Generally speaking, when you are charged with a crime, the judge will grant you bail, allowing you to leave jail and go home while appearing to your court proceedings. When you pay that bail—either with your own money or with the help of a Riverside bail bonds service—it allows you to be with your family and loved ones, rather than spending days, weeks, or even months in a holding cell.
In rare instances, a judge will decide not to grant bail—but why would that happen? In this post, we’ll consider some of the reasons why a particular offender may not be granted bail.
Several Reasons to Deny Bail
There are actually quite a few reasons why a judge might decide not to grant bail. These include:
- Particular penal code violations
- Public safety
- The judge believes the accused to be a “flight risk”
The actual amount of bail can also vary and will usually be more if the crime is more severe. The judge will only withhold bail completely if he or she believes the defendant to be a threat to society.
Bail is Denied for Severe Crimes
One of the first things a judge will consider when setting bail is the nature of the charges. Most crimes have a preset range of bail amounts that the judge will consider, but if the crime is violent in its nature—murder, in particular—then bail may automatically be denied. Again, this is a way to prevent those who might truly represent a danger from society off the streets, at least until their innocence is proven in a court of law.
Bail is Denied for Flight Risks
Another reason why bail might be denied, and why even a local bail bond company won’t be able to help you, is that the defendant is deemed a flight risk. Simply put, if the judge has good reason to believe you’ll flee whether than show up for court, bail probably won’t be granted.
Red Flags and Warning Signs
Ultimately, the decision about whether or not to grant bail is at least partially up to the judge’s discretion, though there are usually some preset standards to offer the judge guidance. With that said, there are certainly some warning signs that bail may not be granted. These warning signs include:
- A credible source informs the court that the defendant will not return for court
- The defendant is aggressive or combative with the judge
- The defendant has a personal history of missing court appearances
- The nature of the criminal charges is severe
- The defendant has escaped from prison before
- The defendant has mental health impairment and no guardian or supervisor
Get Help from a Bonding Service Company
These instances of the judge denying bail are pretty uncommon. Most of the time, you or your loved one can get out of jail with just a little help from a Riverside bail bond company. To learn more about how 24-hour bail bonds work, reach out to Remedy Bail Bonds in Riverside today!