Your friend or loved one has been arrested. They are scared and used their one phone call to call you. What do you do now? What questions do you ask? What information do you need?

First thing is first, you need to ask if they have had bail (sometimes referred to as bond) set. According to Louisiana's Code of Criminal Procedure Article 311 Bail is defined as..." the security given by a person to assure a defendant's appearance before the proper court whenever required." Unless the defendant is charged with certain crimes which require a bail hearing, the law is clear, defendants are entitled to bail. There are a great many factors that go into deciding bail some of which include: criminal record, the seriousness of the offense, the weight of evidence, the ability of the defendant to pay, and the danger posed by the defendant's release.

Once bail is set, you can either post the bond yourself with cash, you can use a commercial surety (a.k.a. bail bondsman),  you can use property pending an appraisal through the sheriff's department. Once bail is satisfied, the defendant will be processed out of the detention center and receive a court notice.

For assistance with this process contact Lawrence Law Firm now to discuss how an experienced criminal defense attorney can help you!

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