Arizona Criminal Law – New case on prior convictions

The Arizona Supreme Court has issued a new opinion on the proper use of prior convictions in sentence enhancement in Arizona felony cases. On first read, this opinion appears to be favorable to the...

For the rest of this story and more about DUI issues, visit http://blog.duiattorney.com and http://www.duiattorney.com.

Arizona Criminal Law – New case on prior convictions

The Arizona Supreme Court has issued a new opinion on the proper use of prior convictions in sentence enhancement in Arizona felony cases. On first read, this opinion appears to be favorable to the...

For the rest of this story and more about DUI issues, visit http://blog.duiattorney.com and http://www.duiattorney.com.

Using Bail To Get Out Of Jail – What A Civil Idea

By Aazdak Alisimo

When you really think about it, the concept of bail is a pretty civilized idea. If you’ve been arrested for a crime, buying your freedom is probably a small price to pay.

The story of bail could be said to have originated in medieval England where the local sheriff had the basic right to hold an accused person or to release him prior to trial. Apparently, this system was much abused with the sheriff deciding those who could pay him the most deserved to wait for their trials at home, and the ones unable to pay would wait in the jail. As early as 1275, laws were enacted to define what offenses were “bail offences”, and which were not.

The problem came to a head in the 17th century. The King of England, Charles I, decided he needed some loans from his nobles. Those that refused to make the loans were imprisoned. Apparently, the idea was that the nobles would rot in jail while the King worked out exactly what offense they had committed and arranged a trial. This process could have been extended forever. The English Parliament got involved and passed the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 that said that an Englishman could not be held without a chance to post some sort of surety bond unless accused of a heinous crime or some other justifiable circumstance.

Ten years, later, the English Bill of Rights made this a basic part of English law. People were guaranteed the right to be free from excessive and unreasonable bail that was designed to hold them in jail unfairly before an actual trial or sentence. This became the basis of the 8th Amendment in the United States Bill of Rights. The concept of Habeas Corpus was established. It is based on the concept that no man is guilty until proven so in a court of law, and so, does not deserve to be imprisoned until a trial has decreed a sentence.

Bail became the way to insure this right, and it could not be excessive or unfair. Yet, on the other hand, although people are innocent until proven guilty, some of them are guilty and will eventually be proven so. The bail system had to insure against the release of criminals who would only flee and either escape or be recaptured at great expense.

In the United States, the major issues that have been addressed by the various changes in the bail laws have been of the danger of released accused fleeing or, worse, committing additional crimes. The idea that certain people pose a danger to the community and should be denied bail is at the heart of the current United States Code regarding bail. This determination demands a judicial decision. The question of the rights of the accused versus the safety of the community underlie all debate on bail laws.

Aazdak Alisimo provides [http://www.bailbondsassistance.com/bail-bond-information]bail bond information for free at BailBondsAssistance.com where you can find [http://www.bailbondsassistance.com]bail bonds companies across the nation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aazdak_Alisimo http://EzineArticles.com/?Using-Bail-To-Get-Out-Of-Jail—What-A-Civil-Idea&id=1160977

Halloween DUI taskforces ready for action

Do a Google serach for "DUI" in the news and you will see that the results are dominated by news of DUI task-forces from nearly every major jurisdiction you can imagine. Read more on...

For the rest of this story and more about DUI issues, visit http://blog.duiattorney.com and http://www.duiattorney.com.

Halloween DUI taskforces ready for action

Do a Google serach for "DUI" in the news and you will see that the results are dominated by news of DUI task-forces from nearly every major jurisdiction you can imagine. Read more on...

For the rest of this story and more about DUI issues, visit http://blog.duiattorney.com and http://www.duiattorney.com.

Protect Yourself – Hire a DWI Lawyer

By Caitlina Fuller

If you live in Texas you know that Texas law does not take kindly to those that drink and drive. If you were recently pulled over and arrested for driving while intoxicated and charged with DWI you may be embarrassed, ashamed, and not really know what to do. We all make mistakes from time to time, some bigger than others, but most of them simply blow over and we learn from the experience. A DWI charge is not something that is just going to blow over. You are going to have to go to court and depending on your record you may spend time in jail and you may even have to do community service and take part in an educational course about the safe use of alcohol. If you have been charged with DWI you need to hire a Dallas DIW lawyer to help you protect your rights and achieve the best possible outcome in your case.

