As you are waiting for the formal arraignment of your loved one, here’s some information to help prepare yourself for the outcome.

A judge determines a defendant’s bail based on:

• The crime(s) the defendant is being charged with.
• The criminal history of the defendant.
• The defendant’s ties and relationships within the community.
• The defendant’s financial ability to post bail.

These are the 4 biggest components. The judge takes this information into consideration, alongside what their bail schedule outlines. For those of you who do not know, a bail schedule is list that outlines bail according to the crime.

Besides this incident, if the defendant is squeaky-clean and shows good faith, meaning they will not be a burden for the duration of trial, their bail will not need to be to...

Infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies are the three classifications of law violations. The type of crime, and the resulting punishments, differentiate the three from each other.

Infractions are the petty offenses that are punishable by fines, seldom ever jail time. The most common infractions are driving and traffic violations, like speeding and parking in a red zone.

Misdemeanors are crimes such as trespassing and harassment, and can be punishable with fines and up to a year in jail.

Felonies are serious criminal offenses whose punishments include large fines, and prison sentences. Crimes with threat and harm are felonies, as well as fraud and others of that nature.

Lawyers are really only necessary in felony cases and many misdemeanor cases...