A 24-hour bail bondsman service in El Reno, OK provides an alternative for defendants who cannot afford cash bail. Unfortunately, bail sometimes is set so high that defendants and their family members cannot even afford the percentage fee required for the surety bond. The agencies make the process easier with installment payment plans and by accepting credit cards.
A Stressful Time
Typically, the defendant is not the person who contacts the 24-hour bail bondsman service in El Reno, OK because this is difficult to do while in jail. The person must rely on a wife or husband, a domestic partner, an adult child, a parent, a sibling or a friend to handle this task. It is a stressful time for everyone involved as they try to figure out how to come up with the money.
The Bail Hearing
If there is no way to manage this, the next step is to have a lawyer represent the defendant at a bail hearing before a judge. People who are struggling financially are usually represented by a public defender, whose services are provided to defendants free of charge. This lawyer explains to the judge why bail should be reduced, emphasizing the individual’s ties to the community and the unlikelihood that they will run away.
Detainment
A cornerstone of the U.S. justice system is that defendants should not be detained for a lengthy period when they have not yet been convicted or admitted guilt to the court. Lower-income individuals are routinely held for many weeks waiting for an outcome to their case. Some accept a plea bargain simply to regain their freedom, giving up their right to a fair trial.
An Unfair System
Some justice system reform advocates would like to see the U.S. bail system eliminated so that defendants could go free without the issue of money. Others worry that judges would be inclined to more often deny freedom on a defendant’s recognizance. It has become clear, however, that the bail system as it stands is very unfair to lower-income classes. Visit Business Name.
