How to Prepare for Your Upcoming Bail Hearing

man on stand at bail hearing

At Delta Bail Bonds, we understand everyone makes mistakes. If you get in trouble with the law, itā€™s always best to know what youā€™re getting into. Thatā€™s why our experienced bail bondsmen are here to walk you through the bail process and get you out of jail while you await your trial.Ā 

After your arrest, the first court appearance youā€™ll be required to make is your bail hearing. This process is pretty straightforward and usually happens quickly, but any court appearance can be intimidating if you donā€™t understand whatā€™s going on. Hereā€™s everything you need to know about bail hearings and how to prepare for one.

How Bail Hearings Work

The bail hearing will usually happen as soon as possible after an arrest, and the only purpose it serves is to determine the price of your bail. Like any other court date, you have the right to be represented by an attorney.

The only important people in the bail hearing are the judge, the prosecutor, you, and your defense attorney. Once the hearing begins, the prosecutor and the defense will each give their recommendations to the judge. After that, the judge will ask you questions about your history to help them decide on a bail amount. Once the judge determines your bail, youā€™ll have the option to pay it on your own, with a bail bond agency, ask for a reduction, or await your trial in jail. 

How Your Bail Amount is Determined

The judge who decides your bail will have to ask you some questions about your history during the hearing. These questions serve to get a comprehensive understanding of your history so the judge can make an informed decision on your bail amount. Here are some of the things you might be asked about during your hearing:

  • Outstanding warrants
  • Employment
  • Family in the area
  • Criminal background
  • Substance abuse

If youā€™re worried about any of these questions, sit down with your attorney before the hearing and ask for advice on how to proceed. Itā€™s important to be honest with the judge, but you should seek legal advice if youā€™re unsure about anything. 

Your Options When You Canā€™t Afford Bail

If the judge sets your bail at an amount you canā€™t afford, you have a few options. First, you can motion for a reduction. Whether or not you get the reduction is up to the judge, and you should be prepared to comply with any orders they give to reduce your bail. 

Your other option is to work with a bail bond agency like Delta Bail Bonds. Bail bondsmen are here to help you get out on bail, even if you donā€™t have enough to cover your bail. 

Delta Bail Bonds Can Help

If you need help getting out of jail after an arrest, Delta Bail Bonds can help. Our experienced bail bondsmen can post bail anywhere in the country, and weā€™re willing to work with you or your family on a payment plan. Delta Bail Bonds has years of experience bailing citizens out of jail, so let us help you when you need it. Call Delta Bail Bonds to get in touch with one of our bondsmen today!

Greg Abbott Forbids Bailouts for Violent Offenders During Pandemic

the government seal of texas star

With the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, jail is one of the worst places to be. Instead of making efforts to thin the populations of jails and prisons, Governor Greg Abbott has decided to make it even harder for inmates to get out on bail. With his new executive order, Governor Abbott has made it impossible for violent offenders to get out on bail unless they can pay their entire bail at once. This order is dangerous to inmates, and it proves that inmates are a low priority to the Texas government.

COVID-19 Spreads Faster Among Jail Populations

The conditions of jails make them a danger to inmates, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Small, overcrowded cells make it impossible for inmates to keep 6 feet of distance between them. Poor sanitation makes almost every surface in jail cells a hazard, and the lack of access to hand sanitizer means inmates canā€™t keep themselves clean and safe. Combined with the compromised immune system of inmates who smoke or abuse drugs and the struggle to get proper health care, itā€™s no wonder the virus is proven to spread faster among inmates in jails and prisons. 

What the Executive Order Means

Governor Abbottā€™s executive order states that anyone who has ever been arrested for a violent offense will not be able to get bailed out unless they can pay their entire bail. Even if you arenā€™t currently being held in jail for a violent offense, any violence on your record means you canā€™t get bailed out unless you can pay the entire bail immediately. This order is unfair to inmates with low income, as well as inmates without family who can help them. It also specifically targets violent offenders without accounting for the circumstances of the offense. With this order, more inmates will be unnecessarily held in an unsafe environment and have to risk exposure to COVID-19. Government officials have spoken up about the order and questioned whether or not itā€™s even constitutional, but until someone officially challenges it, the order will stay in place.

