After a DUI arrest in Mecklenburg County, the accused may be granted pre-trial release after posting bond. This allows them to leave jail and keep their freedom while they await trial.
If you face DUI charges, or if you need help getting a loved one out of jail after a DUI arrest, contact an experienced DUI attorney. A lawyer could fully explain your legal options and fight for a positive outcome to the case. Call today to schedule a consultation.
Bond is an amount of money necessary to secure the release of a person charged with a crime and includes the conditions for release. If somebody is given a bond, it can be an unsecured bond, which means they do not have to post any money in order to be released, or a secured bond, which means that they have to post the amount set by the court or magistrate for the bond in order to be released. That could include putting up property or contacting a bail bondsman.
The bond amount is going to be determined by a magistrate or a judge based on each individual’s circumstances. This would include the crime that the individual is alleged to have committed, the individual’s criminal history, and whether or not they have any prior convictions for failing to appear in court.
Bond can be posted in a number of different ways. If property or cash is being put up for the bond, then someone can post a bond by going to the magistrate’s office in Mecklenburg County. Otherwise, individuals can contact a bail bondsman who will usually accept 10% of the bond as their fee in order to post the bond for the incarcerated individual.
People should be aware of the specific terms and conditions of their bond. They will usually be given a paper by the magistrate’s office or the court that details exactly what restrictions are in place while they are on bond, and that can include not being able to leave the Commonwealth. This can affect a lot of people arrested in Mecklenburg County, since it is on the border with North Carolina.
Pre-trial release is being released from custody so that the person can remain at liberty while they prepare their defense and await trial. A DUI attorney could help somebody be released on bond if, following their arrest, they are not given a bond or if they are given a bond that they otherwise cannot afford. The Mecklenburg County defense attorney could negotiate with prosecutors or set up a bond hearing to assist the individual.
When a person is released from jail, they can expect the return of the private property they had on their person when they were booked into the jail. They can also expect to be asked to sign a document agreeing to appear in court at their next court date, and they will receive a copy of that the court hearing notice. They should also receive documentation regarding the specific conditions of their pre-trial release when they are granted a bond.
If somebody does not comply with the conditions that are imposed upon them during pre-trial release, then they can expect that there will be a motion to have their bond revoked. If they have their bond revoked for not complying with pre-trial release, it will be much harder, if not impossible, to get them a second chance at bond.
It is important for somebody to hire an attorney as soon as possible after being arrested for DUI so that the attorney can begin investigation and research on the case. The attorney can also assist in any bond hearing, if necessary, so it can be held as soon as possible and either have a judge set a bond for the individual or to have a judge reduce the bond to a level that the individual can afford. To learn more about pre-trial release and bond after a DUI arrest in Mecklenburg County, contact an experienced defense attorney today.