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More often than not, judges grant bail to defendants in order to ensure that the defendants appear for a future court date. However, bail isn’t always granted to the defendants.

Judges usually consider several factors in deciding whether to grant a defendant bail. Public safety, defendant’s safety, and reasonable assurance of the defendant appearing before court are always factors.

What Might Affect A Judge’s Decision?

Every state has different laws and follow federal laws regarding the decision of whether to grant bail. The factors of a judge’s decision to deny bail may vary from state to state. However, the Texas Bill of Rights in Article 11 defines some of the reasons why someone might be denied bail:

Capital Offense: Any capital offense, such as murder, is grounds for a defendant to lose bail.

Evident Proof: If there’s a reasonable amount of evidence to presume guilt, a defendant might be denied bail.

Felonies Committed On Bail: The court assumes that a defendant who is out on bail will not commit another felony while on bail. However, the judge can deny bail to defendants who commit felonies while out on bail.  

Multiple Convictions: Someone who has multiple convictions might be denied bail based on their history of felonies.

Public Safety: If the defendant is charged with a violent crime or sexual offense, the judge may decide that the defendant poses a danger to public safety and deny the defendant bail. These crimes could be anything from aggravated assault to murder.

However, judges grant bail to most defendants charged with non-capital crimes. If you should find yourself or loved one in need of bail bond services, we will work hard to keep you out of jail. Contact ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245.  

If you or a friend are facing incarceration, you may wonder what legal rights you will retain while in jail. Certain rights you will definitely lose. These include the right to a warranted search, the right to privacy, and employment rights like a minimum wage. However, other important prisoner rights remain, and the incarcerated should become educated about the nature of these.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

While in jail, all prisoners have constitutional protection from cruel and unusual punishment. While this phrase remains vague, courts have interpreted it to mean freedom from inhumane treatment and the preservation of basic dignity.

Sexual Harassment

Additionally, prisoners have protection against sexual harassment and sex crimes. In the event of inmate-on-inmate violence, the courts designate accountability on the part of prison officials. Anyone who practices or turns a blind eye to sex-related harassment can face both civil and criminal penalties.

Health Care

All prisoners have an entitlement to basic mental and health care. This means that those diagnosed with chronic conditions will receive adequate treatment. Those that become sick while in jail have the right to basic care. This “basic care” can sometimes seem inadequate, but should accomplish its purpose. For example, a prisoner who needs a tooth filled or capped would in all likelihood receive an extraction.

At ATX Bail Bonds, we work to secure the freedom of our clients. A fair bail amount remains one of the prisoner rights in Austin, TX. However, situations do exist where a prisoner will have this right revoked. To learn more or set up bail for yourself or a loved one, give us a call today at 512.834.2245.

After someone has been arrested, they are generally given the option to post bail. This is a deposit that is made in the form of cash, a bond or property that ensures the defendant will appear in court when they are supposed to. The defendant always has the option to pay their own way out, but if they cannot afford to do so, bail bond companies like ATX Bail Bonds exist to help individual get out of jail quickly. If you need a bail bond agent in Austin, TX, call our office today at 512.834.2245.

Factors That Impact Bail

The amount of money needed for release is not the same for every single defendant. There are many things that are taken into consideration before the judge determines a bail amount. In many cases, the amount is determined using an algorithm. Certain information about the defendant is entered into a computer software. The software gives the defendant a specific number of points and the bail is determined based on that number. The information given to the computer can include

• The age of the defendant
• The type of charges
• The defendant’s criminal history
• The defendant’s record of not appearing in court

In every case, the number one factor considered when determining the amount of money the courts will accept for the release of a defendant is how likely the defendant is to skip town or not show up to the court date.

Contact Our Office

If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot afford to pay your bail, contact the office of ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245. We will take care of everything to get you out of jail.

In the state of Texas, like many states, Bail Recovery Agents, or Bounty Hunters, have well-rounded rights for finding and bringing in fugitives. Through the contracts you sign with your bond company, you give them the power to come and get you in the event you stop going to court. Although in most states a license and signed statement from the bondsman is required to pursue a fugitive, bounty hunters can arrest you without problem in public, come in and get you from your home, and even use force when necessary. However, in some states, a bounty hunter must call for police backup, cannot wear a badge or shield, and cannot carry a firearm.

Arrest in Public

In most states, when you sign the bond contract you are giving permission for the bondsman to use whatever means necessary to apprehend you and turn you over to the authorities. When in public, this presents no problems, and a bounty hunter can arrest you at any given point. Although some states and areas, such as Washington, D.C., completely ban the use of private bonding companies or bounty hunters, any state that allows private bonds typically allows public apprehension.

