The judge will consider various factors, including the severity of the charges, the defendant's criminal history, ties to the community, and flight risk. Based on these factors, the judge determines whether bail will be granted and, if so, the amount of bail.
No - if you signed the bond it doesn't matter whether you have a job or not - or whether the bondsman asked you if you did. You are liable as surety on the bond - having a job or not has nothing to do with your liability. Sorry.
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT A JUDGE LOOKS AT WHEN DETERMINING BAIL AMOUNT? The defendant's flight risk. The defendant's criminal history. The severity of the alleged crime. The defendant's ties to the community. The defendant's employment status and financial resources. The defendant's mental health and substance abuse history.
Criminal History: If the person arrested has a record, especially for similar offenses, the judge might set a higher bail. If it's their first time, they could get a lower amount. Flight Risk: Judges look at whether the person is likely to skip town and avoid trial.
The Pretrial Integrity Act has changed how pretrial release works in North Carolina. If you're arrested for a serious felony, or if you already have pending charges, a judge must now set your bond. This means you might have to wait longer in custody before you can be released.
Unless a judge sets conditions of release, the person remains in jail for the first 48 hours.
Reduction of a Magistrate's Power to Set Bond Prior to the change in law, a magistrate could generally set the bond for serious offenses other than capital cases (first degree murder). The new act drastically reduces a magistrate's ability to set conditions of pretrial release on serious charges.