Posting Bail Stages of a Criminal Case

Posting bail is usually required before someone who has been arrested can be released from jail to await trial. But that is not always the case. Citations for Minor Crimes Not everyone who is arrested is placed in jail in the first place. For many minor offenses, such as traffic violations and in some states misdemeanor drug possession, the person will be issued a citation (ticket) stating their offense and giving them a date to show up in court. In cases where citations are issued, you can usually pay a fine before the court date and not have to show up for court at all. For most minor crimes, you wont be arrested or even go to court, if you go ahead a pay the fine. Determining the Amount of Bail If you are arrested and booked into jail, then the first thing you probably want to find out is how much bail money will be required to get you out. For lesser crimes, such as misdemeanors, the bail amount is usually a standard amount that you can post just as soon as you can get the money or someone else can come to the jail and post the amount for you. Many times, people arrested and placed in jail can post bail and be released within a matter of hours. Judge Must Set Bail in Some Cases For more serious crimes, such as violent crimes, felonies, or multiple offenses, a judge or magistrate may have to set the bail amount. If this is the case, you may have to remain in jail until the next available court date. If you are arrested over the weekend, for example, you may have to wait until Monday to find out the amount of your bail. In some states, you can be held up to five days before seeing a judge. Bail is usually set in an amount necessary to guarantee that you will return to court at the appointed time. The greater your crime, the more likely you may be attempted not to return to court, so the greater the amount of bail. Purchasing a Bail Bond If you do not have the money to post bail, you may be able to purchase a bail bond instead. Usually handled through a bail bondsman who will post your bail for you in exchange for a fee (usually around 10 percent of your bail). For example, if your bail is set at $2000, a bail bond agent will probably charge you $200. You may have to put up some collateral or some other guarantee to convince the bondsman that you will show up for court. The difference between bail and a bond is, if you post bail yourself, you will get your money back when you appear on time for court. If you pay a bail bondsman, you will not get that money back, because it is a fee for his services. Released on Own Recognizance The best option that you can get, if you have been arrested, is being released on your own recognizance. In this case, you do not pay bail at all; you just sign a statement promising to return to court on a certain date. Being released OR, as it is sometimes called, is not available to everyone. To be released on your own recognizance, you must have strong ties to the community, either through family or business or be a lifelong or long-time member of the community. If you have no previous criminal history or if you have had only minor infractions and have a history of showing up in court when you are supposed to, you might also be released on your own recognizance. Failure to Appear In either case, if you fail to show up for court at the appointed time, there will be consequences. Usually, a bench warrant is immediately issued for your arrest. If it is believed that you left the state, a federal warrant can be issued for your arrest for fleeing to avoid prosecution. If you, a family member or friend posted your bail, that money will be confiscated and never returned. If you paid a bails bondsman, the bonding agent could send a bounty hunter across jurisdictional lines to capture you. If you were released on your own recognizance and failed to show up for your court date, when you are caught you may be held without bond until your trial. At the very least, you will probably never be released on your own recognizance again.

