused person to not be offered bail. However, it’s not all that rare for people out on bail to get in trouble and have their bail revoked. Most of the time that happens because they think they can just pick up where they left off once they’re bailed out. But bail actually comes with conditions and expectations. If you are released on bail…
Cancel any travel plans
In most cases, people released on bail are instructed not to leave the state until they’ve had their day in court. Depending on the crime the person is accused of, they may even be instructed not to leave the town or city where they live. In some cases, people get arrested just before they’re supposed to go on vacation and decide no harm can come if they sneak away to Bermuda for a few days while awaiting their court appearance. Wrong. Unless you have specific permission from the court to travel out of state you will need to cancel or reschedule any travel plans.
Go back to work
If you have a job to go back to after being released on bail you should do so. Believe it or not, courts don’t want to send people to prison. What they want to see is that the individual has the potential to be a productive, responsible member of society. Returning to your job while out on bail is a great way to demonstrate your essentially good character. When you do go to court your lawyer will be able to point to the fact that you’ve been working hard and acting like an adult while out on bail, which may earn you a more lenient sentence should you be convicted.
Make all your court dates
While out on bail make sure you make all your court dates. Failing to appear is considered jumping bail and will usually result in bail being revoked and a warrant being issued for your arrest. When you do finally show up in court to face the original charges you’ll have additional charges tacked on for jumping bail. If you jump bail the court will also be far less inclined to be lenient on you when it comes time to hand down a sentence.
Adhere to all other bail conditions
Travel restrictions are usually a given when it comes to being released on bail. But there may well be other conditions imposed on your behavior while you await your day in court. Some of these conditions may be applied by the court (such as staying a certain distance away from specific individuals) and other conditions may be applied by the bonding company, (such as remaining within the county and notifying the bail agent immediately if you move). But no matter who issued the conditions it’s imperative that you honor them. Failing to do so could result in your bail being revoked and you being sent back to jail to await your court date.
Stay out of trouble with the law
This should go without saying, but you might be surprised just how many people can’t seem to avoid the back seat of a police car, even when they’re already out on bail for another charge. If you are re-arrested while out on bail your bail will almost certainly be revoked and you will be sent back to jail to wait until the day of your court hearing. But that’s not all. If your bail is revoked it’s virtually guaranteed that you, or whoever put up the money to secure your bail bond, will lose that money.
Avoid troublesome situations
If you are fond of a particular watering hole where things are known to get out of control on a regular basis, give it a pass until you’ve had your day in court. Also, if you know any felons or repeat offenders, give them a wide berth too. Guilt by association should not happen, but it does. The last thing you want is to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and get swept up in a police action that’s targeting someone else.
Affordable Bail Bonds in Broomfield County
If you are out on bail it may be tempting to go back to your rough and rowdy ways while awaiting your day in court. Don’t do it. Instead, do yourself a favor and live up to all the conditions of your release, make all your court dates and stay away from troublesome places and people. And for 24 hour bail bonds, get in touch with Urban Bail Bonds.