After you have been arrested you are obviously stressed and the last thing that you probably want to think about is a lawyer or legal problems, but this is not just a problem that is going to go away. In the state of Texas a DWI charge is a very serious thing and it is something that you are going to need help dealing with. You will find that the legal system can be hard to navigate without a bit of professional help, and that is where a Dallas DUI attorney will come in handy as you work your way through the process.

Wondering what an attorney can do for you? They can help prepare you for your appearance in front of the court. An attorney can also help you determine what sort of punishment you may be looking at, and they can help to reduce this punishment with their knowledge of the law. For instance, if you are looking at jail time a lawyer may be able to help you negotiate with the court so that you only have to do community service or pay a fine. This isn’t something that anyone would want to do, but it would be better than spending time in jail when you have a job, kids to take care of, and bills to pay.

Wondering where you can find Dallas DWI attorneys? You can find them by asking your friends or even your family members if they have worked with anyone in the past or know of anyone good. Word of mouth is often the best way to find a lawyer, but if you don’t want to ask or they don’t know anyone, you can simply turn to the phone book or the internet yellow pages and do a search. You should meet with several attorneys and decide for yourself which one is not only affordable to you, but is willing to take your case seriously so you can learn from this mistake, repay your debt to society, and move past it once and for all.

Caitlina Fuller is a freelance writer. If you have been charged with DWI you need to hire a [http://dwi.dfwattorneys.com/]Dallas DWI lawyer to help you protect your rights and achieve the best possible outcome in your case. You will find that the legal system can be hard to navigate without a bit of professional help, and that is where a DUI attorney will come in handy as you work your way through the process.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caitlina_Fuller

How Do Bail Bonds Work?

By Damian Sofsian -

The posting of a bail bond is a contractual undertaking guaranteed by a bail agent and an individual posting bail. This bail agent provides a guarantee to the court that the defendant will appear in court each and every time he or she is summoned by the judge.

A relative or a family friend contacts the bail agent, before the defendant is released, to arrange for the posting of a bail. The bail agent gets a percentage of the amount decided by the judge for that particular defendant. By signing the agreement with the bail agent regarding posting the bail, the defendant or the co-signer, who might be a relative or a family friend, must provide a guarantee that the bail amount will definitely be paid in full if the defendant fails to appear at the summons. After an agreement is signed, the bail agent posts a bond for the amount of the bail, to guarantee the defendant’s return to court.

Some bail agents prefer to have the defendant or the co-signer arrange for a collateral. Even if the collateral is not requested by the agent, the minimum criteria is that the co-signer must have a steady income, and must either own or rent a home in the same area as the defendant for some period of time. If the bail agent or the co-signer is unable to locate the defendant, the cosigner is immediately responsible for the full amount of the bail. After the defendant is located and arrested by the bail agent the cosigner is responsible for all expenses the bail agent incurs while looking for the defendant.

If the defendant cannot raise the entire amount of the bail, then the court might allow a situation in which the defendant pays a percentage of the amount directly to the local jail or court. But this is not a common practice in most courts.

Defendants also have the option of arranging for their bail through a bail bondsman. However, this involves the defendant providing a collateral to the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman or bail bond company representative will then guarantee to pay the court if the defendant fails to appear for trial, by posting a surety bail bond power of attorney with the jail or court. After the defendant has completed all court appearances and the case is closed, the bail bond will be dissolved and any collateral given to the bail bondsman will be returned to the defendant shortly thereafter.

A co-signer always has the responsibility to ensure that the defendant appears in court as and when required. The co-signer must know the whereabouts of the defendant at all times and must immediately notify the bail bondsman if the defendant has moved. Since the co-signer’s collateral is at risk if the defendant fails to show up as summoned, it is advised to be cautious when it comes to keeping an eye on the defendant. [http://www.bailbonds-web.com]Bail Bonds provides detailed information about bail bonds, bail bond companies, bail bond license, and more. Bail Bonds is affiliated with [http://www.i-criminalrecords.com]Free Criminal Records.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian

Judge In Tucson DUI Cases Orders Prosecutors To Get Intoxilyzer Source Code

A Judge in Tucson, Arizona has ordered the prosecution to get the Intoxilyzer source code from CMI, and produce it in electronic form so that it may be tested. The Tucson Citizen reported as...

