What is Bail Bonds Your Key to Freedom - Godfathers BailBonds

1. Godfathers BailBonds ❖ About us At Godfather’s Bail Bonds, we are experts in the bail bonds industry. We are fully licensed, and offer bonds for traffic, DUI, misdemeanor and felony arrests. We service the Houston area and are a member of the Better Business Bureau. Our founder is Steve Sondag, who began work as a bail bondsman when he opened his first bail bonds office in 1995 and has been helping people in their time of need ever since. Steve studied at the University of Houston where he graduated in 1985. He believes that community is important and is a member of many local organizations such as the Professional Bail Agent of the United States (PBUS), the Conroe Chamber of Commerce, Professional Bondsmen of Texas (PBT)the Harris County Bail Bond Association (HCBBA), and also the Lion’s Club. Steve has been with his wife for more than 40 years and they have one child. His business is his passion and he employs only the most experienced bail bond agents who will treat his clients with the same professionalism and compassion that he does himself.

2. 1 As one of the most trusted bail bond agents in Texas, Steve is dedicated to his business, his employees, and his clients. ❖ What is Bail When you’re arrested, the court will either remand you to jail until your court date, release you on your own recognizance, or they will set a bail amount, which is a specific amount of money that you need to pay to the court to ensure that you will appear at any future court dates. The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution states that bail shall not be excessive, nor shall it be used as a main way to make money for the government. It is also not to be a form of punishment, merely for a way to get a person out of jail and motivated to appear at pending court dates. The amount of the bail, or whether to allow bail to be posted at all, is determined by the court by looking at several factors such as: The jurisdiction’s bail schedule. Typically there is a standard bail schedule for each crime depending on the jurisdiction where the crime took place. This schedule makes a recommendation of a bail amount for each crime. Criminal record. Are there violent or serious crimes on the defendant’s criminal record? If so, he may be considered a risk to society and remanded to jail. The nature of the crime. What is its severity? For the most severe crimes, bail may be denied or set especially high. Potential penalty of the charged offense. If the defendant is facing a capital sentence or life in prison without the possibility of parole, he may feel as though he has nothing to lose by fleeing the jurisdiction, state or country. Family ties. Does the defendant have close family ties in the community? Those defendants with ties to family in the community are less likely to flee. Employment history, length of residency and reputation in the community. Again, close ties to an area decrease the inclination to flee. Previous “failure to appear” orders. If there is a history of the defendant not appearing at his scheduled court appearances, the court may assume that he will only repeat it and deny bail. History of mental illness and substance abuse. A mental evaluation may be requested before the decision for bail. If there is a history of substance abuse or drugs were a factor in the crime, completion of a drug treatment program may be a condition of bail. Known aliases or false ID’s. These may make it easier for the defendant to flee. Whether or not the defendant is currently on bail for another crime or has any outstanding warrants. Whether or not the defendant is currently on parole or pending appeal of a criminal conviction. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

3. 2 The defendant’s wealth. If the defendant is wealthy, bail may not be as much of an incentive to show up for court appearances and could make it easier for the defendant to flee the country. The Risk to Public Safety. The court looks at whether or not the defendant will pose a risk to the public at large. Some jurisdictions are not allowed to consider this, but most still can. Nation of origin. If the defendant is from another country, he or she may attempt to return there. ● ● ● The bail system is meant to be unbiased and begins by looking at the standard bail schedule, which is made up of standards set by the state or jurisdiction for each crime, and the court may choose to customize it to fit the individual circumstance of the defendant. More and more courts are relying on a mathematical algorithm that uses many of the same factors that a court does to assess the risk that the defendant will appear in court or will commit another crime. It is meant to not only streamline the bail process but to also take out any biases towards defendants or to specific crimes. This is not a computer making the decision on bail, however, it is merely a recommendation, as is the bail schedule, to the court which has the final decision. ❖ Overview We’ll guide you through the entire bail Bond process and make sure you understand it clearly so you can make important decisions. We’ll even keep track of your upcoming court dates and remind you of when and where you need to be because we know how important making those appearances is. Jail is a terrible place to be. We’re open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week and we can navigate the process quickly to get you released from jail, usually in 2-6 hours. Our friendly staff is efficient and discreet and can answer any questions that you may have and can provide you with guidance during this difficult time. We put our clients first and work fast to get them out of jail and back home with their loved ones where they belong. Contact us 1112 Wood St, Houston, TX 77002 713-224-3600 Godfatherbailbond1112@gmail.com License no. 74603

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