Arrest In Your Home

In many states, a bounty hunter can legally enter your home to apprehend you through the return clause in your bond contract. However, in most states, the bounty hunter must have a written statement signed by the bondsman, his license, and verifiable proof of his fugitive on his person before entering.

Using Force

Typically, a bounty hunter is allowed to use acceptable force to detain and deliver a fugitive to the authorities. However, for most bounty hunters, this is the last resort due to accusation complications and other inconveniences that come along with a forceful detainment. In most states and areas where bounty hunters are allowed to practice, they must have proof of charges, a statement from the bondsman, and their license on their person. Although laws vary from state to state, typically your bond contact is all that is needed for a bounty hunter to apprehend you due to a jumped bond.

To learn more about bond services, or to find out how we can help you out of your jam, call ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245.

Probation represents an alternative to a jail sentence. The probationer still gets convicted of a crime, but has the opportunity to remain a productive member of society. Of course, probation comes with many rules and requirements. While these differ based on the conviction and judge, some general tips can help anyone achieve probation success.

Stay Clean

All probation comes with the requirement to avoid illegal activity. If you commit another crime and get caught, you can expect trouble. For many convictions, regular drug tests become a requirement of probation. If you committed a crime that involved the use of alcohol, you can except tests for this substance as well. To succeed on probation and not fail to a positive result, avoid prohibited substances.

Complete Requirements

A judge will assign the specific requirements of your probation. Most people receive some combination of community service, fines, restitution, and counseling. You will need to finish all of these before the end of your probation. Your supervision officer will regularly check your progress and set benchmarks for your achievement. You can make a good impression if you complete your requirements and pay fees well ahead of time.

Keep Appointments

Probation comes with many regular appointments, whether for drug tests, classes or counseling, or to meet with your officer. For probation success, you will need to keep all these appointments. If you need to miss one for whatever reason, make sure you give your officer plenty of advance notice.

To make the most of probation, consider it an opportunity, rather than a punishment. If you fail to meet requirements, however, expect to go back to jail. If you or someone you know violates probation and gets sent back to jail, you will need a bail bond. For fast jail release in Austin, TX, contact 512.834.2245 for the professionals at ATX Bail Bonds.

If you currently have a warrant out for your arrest, you may be worried about being taken by surprise, or arrested a your home or place of work. However, you shouldn’t be living in fear. At ATX Bail Bonds, we offer solutions to clients with arrest warrants in Travis County, TX, in the way of arrest warrant walk-throughs.

To begin, you need to verify that you actually have a warrant out for your arrest. You can use our Warrant Search Tool to look for your information in the database. If there is an active warrant for you in Travis County, you can find it there. You can also call us at 512-834-2245, and out bondsmen will be happy to help you.

Next, we can help you with the walk-through. A walk-through is the easiest way handle an arrest warrant without being arrested or spending time in jail. Call any of our bondsmen, and we can accompany you to the jail and assist with your self-surrender. By working with a bail agent, you can often avoid spending time in jail prior to your trial. After checking in at the bonding desk, you can expect to be fingerprinted, and taken to take booking photos. The jail then accepts the bond from your bondsman, and clears the warrant. It is essential that you keep a copy of all information they give you on that day, so that you can bring it to your court date.

By engaging in a self surrender with a licensed bail agent, you save your self the fear and embarrassment of an arrest, and  you display to the court that you were cooperative with the police, which may help you during your trial. choosing a walk-through can save you time, and even money.  For our walk-through services in Austin, TX, call us at 512-834-2245 today!

If you or a loved one has been arrested it’s important to know what bail bond to use to secure your release from jail. There are many types of bail bonds, but there are one that is more common than others. Below are the most common types of bail bonds people use.

Cash Bonds

A cash bond is a type of bail bonds that is paid upfront with cash. The person who puts up the cash bail bond can get some of their money back, but the courts are subject to keep a percentage of the bond.

Surety Bonds

If you cannot afford to pay the whole amount of a bond, this type of bail bonds is for you. Surety bonds are bonds that are issued by a bail bondsman. You pay a percentage of the bond to get the surety bond and then pay it off over time.

Property Bonds

If you don’t have the cash to gain release from jail, you can always use your property as collateral. This is called a property bond and there will usually be a lien placed on your house, car or other property that you are using in place of a bond.