Gun Control Is It Needed - 881 Words

Gun Control: Is It Needed? Gun control has been a hot topic in the media for decades. The decision to keep amendment two as it is, add stricter regulations, or abolish the amendment altogether has caused a considerable amount of quarrel between opponents of gun control and its advocates. According to Glenn Utter and Robert Spitzer â€Å"[t]he Pro-gun forces see themselves as the supporters of a vital constitutional right to keep and bear arms pitted against the â€Å"gun grabbers.† Strong advocates of gun control see themselves struggling for a more civilized society against the â€Å"gun nuts† and profit-hungry firearms manufacturers and dealers† (2011). They also disagree over whether or not firearms are an independent variable of the high level of violence in the United States (Utter and Spitzer 2011). This topic has also immensely affected politicians and the way taxpayers vote. Barack Obama is the most recent president to propose a gun control amendment. Giv en his Democratic status, numerous individuals of the same party have voted in favor of his amendment. For this reason, those who oppose gun control tend to vote for Republican leaders, and its advocates primarily vote for Democrats. Strong advocates of gun control believe that firearms should not be readily available to the average American citizen. Research confirms that â€Å"[t]he widespread availability of firearms has made it easier for criminals to get firearms. Access to guns must be made more difficult if shooting deaths areShow MoreRelatedGun Control Is Needed1472 Words   |  6 PagesGun Control Is Needed Regulation of guns is a necessary action that needs to be taken in order to save lives. A good definition of gun control is needed to understand the sides and issues. Gun control is an effort to stop the rise in violent crime by strengthening laws on the ownership of firearms. Persons in the group against gun control believe that gun control is wrong, and that it is a violation of constitutional rights. Those in favor of gun control believe that gun control is goodRead MoreNo More Gun Control Needed1281 Words   |  6 PagesNo More Gun Control Needed The debate of whether or not the government should ban the sell of guns, and attempt to remove all guns in existence has been debated for a long period of time; I believe that banning guns is not only implausible, it will do more harm than good. In this essay, I’ll be discussing the history of this debate, as well as discuss some misinformation that’s been proposed by those wishing to ban guns. I’ll also discuss how guns do not turn ordinary, law abiding citizens intoRead MorePersuasive Essay On Anti Gun Control724 Words   |  3 Pagesyour family and countless other families? The answer is the lack of gun control. Pro Gun Control advocates want guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, while Anti Gun Control advocates say gun control impedes on the 2nd Amendment. Americans should support the 2nd Amendment, however to an extent. A high rate of firearm in the hands of criminals and the mentally ill cause massacres. Background checks are needed to stop these murders. Erwin 2 To begin with, these are the 26Read MoreThe Need for Stricter Gun Control Laws Essay569 Words   |  3 Pages11,000 Americans died from guns, 19,066 committed suicide in 2011. Without guns in our world , this would not have happened. Removing guns from our society could greatly reduce school shootings, deaths and overall crime rate. The First gun control law was implemented in 1934. The National Firearms Act of 1934 puts a $200 tax on machine guns and sawed off shotguns. The next gun control law National Firearms Act of 1938 needed licensing of interstate firearm dealers. After that in 1968, 3 laws wereRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1454 Words   |  6 PagesPeople start to wonder whether gun control is needed in this time period. Passing of strict laws is creating a tension between people who believe Americans have the right to bear arms against those who think guns kill people and need to be controlled. Who should Americans believe? First you have to understand that gun control laws could be very helpful in stopping certain crimes..certain. For example, in Tennessee, One of the most gun owning place, has put a ban on guns in certain places. The TennesseeRead MoreWhat Would The World Be Like If Guns Were Banned?1062 Words   |  5 PagesWhat would the world be like if guns were banned? Would chaos break out, or would the United States have peace? The Second Amendment grants U.S. Citizens the right to keep and bear arms. While some people believe banning guns will make the world safer, others believe the world will only be in more danger. Prohibition did not work for alcohol and drugs, so why would it work for guns? Guns should not be banned because crime rate would increase, people need guns for self-defense, and it will eliminateRead MoreGun Control And The United States1569 Words   |  7 PagesUnited States gun control is a big controversy that has been blown out of proportion the last few years. Anything t hat has to do with guns in the news, reporters say it is the guns fault. Gun control laws are being changed and morphed for the new society that we live in today. What gun control really means is a group of laws to control the selling and use of guns.(1). Statistics have proven that most people want more control on guns. Many surveys have shown that the benefits of gun control in the UnitedRead MoreEssay about America Needs More Gun Control Laws1397 Words   |  6 Pagesacross the United States. Nevertheless, in today’s society, gun violence is sparking debate and controversy on how to control gun violence. Throughout the country, thousands of laws and regulations have been created to aid in the control of guns. Through much study, the gun laws and regulations in place have very little effect on the number of gun related injuries and deaths. More needs to be done to establish an effective way to control gun violence. Potential Solutions Shootings in the United StatesRead MoreWill gun control stop harm or protect citizens? Today, the opinions of Americans vary on whether1100 Words   |  5 PagesWill gun control stop harm or protect citizens? Today, the opinions of Americans vary on whether guns harm or protect citizens. However, gun control is not a new controversial issue. In 1924, U.S. Senator, Robert La Follete, said, â€Å"Our choice is not merely to support or oppose gun control but to decide who can own which guns under what conditions.† This proves that gun control has been a concern to Americans since the mid- twentieth century, and possibly even earlier than that. Even with the U.SRead MoreGun Rights And Gun Control994 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent times, gun control is becoming a social issue in the US after the many incidents or accident happened related to the gun owner’s kill’s people at the social places. Gun rights means the every person have right to take or carry guns for the ir self protection is created controversial issue related to criminal justice that needed the requirement for the gun control to stop people from killing each other. Moreover, on 2 Dec, 2015, two suspects those opened fire in a California social service

