The holidays are known to bring on tense times for some families and individuals. Unfortunately, sometimes these troubles can lead to an arrest on an actual holiday.
When this happens, the usual quick turnaround of bail isn’t always an option for an offender. If you or a loved one ends up in a legal pinch this Thanksgiving, here’s our bondsman’s guide to dealing with a holiday arrest.
Keep Holiday Hours in Mind
Getting arrested on a holiday is outside of the legal system’s normal judicial hours. Normally a judge has a set number of days to hold a hearing for a defendant.
However, falling out of judicial hours means that the holidays and weekends don’t count towards the deadline, and offenders are usually left in a jail cell longer than usual.
Crime Spikes can Cause Further Delays
The holidays are also times where crime tends to spike throughout busy cities like Dallas. This is another issue that could spark processing delays as the courts find themselves backed up, understaffed, and overscheduled.
Make a Lawyer Your First Phone Call
If you’ve been arrested on a holiday, you now know that you’re in for a long wait until your preliminary hearing. So, make sure that your initial phone call is to your criminal defense lawyer.
Your lawyer can help with:
- Advice that prevents you from incriminating your case while behind bars
- Getting a head start on your defense strategy
- Preparing you for any legal documents you’ll have to sign before your preliminary hearing
- Getting in touch with a reputable Dallas bail bond company
Reach Out to a Legitimate Dallas Bondsman
Any bondsman worth your business in Dallas will be open 24/7 and charge you no more or less than the standard 10 percent of your bail as the bail bond fee.
If you find that your bail bond company has some shady qualities or doesn’t have a plan for helping out families with bail during the holidays, it’s time to move on and find an experienced company like 1st Call Bail Bonds.
You’ll Likely Be Home for the Holidays
Even if you are able to return home on a bail bond, the chances are high that the courts won’t grant you the right to leave town for the holidays. This is especially true if you’ve had prior convictions or the court simply deems you a flight risk based on your charges.
Regardless of the reasoning behind the decision, if you are forbidden from traveling outside of the state or even county lines, it’s in your best interest to follow the rules.
Even if you travel without the intent to flee, you could still violate your terms of bail. This will quickly get your bail revoked, put you back in a jail cell, and possibly leave you with even bigger legal consequences than before.
Stay Home for the Holidays With 1st Call Bail Bonds
If you or a loved one were arrested outside of judicial hours, the Dallas bondsmen of 1st Call Bail Bonds will do their best to get you out of jail fast.
Even if accessible offices aren’t open for processing, we are open 24/7 and can help handle any paperwork the courts require on our own time.
No matter the hour you need us or the amount of bail you require, 1st Call Bail Bonds is prepared to get you home to your loved ones for the holidays.
Contact us today to start the bail bond process.
