** Please note that statutes and rules affecting pretrial release in Utah have changed significantly since this article was originally published. Consultation with a good defense attorney, prior to taking action, is strongly advised. **
Original Article
If you are arrested on a warrant for criminal charges in Salt Lake County (or if you become aware that you have an outstanding bench warrant), you may be eligible for release from jail through Salt Lake County Pretrial Services. Contact us today to learn how he can help you in your Utah criminal case.
In some cases, arrangements can be made directly with Pretrial Services to allow release from jail. ย In other cases, the court’s approval may be required before a release through Pretrial Services will be authorized. In either case, Utah criminal attorney Stephen Howard can assist you in the process of working with Pretrial Services or can represent you at the warrant hearing with the court to determine whether you should be allowed a release through Pretrial Services.
In Utah criminal cases, you have a number of options available for securing a release from jail or recall of a bench warrant. In Salt Lake County, you have the option of seeking a release through Salt Lake County Pretrial services. This option may save you thousands of dollars in bail bond fees and in some cases may result in your release from jail even before seeing a judge for a bench warrant hearing.
In cases where ย a judge is not willing to order an “own recognizance” release, the court may still be willing to consider a release through Pretrial Services. In some cases, aย Pretrial Services release will include specific court-ordered conditions. Depending on the type of case and the defendant’s history, these conditions may include drug testing, treatment, regular check-in with Pretrial Services, or other conditions determined to be appropriate by the court. In some cases, the conditions will be minimal. ย In other more serious cases, the conditions imposed for a Pretrial Services release may be burdensome. Even so, many people would prefer these conditions over the thousands of dollars that it may cost to bail out.
Contact us to learn more about Salt Lake County Pretrial Services options.