QUESTION:
A loved one is in jail and his bail is set at $75,000. He was on parole and is being charged with a firearm and high capacity magazines and drugs…we want to bail him out and have a treatment center with a bed waiting for him whole he awaits sentencing. Is it a possibility the judge will reduce his bail so we can get him out and into treatment? Is it possible he could raise the bail?! Should we just get him out before his next court date just in case?? His public defender isnt very helpful and can’t afford a lawyer…
ANSWER:
You should first find out if there is a parole hold on your loved one, as this may make bail a moot point.
Typically, there needs to be a “change in circumstances” to support a bail reduction and unfortunately I don’t think what you are describing would qualify. I can’t make the exact computation of what bail would be if set “at schedule” (which essentially means at the normal level based on the charged offenses) but it seems like bail was not set above schedule. That makes a reduction unlikely.
Oftentimes, having a waiting bed at a residential treatment center can speed up someone’s release, but I suspect the charges here are too serious to gain much favorable consideration from having a RTP alternative. I wish I had better news for you. Still, I think your continued supportive attitude will help your loved one at some juncture.
