People hear the term “bond hearing” and they usually don’t quite understand the process. A bond hearing is set within a certain amount of time after a defendant’s arrest. In the state of Florida, a defendant is entitled to a bond hearing within the first 24 hours after their arrest. As you might expect, bond hearings are held all day, every day.
When someone is inside a jail, their first rational thought is to get out as soon as humanly possible. The problem with that thinking is, the longer a defendant stays in jail, the more likely the chance that they say something to incriminate themselves. Sometimes people will admit to being guilty because they think they will get out of jail faster. That is not only the wrong way to go about this process, but it also makes things more difficult for your defense attorney.
You want a skilled lawyer by your side during a bond hearing. It can drive the judge to reduce the bond price or even release you on your own your recognizance. Your defense attorney can also demonstrate to the judge the unlikelihood of you fleeing the state.
What happens if you don’t hire attorney? Well, without one to request a bond motion, you’ll be end up waiting until a public defender gets to your case. Needless to say, a public defender won’t be able to get the job done the same way a hired attorney can. Instead of waiting a few days in jail, you can end up waiting for a few months in jail. Just for a bond hearing. Pretty scary stuff. Be prepared and hire a defense attorney.
