The Importance of Bail When Allegedly Charged With a Crime

If you or a loved one has been arrested for allegedly committing a crime, you may be released on bail if certain criteria are met. To ensure that your bail is set at a reasonable amount by the judge, it is in your best interest to immediately contact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer. Your attorney can even help you get in touch with a bail bond agency.

What Is Bail?

Bail is the means by which a judge permits your release from custody if you have been allegedly charged with a crime by ensuring that you appear at all required court proceedings. Once you are arrested for allegedly committing a crime, you will be taken to a detention facility. Prior to arraignment, you will have an opportunity to hire a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer and appear before the presiding judge to see if you can be released on bail.

Stationhouse Bail

If you have committed a minor offense, the arresting officer has the authority to release you on minimal bail. However, stationhouse bails are not available in all jurisdictions, forcing most individuals to appear in court for a bail hearing.

Bail Bond Agencies

If you are unable to meet bail, your attorney can help you contact bail bond agencies to post a cash bail for a set fee. Once you have contacted the right bail bond agency for your circumstances, they can quickly arrange to post bail and have you released from detention.

It should be noted that involving a bail bond agency could get expensive. One disadvantage is that you will not get a refund of the substantial fees paid to the agency to post bail. Additionally, you also risk dealing with a bounty hunter who will do everything possible to arrest you if fail to appear in court. The court gives bounty hunters the freedom to arrest a fleeing defendant without process and turn them into the court’s custody without any hearing or protection.

Call an Experienced Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer Simon Aval, please call us at (800) 209-9808 or complete our online form. Mr. Aval is a Certified Specialist in criminal law by the state bar of California.

How to Prepare For Sentencing

Getting convicted of a crime can be devastating. In certain situations, a conviction is unavoidable, even if you have hired the most experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. However, a good attorney can make the sentencing process less frightful by getting you prepared for the process and what lies ahead.

Lawyer And The Law

There are various factors that your criminal defense attorney may take into consideration when preparing your case for sentencing.

Place of Incarceration

Where you are sent for incarceration can play a big factor in how your sentence is completed. One of the reasons for this is where you serve your sentence can determine how much security you will be subject to and how much discipline you will face. Additionally, each facility houses inmates convicted for different crimes, thus exposing you to different levels of danger. As such, your Los Angeles criminal defense attorney should ask the judge to assign you to a facility with the lowest security level possible.

Self-Reporting

After sentencing, most criminal defense lawyers advise their clients to self-report to prison. If you choose to do so, you will have to pay for your own travel to your assigned prison facility at your own cost and time. This may be worth the cost because it demonstrates to the court that you are trustworthy, which may ultimately lower your inmate security classification.

Books and Legal Documents

You will not be allowed to bring any books or legal documents to prison. Your Los Angeles criminal defense attorney can help you arrange to have these items mailed to wherever you will be incarcerated.

Visitors

Generally, it is difficult to arrange for visitors while serving a prison sentence. As such, you should ask your attorney to compile a pre-sentence report list of your immediate family members and spouse for an easier visiting process.

Call an Experienced Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Simon Aval, please call us at (800) 209-9808 or complete our online form. Mr. Aval is a Certified Specialist in criminal law by the state bar of California.

How a Criminal Attorney Can Help During Police Investigation

If are involved in a police investigation regarding allegations of criminal activity, it is important that you are represented by an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney to protect your legal rights and help avoid having formal charges filed against you.

Police Officers On Duty

3 Reasons You Need a Criminal Attorney

Below is a discussion of the three most important reasons why you need a criminal attorney on your side during ongoing police investigations:

  1. An attorney can act as a witness and prevent the police from abusing your constitutional rights during an investigation.
  2. An attorney can ensure that the investigation is not intrusive, making it less likely to result in incriminating evidence.
  3. The presence of an attorney can prevent you from incriminating yourself by blurting admissions or falsifying evidence.

Police Officers On Duty

A police investigation can last for weeks or even months without any new information or contact. Depending on the allegations against you, criminal charges can be filed up to one year or as long as six years after the completion of the investigation.

Additionally, since police investigations for certain criminal activities do not have a statute of limitations, charges can be filed 20 or 30 years later. However, if you have an experienced Los Angeles criminal defense attorney on your side, you can be confident that your legal rights are protected and that you are not subject to unfair legal practices.

Your Legal Rights When Facing Criminal Charges

If the police investigation leads to criminal charges, you are entitled to certain rights, including:

  • To be represented by an attorney
  • To have a speedy, public trial
  • To remain silent
  • To testify in your own defense
  • To appeal the denial of a suppression motion

Call an Experienced Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Simon Aval, please call us at (800) 209-9808 or complete our online form. Mr. Aval is a Certified Specialist in criminal law by the state bar of California.