When someone is arrested and taken in front of a judge, they are either arraigned or given a bail hearing. In the case of a bail hearing, the judge sets a bail amount. This is the amount that must be paid in order to allow the defendant to go free until their next court date. There are some standards that judges follow when setting amounts for bail bonds in Hillsboro TX. Here are some things you should know about how a judge sets a bond for a defendant.
Standard Amounts
For most cases, there is a standard amount that a judge will set for a bail. For instance, if the defendant is arrested for a non-violent misdemeanor, it’s not unusual for the judge to set the bail amount low. This can be between $500 and $1000 in some situations.
Criminal History
For a defendant’s first arrest, the judge will generally set bail on the lower end of the accepted standard amount. But if the defendant has a record of committing the same crime for which they were most recently arrested, the judge will usually have less mercy on them when it comes to a bail amount.
Employment
Another thing that will affect the amount of the bail is the defendant’s employment status. If they are gainfully employed and have been for several months or years, the judge will often go easier on the bail amount. If the defendant is unemployed, the judge will often increase the amount of the bail. One reason for this is because an unemployed person is a greater flight risk. If they don’t have a job to hold them where they are, they are more likely to leave town before their schedule court date. On the other hand, an employed defendant is more likely to continue going to work until the time of their court date.
Ties to the Community
The judge also looks at the defendant’s ties to the community when setting bail bonds in Hillsboro TX. If the defendant has close family in the area, the judge deems that they are not at a high risk for leaving town suddenly. If the defendant serves the community and is a prominent member, such as a minister or politician, they aren’t as likely to pick up and disappear. In cases like these, the judge will be more lenient on the bail and be more likely to keep it at a reasonable amount.
