How a Brooklyn Criminal Lawyer Can Help Reduce Bail

How a Brooklyn Criminal Lawyer Can Help Reduce Bail

Being arrested and facing criminal charges is an incredibly stressful and scary situation. The prospect of going to jail, having a criminal record, and paying expensive legal fees can feel completely overwhelming. One of the first major decisions you’ll have to make is whether or not you can afford to post bail to stay out of jail until your trial. This is where working with an experienced Brooklyn criminal lawyer can make all the difference.

Understanding Bail and How it Works

If you are arrested in Brooklyn for a crime, the judge will decide whether or not to set bail at your arraignment hearing. Bail is basically a sum of money that functions as collateral to ensure you show up for all future court appearances. If you pay the bail amount, you can stay out of jail until your trial. When your case resolves, whether you are found guilty or not, the bail money will be returned to whoever paid it as long as you attended all required court dates.Judges have a lot of discretion when setting bail amounts. They will consider factors like the severity of the charges, your criminal history and record of showing up for court, your financial resources, and whether you pose a potential danger to the community. Bail can range from a couple hundred to hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the case.Clearly, coming up with large sums of cash on short notice presents an incredible hardship for most people. Sitting in city jail for months while fighting your case is also extremely disruptive and detrimental to mounting an effective legal defense. This is where an experienced Brooklyn criminal defense lawyer can intervene on your behalf to advocate for reduced bail or an affordable bail package.

How Lawyers Get Bail and Bond Reduced

There are a number of effective strategies an attorney can use to convince the judge to reduce bail to an amount you and your family can reasonably afford:

• Argue that you pose minimal flight risk or danger to the community – Your lawyer can advocate that given your ties to the community, steady employment, and lack of criminal history, there is no need for an excessively high bail amount.
• Propose an alternative form of bail security – Instead of paying the full bail amount up front, your attorney can propose securing a bail bond or using valuable property as collateral instead. The judge may agree to accept 10% of the full bail amount paid to a bondsman or place a lien on property of equal value.
• Submit evidence of limited financial means – Your lawyer can submit documentation like tax returns, bank statements, and pay stubs showing that you and your family do not have the resources to pay a large cash bail. This evidence may convince the judge that a lower amount is necessary.
• Negotiate with the prosecutor – Defense attorneys routinely negotiate with prosecutors in criminal cases. As part of a global settlement, your lawyer may be able to persuade the prosecutor to recommend reduced bail to the judge.
• File an emergency bail appeal – If bail is initially set higher than you can afford, your lawyer can file an emergency appeal and request an immediate bail hearing before a higher court judge. New evidence and arguments specifically addressing bail factors may convince the appeals judge to drastically reduce the amount.

Brooklyn Criminal Attorneys Have the Experience Necessary to Get Results

The skilled Brooklyn criminal lawyers at law firms like [My Firm] have years of experience advocating for affordable bail in all types of criminal cases from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Here are just a few examples of their recent successes getting bail reduced for clients:

• A young man was arrested for assault charges after getting in a bar fight. Bail was initially set at $50,000 cash. His attorney was able to have the bail reduced to $5,000 cash which was affordable for his family. He was able to stay out of jail and keep his job while fighting his criminal case.
• A single mother was charged with theft related offenses that carried a potential 7 year prison sentence. Bail was initially set at $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash because of the serious charges. Her lawyer was able to get bail reduced to $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash by arguing financial hardship. She was able to bond out and take care of her children while her case was pending.
• A businessman was charged with fraud and money laundering charges that carried up to 15 year prison exposure. Bail was initially set at $1 million bond or $500,000 cash. His attorneys filed an emergency appeal and bail hearing which resulted in his bail being reduced to $250,000 bond and no upfront cash required. This allowed him to have the business put up property to bond him out immediately so he could focus on defending against the government’s charges.

As you can see, an experienced criminal lawyer can make all the difference when it comes to getting bail reduced and structuring affordable bond packages. They know how to present persuasive evidence and arguments specifically tailored to overcoming the prosecution’s requested bail and convincing judges to lower bail amounts. This allows clients to have their freedom while fighting their cases and avoid the severe disruption of sitting in jail for months on end.

How to Find the Best Brooklyn Criminal Lawyer to Reduce Bail

If you or a loved one have been arrested in Brooklyn and cannot afford the bail amount set, contact a skilled NYC criminal attorney immediately for emergency help getting bail reduced. Look for a lawyer with extensive experience handling bail hearings and appeals in Brooklyn specifically. Understand the lawyer’s track record of success – do they routinely convince judges to reduce bail even in serious felony cases?It also helps to find a law firm with relationships with good bail bondsmen who can secure bond packages. Reputation and connections with court players like judges and prosecutors are also extremely helpful. The lawyer should offer 24/7 availability for emergency bail hearings. They should be comfortable filing appeals and writs in higher courts at a moment’s notice as well.Trusted Brooklyn criminal defense law firms like [My Firm] check all these boxes. Their attorneys offer free case evaluations 24/7 and routinely help clients get affordable bail and bond terms in some of the most serious violent felony and white collar criminal cases in state and federal courts across NYC. Don’t take chances with your freedom and future. The right lawyer can and will make a difference when it comes to getting bail reduced in Brooklyn criminal courts.

Resources to Learn More About Bail in Brooklyn Criminal Cases

For more information about bail in Brooklyn criminal cases and working with a lawyer to get bail reduced, check out the following helpful online resources:

• Brooklyn Bail Fund – Nonprofit that pays bail for people who can’t afford it: https://brooklynbailfund.org/
• How New York’s Bail System Works Video: https://youtu.be/IS5mw2WLhvo
• NYC Criminal Justice Agency Bail Information: https://www.nycja.org/bail-resources/
• Brooklyn Community Bail Fund Assistance: https://www.libertyfund.nyc/
• Tips for Getting Bail Reduced in NYC: https://wagnerandwagner.com/reduce-bail-in-nyc/