Factors Determining DUI Bail Amount
If you have been arrested for DUI (driving under the influence), you don't have to remain locked up while awaiting trial; you can get out on bail if you can raise the required amount. Here are some of the factors that will determine how much bail you should pay when arrested on DUI suspicions:
This Is Not Your First DUI
The seriousness of a crime usually determines the amount of bail to pay. In most cases, the presence of past crimes determines how serious the present crime is. Therefore, if you have been accused of DUI in the past, your present DUI charge will be more serious than it would have been if it was your first offense. Therefore, expect your bail amount to be considerably high if this isn't your first DUI.
You Have Some Infractions on Your Driving History
It is not just past DUIs that will affect the seriousness of your current DUI; even other past crimes may have the same effect. This is even more likely to be the case if those past crimes were related to driving. In such a case, the court will view you as an unsafe driver who doesn't care much for the safety of road users and slap a heavy bail amount on you; this may be the case, for example, if you have accumulated too many driving points, have multiple speeding tickets or other forms of moving violations.
The DUI Caused an Accident
You don't have to cause an accident to be arrested and charged with a DUI; the mere act of driving while intoxicated is enough to attract DUI charges. However, a DUI that involves an accident, especially an accident where someone is seriously injured or a property is seriously damaged, is more serious than a non-accident DUI. As such, expect your bail amount to be set considerably high if your DUI resulted in an accident.
You Don't Have Solid Ties to the Community
Anytime a bail amount is being determined, the defendant's ties to the community will be evaluated. These ties are important because they determine whether a criminal suspect is likely to jump bail or not. The assumption is that someone with solid ties to the community, which includes things like a regular job, a family or a physical business, isn't likely to run away even when facing criminal charges. Therefore, expect your bail to be set high if you can't prove such solid ties to the community.
To learn more, contact a DUI attorney like Robert A Murray.