Bond Factors: Family Ties
As mentioned in our previous two blogs, this blog is part of a series looking at some of the many factors a magistrate, judge, or clerk will consider when deciding whether to release a defendant on bail and how to calculate the bail amount. The concept of bond was invented to allow the defendant to avoid having to remain incarcerated until his or her court date while ensuring that he or she will show up to court and answer to the charges that have been levied against him or her. The court, then, basically looks at whether or not the defendant is a risk to the community or a risk to skip town and not show up for court. One factor that weighs in such a decision is the extent of the defendant’s family ties and relationships in the community.
The reason the court looks at the factor of family ties and relationships is fairly obvious: the stronger and more prevalent the defendant’s family ties to an area, the less likely that defendant is to flee the area. This is especially true where the defendant has immediate family in the area such as a husband, wife, or children while the presence of parents and siblings also helps strengthen the defendant’s argument that he or she will not flee the area. Persons who are surrounded by family are simply less likely to uproot themselves and the life they have built locally with that family just to avoid facing criminal charges. The more extensive these types of relationships are, the more likely it is that a defendant will be allowed a release on bail and at a lower amount. Persons who are facing bail-related dilemmas or defendants or their families who need to get their bond reduced should contact an experienced criminal defense attorney today for assistance in having the bail amount lowered and regaining freedom for themselves or their loved ones
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