If you are indicted and charged with a crime, you may petition the court to release you on bail so you can carry on with your day-to-day life while awaiting the outcome of your case. In exchange for your freedom, you must deposit a bond (money or other assets) with the court and commit to abide by the bail terms.
However, there are instances when the court might refuse to grant bail. Here are three primary reasons why this might happen:
1. If you are a repeat offender
If you have multiple crimes, say multiple DUIs, on your record, the judge will have a difficult time trusting your word. Still, a previous failure to appear even for an unrelated offense can be a serious giveaway that you will likely go MIA when released on bail. This is why the court needs to ensure that you show up for your trial from your jail cell.
2. If you are a flight risk
If you become a suspect in a criminal matter, you should never leave the country or state without the court’s knowledge and approval before your case is finalized. However, it is not uncommon for a guilty suspect to flee the state or even country as soon as they are out on bail. If the court has reason to believe you are a flight risk, your bail will be denied.
3. If the crime you’ve been charged with is severe
Violent crimes like assault with a firearm, rape and murder are considered severe and heinous. Thus, it is not uncommon to be denied bail if you are accused of any of these crimes. This is particularly true if the court believes that you could be a threat to society or your victim.
If you or a loved one is charged with a crime, you need to explore your take the charges seriously and begin exploring your defense options as soon as possible.