Illegal Immigration in America Free Essays

Hendry Miranda Professor Pauline Rodock English 1301 October 10, 2012 Illegal Immigration in America America has always been a country of immigrants. Ever since the birth of this nation, waves of immigrants have come here in search of a happier life. America is known all over the world as a place where people can be free in so many different ways, a place where prosperity is possible for those who work hard and want a better life for their offspring. We will write a custom essay sample on Illegal Immigration in America or any similar topic only for you Order Now The dilemma is though, many of those pursuing the â€Å"American Dream† come here illegally, and thus breaking the laws of the very same country they want to live in, right from the beginning. This research exposes some facts about the so heated debate of illegal immigration in America. In recent years America has experienced a record of illegal immigration without precedents. According to the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service) there are two classes of illegal immigrants. First class corresponds to â€Å"over-stayers†, and this refers to those people who at some point legally entered the United States under any kind of visa, and simply stayed once that document expired. Most of this â€Å"over-stayers† are foreigners who came to the United States with student visas, or who came here with tourist/business visas. Even though once they over stay they are considered illegal immigrants, the government has an idea of who those people are because these kind of immigrants need to go through extensive filters in the American embassies of their country in order to get an American visa. On the other hand, the USCIS also has the Illegal Alien classification. These are the people who enter the United States without any kind of legal registry or document. The vast majority of these illegal aliens enter the United States through the Mexican border. Also, most of these immigrants are of Hispanic origins, specifically Mexicans. â€Å"Between now and 2020, the Hispanic population will increase by 77%, compared to a 69% for Asians, 32% for African Americans, 26% for Native Americans, and 1% for non-Hispanic whites, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education. As a result, by 2020 the nation’s adult population, ages 25 to 64, will be 63 percent white, 17 percent Hispanic, 13 percent African American, 6 percent Asian, and about 1% native American† highlighted in Hardy, page 5). This illegal immigration issue has am impact in every aspect of the American way of life. Many will say and prove that the illegal immigration problem is out of control. It is estimated that more than 20 million people live illegally in the United States. Those who are pro illegal immigration insist that is wrong to label these people as â€Å"cri minals† since their only â€Å"crime† is to come to America in search of better opportunities, in search of what for any reason they cannot have in their homeland. They claim that they come here to work, â€Å"to do the jobs most American will not do†. Many of these groups believe that amnesty should be granted to those who meet some basic requirements, such as living in the United States continuously for more than 7 years, not having a criminal record etc. Illegal immigration groups have deep roots in many places in America and they have supporter that will do anything in order to protect the â€Å"basic rights† of the individuals that find themselves in this dilemma. A very good example of this, are the so called Sanctuary Cities: â€Å"In the United States, a number of cities in the southwest have declared themselves cities of refugee or asylum for undocumented immigrants. In April 2006, for example, Oakland, California city officials declared that would no longer cooperate with federal officials in conducting raids to capture undocumented immigrants† (highlighted in Carlson, page 267). These cities actually facilitate the stay of illegal immigrants by providing free medical care, no checks for obtaining jobs, no checks for renting a home just to name a few. San Francisco is well known to be a major Sanctuary city for illegal immigrants. Many of the illegal immigrants also use the â€Å"Anchor Baby† phenomenon. Meaning they will have kids in American soil who have the right to citizenship, in the hopes that one day they will obtain citizenship too through their American-born kids. They take advantage of the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to any person born in American soil. This is an outdated law that, after the end of the American Civil War, granted citizenship to the newly freed African American slaves. Illegal immigrants do not pay income taxes but at the same time have access to all the benefits provided by the taxpayers. Also the school systems are overcrowded in many states, thanks to the increasing number of illegal immigrants. In many cases, being an illegal immigrant can actually benefit these people: â€Å"Texas was the first state to respond, passing legislation granting in-state tuition rates to illegal students in 2001. California followed later that year. Other states that have enacted such laws include Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Utah, and Washington† (highlighted in Gilroy, page 16). Many anti-amnesty groups explain that opposing the amnesty is not a racial issue, but a matter of doing what’s right. The United States of America is a country of law, and by entering illegally they’re already breaking the law, right from the beginning. It’s not being anti immigration, â€Å"legal† is the key word here. Granting citizenship to illegal alien would encourage more illegal immigration. Not only that, but it will be taken as an insult by all the legal immigrants who did the right thing and followed the rules of the game to be in the United States. Most legal immigrants spend a lot of time and effort in order to get here, in some cases having to pay thousands of dollars and having to wait years for that privilege. The dram act is another attempt by illegal-immigrant supporters to legalize their status. It basically would give a path to citizenship to illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children, brought by their parents and with no faults of their own. They would have to be under the age of 16, have finished High School, free of criminal records and willing to serve in the military for at least two years. While this might sound fair for the illegals, then again it is unfair for those who came here legally and many people see this as another invitation to come to this country illegally. It is true, there must be an immigration reform, and a solution must be found to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants currently in America. Until that happens, the government should do all in its power to stop this issue from becoming bigger. The borders need to be secured and the constitution amended so illegal aliens stop taking advantage of the â€Å"anchor baby† tactic. America still is one if not the most multicultural country in the world, Works Cited Carlson, D. (2009). The Border Crossed Us: Education, Hospitality politics, and the Social Consturction of the â€Å"illegal immigrant†. Educational Theory, 59(3), 259-277. Gilroy, M. (2009). Battle Continues over In-State Tuition for Illegal immigrants. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed For Quick Review, 74(8), 16-20. Hardy, L. (2007). Coping with Illegal immigrants in School. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condesnsed For Quick Review, 72(9), 4-6. How to cite Illegal Immigration in America, Papers