For the rest of this story and more about DUI issues, visit http://blog.duiattorney.com and http://www.duiattorney.com.

Online Bail Bonds

By Damian Sofsian

Being arrested can be a horrible experience and it is always embarrassing for the people involved and their families. The first step to get out of this mess is by securing a bail. Bail is a process of providing money or surety to get out of jail after an arrest. When people make bail, they are still expected to appear in court whenever they are asked to do so. Bail is a temporary freedom, and the ability to post bail is not granted to everyone arrested, depending on the severity what they were arrested for.

A bail bond is a written agreement with a surety or bail bondsman signed by the defendant, assuring that the defendant will appear in court for the said hearings. If the defendant fails to do so, the bond can be cancelled and he will be taken into custody.

Bail agents charge a percentage of the bail amount for their services. Before the accused are released, relatives or friends of the accused contact bail agents to make arrangements for the bail. The co-signers will have to assure the court before posting bail bonds that they will pay the full bail amount, if the defendants do not appear for the court date.

After the bail has been posted, should the defendants not honor the agreements and fail to appear in courts, the co-signers are wholly responsible to pay the full bail amount. If the defendants have to be sought and arrested by bail agents, the co-signers are responsible for all expenditures the bail agents incur while searching the defendants.

There are some companies which provide bail bond services online. The defendants who need bail bonds can contact these companies and fill out all the paperwork online. Sometimes this is easier than going to the bondsman?s offices, and it can be faster, as well.

After underwritings and approvals are completed, payments can be made by credit cards or money transfers. To use credit cards for bail bonds, credit card assist vouchers must be completed, signed, and faxed to their offices. These companies always keep all information confidential. After all the paperwork has been signed and funds are verified, the bail agents post the bonds at appropriate locations. []Bail Bonds provides detailed information on Bail Bond Agents, Bail Bond Companies , Bail Bond License, Bail Bond Schools and more. Bail Bonds is affiliated with Law Enforcement Training.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian

What is a Bail Bondsman?

By Chad R Fisher

A bail bondsman or a bail agent is a company, person, or corporation that will pledge money to allow someone to be allowed on bail from charges that would cause them to be put into imprisonment. They often cater to criminal defendants and can often secure the release in as little as a few hours. They often have ties within the court house, and this combined with the capitol to have the individual released can create a successful bond.

The usual fee for bond agents to charge is ten percent of the bail that is required to pay for the bond and for the individual to be released. This fee is not refundable and

This ten percent fee has become popularized and available to be paid to have the individual released from custody. In the case that the entire amount is required bail bondsman usually have a standing arrangement with banks or creditors to have access to the funds during times when the banks are not open. This is crucial, because being a bail bondsman is often a twenty four hour position.

Should a bond not be paid or the individual refuse to reappear for the court date the company that has placed the money, the bail bondsman are legally allowed to bring the individual in – and place them in the custody of the courts.

In the case of the bail being a large amount of money bail bondsman are able to gain security of assets rather than the large amount of cash. For example, bail bondsman can secure a home in the matter of a person owing $100,000 for bond money and charge the initial ten percent than taking a mortgage against the home for the owing sum of the bond.

If the individual fails to show up for court it is lawful for the bail bondsman to find the contracted individual. It is important to remember that a contract is a contract, and by hiring a bail bondsman and allowing the company to post bail – you are signing a contract stating that you will show up to court, or they will be legally allowed to forcefully bring you to court.

Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon and Wisconsin are the four states that have banned commercial bail bonding.

A family member of the person in custody is usually the person placing bond for the individual. This individual usually co-signs and is responsible should the person being charged not show up at hearings or leave town for the full amount of the bond. The co-signer is also responsible for expenses that incur while the bondsmen are capturing the individual. This is an expensive process for the co-signer – and it is important to make sure that you trust the individual that you are signing for. Co-signers are most often required to have full time employment and either rent, or own a home in the area.

Bail bondsman companies are often available throughout the day and into the night. It is a twenty-four hour business and local bail bondsman companies can be located in the yellow pages or on the internet in your area. Often times, the court officials will have bail bondsman information on hand should it be required.

One of the newer companies in the area, Tuff Guy Bail Bonds – creates a professional experience and offers the utmost customer service and respectability. They should be considered for your next bond experience.

All of our articles are originals, if you liked this, check out What is a Bail Bondsman for similar information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_R_Fisher

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