Who Decides How Much Bail A Person Arrested Should Pay in CT

There is nothing more concerning than receiving a phone call about a loved one recently arrested who must post bail to regain their freedom. If you are curious about who decides how much bond a person arrested should pay, continue reading this blog. Let’s help you understand the steps to setting bail in Connecticut and what options a person arrested has under pretrial release.

Who Sets Bail After the Arrest?

The police officer can set the bail amount during the arrest. As stated by law the police must notify Bail Staff when the person arrested cannot make the bond amount.

Once Bail Staff is contacted, they will conduct an interview to learn more about the person arrested and review the bond. Here is when Bail Staff can increase or decrease the amount of bail set by police.

How Court Support Services Division (CSSD) and Bail Staff Determine Bail Amount During the Interview?

The Court Support Services Division (CSSD) oversees pretrial services, family services, divorce and domestic violence, probation supervision of adults and juveniles as well as juvenile residential centers including Juvenile Detention.

Required by State Statutes, CSSD Bail Staff must consider some criteria prior to deciding the type and how much bond should be paid by the defendant. These factors are called “weighted release criteria”.

Here Are Some Factors Used When Making Decisions About How Much Bond Someone Should Pay:

• The nature and circumstances of the offense
• The defendant’s record of previous convictions
• The defendant’s past record of appearance in court after being admitted to bail
• The defendant’s family ties
• The defendant’s employment record
• The defendant’s financial resources
• The defendant’s character and mental condition
• The defendant’s community ties

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All arrested persons must receive an interview about the terms and conditions of their release. Consequently, they have their right to post set bail allowing them to be released from jail.

Understanding the type of bail given to defendants may affect their ability to afford bail or not. In some cases where a cash bond is set, arrestees may have limited options. When bail is set with the 10 percent option or surety bail, you may have more options including the use of bail financing.

After identifying the type of bond, the person arrested can post the bond on their own by paying directly to the police department or by using a licensed surety bail bondsman.  A surety bondsman is usually the most affordable way out of jail. These professional Bail Agents only charge a portion of the bond amount, and for those who can not cover the full fee, financing alternatives are offered.

Should People Arrested Post Bail Themselves or Use a Surety Bail Bondsman?

Posting your own bail may open your personal information to the government and be subject to further financial inquiries especially when posting sizeable bail amounts. If you comply with attending all court hearings as expected by the judge, there is a written statement about bail money being returned minus court fees or fines.

On the other hand, when using a surety bondsman, defendants are not required to pay the full bail amount. Bail Agents require only a percentage of the bond to process the jail release. Connecticut bail fees are set by the State and are not refundable. However, licensed bail companies offer financing options and accept many forms of payments including credit cards, cash, and app payments like cash app, Venmo, and PayPal. Unlike the courts or police departments which only accept cash, bonding companies offer more feasible forms of payment.

In conclusion, regardless of how much bail money you pay or how you pay it, there is one common denominator for all defendants released on bond. They must attend all court hearings until the case is adjudicated. Missing a court hearing can be detrimental and will cause an immediate re-arrest order with the possibility to revoke a previously posted bond. We hope this article helped you understand the process of setting bail for the person arrested and the parties involved in the decision.

3-D Bail Bonds is a Connecticut -based bail bonds company serving the Constitution State for over a quarter of a century. To learn more about bail bond elements and processes, visit our website or contact us by phone or email and speak to our bail experts 24 hours a day.