Personal Recognizance

Personal Recognizance is where a defendant promises they will show up for their scheduled court date, and on that promise, they are released from custody. This type of bond will depend on the defendant’s crime they committed, their record, and the danger they pose to their community.

If you need bail bonds in Austin, TX give ATX Bail Bonds a call at 512.834.2245.

Getting arrested and being charged with a crime is never a comforting experience and the financial expenses only make it more stressful. Here are some reasons that it might cost you an arm and a leg.

How Bail Amount is Determined

Bail fines are decided by your judge. Often times judges will comply to the standard process. For example, lots of judges will establish a bail amount of $500 for an insignificant misdemeanor. However, judges are able to raise and lower bail amounts depending on the situation and circumstances. They can even waive the bail or release someone on “own recognizance,” but yet again, it is case by case.

Bail Fines and Misdemeanors

The suggested bond is $500 – $2000 for a Class A1 offence, where the minimum punishment is 1-60 days. For a Class 1 offence, where the minimum punishment is 1-45 days, the proposed bond would be $100- $500. For a Class 3 offence, where the maximum punishment is 1-20 days, the proposal is a written commitment to appear with no fine.

Bail Fines and Felonies

If you have been charged with a felony, then your bail fines will be much higher than that of a Misdemeanor. Here are the proposed bonds:

Class A Offence- Minimum punishment is life without Parole and the bond is set by a judge.

Class B1 Offence- Minimum punishment is 144 months and the suggested bond is $200,000 – $500,000.

Class B2 Offence- Minimum punishment is 94 months and the recommended bond is $200,000 – $500,000.

Class C Offence- Minimum punishment is 44 months and the suggested secured bond is $50,000 – $150,000.

Class D Offence- Minimum punishment is 38 months and the recommended secured bond is $50,000 – $150,000.

Class E Offence- Minimum punishment is 15 months and the suggested bond amount is $25,000 – $50,000.

Class F, G, H, I – Punishments range from 3 months to 59 months and suggested bonds are under $20,000.

If you are in need of bail bonds services in Austin, TX contact ATX Bail Bonds today at  512.834.2245.

Depending on what kind of crime you commit, bail bonds can be a bit pricey. Usually, if it’s a really bad offense, bail bond prices can be set as high as $10,000. However, there have been many cases where bail bonds have been set at $10 million or more! Here are four of the most expensive bail bonds ever.

Michael Milken

One of the most notoriously expensive bails bonds was when Michael Milken was arrested in 1989 for 98 counts of racketeering and security fraud. His bail was set at 250 million dollars. Milken was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in prison, but only served two years of his sentence.

Kening Ma and Shirley Ji

This is a husband/wife duo who had a combined bail bond price of 175 million dollars, one of the most expensive bail bonds in the world. Kening Ma and Shirley Ji were living in Southern California and selling all-terrain vehicles. Doesn’t seem like a big deal except they were selling the all-terrain vehicles without a smog certificate, which is a big no-no. Ma’s bail was set at 100 million, while Ji’s was set at 75 million.

Julius Meinl

Julius Meinl is a British billionaire who was arrested in 2009 for suspicious of being involved in secretive share buybacks that were linked to his European Land Company. Meinl’s bail bond was set at 133 million dollars, making is an expensive bail bond amount, even for a billionaire.

Do you need bail bond services in Austin, TX? Call the Bail Bondsmen at ATX Bail Bonds at (614) 276-1510 today.

When you have been released from jail on bail, it is mandatory that the defendant shows up to court on their specific court date. However, there are instances when individuals decide to jump bail and not show up to court. If this happens, there tend to be three things that will happen if you or a loved one jumps bail.

Warrant of Arrest

If you or a loved one jump bail, the first thing to happen will be a warrant for your arrest. If you or your family member/friend is caught and brought back to jail, it is very unlikely that they will be able to post bail again.

Forfeit Bail

When you or someone posts bail, you or the bail bondsmen typically have to pay 10% of the bond amount. When you jump bail, you essential forfeit your bail, meaning you lose that 10% you put down and have to pay the full amount. If a family member or friend paid the amount of the bail, they are now responsible for paying it in full.

More Charges Are Added

If you jump bail in the state of Texas, it is considered a crime. Depending on what type of crime you were originally booked for, they will add on fees and jail/prison time. If you were charged with a C misdemeanor, your fee will be $500 and a Class C misdemeanor. If you jumped bail for a Class A or B misdemeanor, you can land yourself in jail for a year. For jumping bail when you have a felony charge, that can lead to 10 years in prison.

If you or someone you know needs bail bond services in Austin, TX, call ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245 today.