Are Bail Bonds an Essential Service?

The good news is that bail bonds have been deemed an essential service. If you havenā€™t been arrested for a violent offense, you still have the chance to get bailed out. Bail is more important now than ever. If non-violent inmates bail themselves out, theyā€™re reducing the risk for inmates who canā€™t leave. Youā€™ll also be keeping yourself safe from exposure to the virus, and youā€™ll be able to get back to your life. 

Keep Yourself Safe! Get Bailed Out with Delta Bail Bonds

At Delta Bail Bonds, we know you canā€™t afford to stay in jail. Waiting for your court date in jail might keep you from working, paying bills, and spending time with your family. Keep yourself safe from the spread of COVID-19: call Delta Bail Bonds today to get in touch with an experienced bail bondsman. Weā€™ll work fast to get you out of jail and back to your life. If you canā€™t afford your entire bail, weā€™ll work with you to make a payment plan based on your income. We can bail you out of any jail in the country, so call Delta Bail Bonds whenever youā€™re in trouble.

Texas to Lock Down Jails with COVID-19 Cases

man in lockdown inside prison cell

With all the changes and safety measures being implemented in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, jails seem to be a lower priority, even though the spread of the virus is proven to happen faster among inmates. Jails are a high-risk place for the virus, but the proper safety measures arenā€™t being taken to keep inmates safe. Luckily, this seems to be changing. Jails with any inmates who test positive for the virus will now be locked down for two weeks, and the lockdown will be extended if any new cases pop up.Ā 

Even with this new rule, jails arenā€™t a great place to be, especially right now. If you or a loved one needs out of jail, call Delta Bail Bonds. Our experienced bail bondsmen work fast to get you out as soon as possible. Call today to get in contact with our team of bondsmen so you or your loved one can get out of jail and back to your life. 

Jails With COVID-19 Cases on Lockdown

Inmates in jail donā€™t have the luxury of practicing cleanliness and social distancing. With crowded cells, poor sanitation, and no access to hand sanitizer, itā€™s hard to keep yourself safe from COVID-19 when youā€™re waiting for a court date in jail. To make things even worse, Governor Abbott has made it nearly impossible for violent offenders to get out on bail, meaning more inmates than ever are being forced to stay in the unsafe conditions of a jail cell. This new lockdown measure isnā€™t going to solve these glaring issues, but itā€™s a step in the right direction.

So, what does this lockdown rule mean? If any inmate in a Texas jail tests positive for the virus, the entire jail will be put on lockdown. No one will be able to come or go except authorized personnel. This gives the jail the ability to treat inmates with the virus and keep the spread contained. The lockdown will last at least two weeks, but it can be extended if the inmate tests positive a second time, or if another inmate contracts the virus. 

Bail Bonds are Essential Services

No one wants to be stuck in a jail right now, and with Governor Abbottā€™s new executive order, itā€™s harder than ever for violent offenders to get out on bail and stay safe. Thankfully, bail bonds have been deemed an essential service for inmates. Bondsmen are doing everything they can to work from home and reduce their exposure to other people so we can keep helping anyone who needs our services. We get to keep bailing you and your loved ones out of jail. No matter what happens, weā€™re still committed to helping you get back to your life. 

Stay Safe and Get Bailed Out with Delta Bail Bonds

At Delta Bail Bonds, we care about keeping you and your loved ones safe. If anyone you know gets in trouble with the law, donā€™t hesitate to call us. Our experienced bail bondsmen will do everything they can to get you out of jail and back to your life. If you canā€™t afford to pay the entire bail, weā€™ll discuss a payment plan based on your income. We can bail you out of any jail in the country, so call us to get in contact with one of our bondsmen today!

Texas Jails Release Inmates to Curtail COVID-19, But Are They Moving Fast Enough?

Right now might be the worst possible time to end up in jail. If you find yourself or a loved one in trouble with the law, donā€™t hesitate to call Delta Bail Bonds. Our experienced bail bondsmen will do everything we can to get you out of jail fast. 

