Bond Hearings in Florida
The law requires judges to set bond hearings quickly and impose reasonable conditions of release.
”-- Richard HornsbyIf a friend or loved one has been arrested and cannot afford to bond out of jail, you likely have many questions about:
Fortunately, the law requires judges to set bond hearings quickly and impose reasonable conditions of release.
Hire me and I will move quickly to schedule a bond hearing and ask for a lower bond or more convenient conditions of release.
What is Bond?
In Florida, the legal term Pretrial Release is synonymous with the words bail and bond.
Technically though, bail or bond is just the monetary amount that must be posted before a person can be released from jail pending trial.
On the other hand, Pretrial Release includes all of the conditions you must agree to before you can be released from jail pending trial.
Example
You are arrested for Domestic Violence Battery. A judge would normally set bond at $1,000, but also order that you have no contact with the "victim," not drink alcohol, and not return to the common residence.
So the judge really granted you Pretrial Release, but only if you comply with the following conditions:
- Post a $1,000 bond,
- Not contact the victim,
- Not drink alcohol, and
- Not return to your home.
Scheduling a Bond Hearing
At a bond hearing a judge will determine whether the:
- Bond should be lowered, or
- Conditions of release should be modified.
Scheduling a bond hearing is no simple task, as a bond hearing must be scheduled in front of the correct judge. This is because different judges hear bond motions depending on whether the case is a misdemeanor, felony, or probation violation.
Once the correct judge has been identified, it is necessary to coordinate with the clerk of the court, the judge, the judge's assistant, and the prosecution.
Lowering the Bond Amount
When we ask a judge to lower the bond, the judge will consider the following information, which we will need to be prepared to address:
- The nature of the crimes,
- The amount of evidence,
- Community ties, including:
- Local Family Members,
- Length of Residence,
- Employment History,
- Financial Resources, and
- Mental Condition
- Past and Present Criminal History, including:
- Any Criminal Convictions,
- Past Failures to Appear, and
- Previous Flight from Prosecution.
- The Source of Funds to post Bail,
- Whether a Danger to the Community or victim exists, etc.
Contact Criminal Defense Attorney Richard Hornsby
Contact Criminal Defense Attorney Richard Hornsby for the criminal defense representation you deserve. The initial consultation is free and I am always available to advise you on the proper course of action to take.
