Bond Modifications

When you are charged with a crime, one of the first things that will happen to you involves a judge setting your bond. A judge can set a bond for ROR (“Release On Own Recognizance”) which means you will be released without any monetary conditions. However, depending on the seriousness of the crime, the judge could set a monetary bond or even deny you bond outright. It is a tough and unforgiving system, but it is one that we must navigate.

At every stage of the criminal process, having an experienced Pittsburgh Criminal Attorney is crucial. The bond stage is no exception. At a bond hearing, your attorney can list important factors that may persuade a judge to lower your bond. In addition, your criminal defense attorney can present options to the judge she may have never even considered.

For example, one option that many people may not be aware of is house arrest. Sometimes judges are very concerned about releasing criminal defendants back into the community. This is especially true if the person is facing a charge of a violent crime. Judges are very concerned with violent crimes. The judge may realize that setting an unreasonably high bond isn’t the answer. Most people cannot post $100,000 bonds. At the same time, the judge may not feel that the crime is so serious that the individual should be held in jail until their trial. It can sometimes take six months to a year, or even longer, until a defendant is brought to trial. A good middle-ground measure is pre-trial house arrest. This allows a judge to release someone back into the community, but also allows the probation office to keep a close tab on all of that person’s activities. It is a win-win usually. The criminal defendant can return home to await trial, but he or she does not have complete freedom that can lead to them getting into trouble again. Our law firm knows when to ask for house arrest and how to effectively argue for it.

Some jurisdictions in the United States are beginning to move away from cash bond systems in their entirety. Others are not. In Western Pennsylvania, cash bond still rules the roost. We have a network of bail bondsman all over the region who can post bond for you in the blink of an eye. If a monetary bond is set for you, we can work to get your bond posted as fast as possible. Every day out of jail is a good day and it is another day that we can spend working to prepare the defense of your case. It is much easier for a defendant to prepare for a case while they can continue to work, make money and spend their free time researching and investigating.

Joe Pometto Law practices all over Western Pennsylvania and has learned tactics to get bond modified in even the worst of circumstances. We have been successful in getting bonds for clients accused of shootings, domestic violence and more. Lean on our knowledge and contact Joe Pometto Law if you need help getting your bond lowered or modified so that you can fight your case from home and not from behind a jail cell.