By now, most of us know what we need to do to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from COVID-19. Social distancing, self-quarantine, and ritualistic hand-washing are more important than ever right now, but staying safe and flattening the curve are nearly impossible for inmates. Some counties and states have started releasing inmates in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, but Dallas County hasnā€™t followed their lead — and it might cost the lives of dozens of inmates. 

How COVID-19 is Dangerous to Inmates

Inmates donā€™t have the privilege of self-isolating and scaling up their hygiene and disinfection efforts. Staying 6 feet apart is nearly impossible in a crowded cell pod, and the regularly filthy conditions of jails makes them the perfect breeding grounds for deadly viruses. Hand sanitizer is considered contraband in most jails, so inmates donā€™t even have the luxury of keeping their hands clean. The conditions of jails have never been very humane, but more needs to be done to keep inmates safe in the time of this serious, deadly pandemic.

Greg Abbottā€™s Recent Changes

Recently, Governor Greg Abbott passed an executive order which would make things even worse for inmates. He ordered that any arrestee with a violent offense on their record not be released unless they could pay their entire bail amount. This order keeps more inmates in jail without a way to keep themselves protected from COVID-19. Even if this order was passed with the hope of keeping the public safe, the result will be more infections and deaths in Texas prisons. 

What Should be Done?

At least 7 inmates in the Dallas County Jail have contracted COVID-19, and countless workers are being quarantined. Due to poor hygiene, crowded cells, and lack of proper testing, COVID-19 has been proven to spread faster in jails and prisons than it does among the general population. Simply releasing a percentage of inmates in Dallas jails could save lives, but choosing not to take this step might cause the sickness and death of countless inmates, guards, and officers. With this virus, nobody is safe. Releasing inmates so they can self-isolate would save lives. The longer Dallas County waits, the worse things will get. 

Get Out of Jail Fast with Delta Bail Bonds

If you end up in trouble with the law, Delta Bail Bonds can help. Weā€™ll do everything we can to get you out of jail as fast as possible so you can keep yourself safe from the spread of COVID-19. If you canā€™t afford your bail, weā€™ll work to make a payment plan based on your income. Donā€™t spend more time in jail than you need to. Contact Delta Bail Bonds today!

How to Avoid Getting Duped by Unscrupulous Bail Bond Agents

Author: Mark Monroe

CAUTION! We feel the need to let you know there are a few bail bondsman in Dallas who have and will dupe unsuspecting clients. Now there are certainly more good bail bonds companies in the Dallas metroplex that operate at the highest levels of integrity, than there are of those that donā€™t. It is our hope that you will do your due diligence and learn as much of the whole Bail Bonds process before you talk with someone in order to shield yourself and your loved one by learning a small list of easy bail bonds consumer tips and become a bit more well versed with the bail bonds process.

  • Work with a licensed bail bondsman. Ask to see the bail agentā€™s license and identification prior to any bail transaction.
  • Insure the bail bondsman you are working with is accessible to you after the bail bond has been posted.  Service is paramount in order to make this the easiest process as possible.  Any legitimate bail bondsman should be accessible to help you with any inquiries you might have.
  • Get copies of ALL signed contracts, as well as, itemized receipts for all charges.
  • The premium charged for a bail bond is typically 10-20% of the full bail amount.   Do not pay anymore than this without understanding if this is a legal fee amount.  Any additional fees should be itemized and explained to your satisfaction.
  • If you have agreed to a payment plan, insure you fully comprehend the payment contract before you sign anything. Obviously, you should get a copy of anything and everything you sign.

Why use Delta Bail Bonds?

Delta has been doing business in Dallas for over 20 years and we have a solid reputation in Dallas as one of the most reputable Bail Bonds Agencies in the state of Texas. We care about you and are sensitive to your situation and we are here to help! We know better than most how to navigate this often complicated process and get your loved one out of jail faster than most anyone.

Let us help you now! Call Delta Bail Bonds in Dallas at 214-526-4272 or at our McKinney location in Collin County at 972-562-3030.

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