In most Utah criminal cases, a defendant is constitutionally entitled to have a bail set by the court.  But in many cases, the initial bail set by the court may be too high for a defendant to be able to post a cash bail.  In some cases, it will make sense to obtain a bail bond through a Utah bail bond company or bondsman.  As an experienced Utah criminal attorney, Stephen Howard can help you determine if other less expensive options for release may be possible in your case, including a bail reduction hearing, “own recognizance” release, or a supervised release.

Many aspects of the bail bond process are controlled by law in Utah.  A bond company is required by law to charge a minimum of 10% (but not more than a maximum of 20%) of the total bail amount as a fee for the bond.  Bail bond companies are also allowed to charge fees for document preparation, credit card processing costs, and fees for processing charged by the court or jail.

A bail bond company may also require a co-signer on the bond, who will be responsible for paying the full amount of the bail bond if the court orders forfeiture of the bond (typically if the defendant fails to appear at required court appearances).  A bond company may require some kind of collateral or may allow the bond to be collateralized by just the signature of the co-signer.

The bail bond may be revoked by the bond company for a variety of reasons, that include: evidence that the defendant or co-signer provided false information to the bond company, new criminal charges being filed against the defendant, failure of the defendant to appear at a court hearing, failure of the defendant to provide current contact or employment information to the bond company, or a decision by the court to increase the bail amount above the amount of the original bond.

If you believe that you have an outstanding warrant, or if a friend or loved one has been arrested in Utah, contact an experienced criminal attorney to discuss the options available for securing a release while the criminal case is pending.