One of the problems defendants face during bail hearings is that the judge has to decide if they're a flight risk. It's not unusual for someone out on bail to flee the country, so the judge in a case has to decide if a defendant should be granted bail or simply held until the hearing to prevent them from leaving. Federal cases are under special scrutiny in this regard because federal charges are often more serious than non-federal cases. If you're facing federal charges and have a bail hearing coming up, you need to show you're not a flight risk if you want any chance of being let out on bail.

Show You Have Compelling Reasons to Stay

One way to show you're not going to flee is to point out your connections to the area you're in. If you have a family here with kids, or if you have deep roots in the region and have never traveled far from it, those could show that you're not about to take off for parts unknown. Maybe you have a job here that keeps you visible to the public, or you have a medical issue that requires treatment at a local clinic. You basically have to show that skipping town would be detrimental for you on a personal level and that staying would be better regardless of the charges.

Show You Have a Good Record of Keeping Commitments

Are you known for keeping your commitments? Have you been out on bail before and showed up at court as expected? What's your track record with promises? If you can show that you have a history of showing up when you say you'll show up, especially if it was for another court case where you were out on bail, then the court may take that as a very good sign that you won't flee. That increases your chances of getting a bail amount instead of being sent to wait for your main hearing date in a cell.

Higher Bail Amounts

One way to prevent people from fleeing is to set higher bail amounts. If the judge feels that you probably won't be a flight risk, but they aren't quite convinced, then they may set a bail amount for you that seems very high. If you can, just go with it — don't complain, especially if this is for a federal court. You're not waiting for a trial over a traffic ticket, after all; your case is bigger than that, and you should just be happy to get approved for release on bond in the first place.

If you are approved for release on bond, look for a bondsman who has experience handling federal bail bonds. Keep your word and show up for your hearing, and that will make things go more smoothly.

For more information, reach out to a federal bail bonds service today.

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