A Family Member Has Been Arrested

Posted on April 27, 2022 by karen

As far as you know it, getting arrested means that your life is pretty much over. You’re going to be kicked out of school and/ or fired from your job. You won’t get another career-focused job. You won’t get a loan, or an apartment. Your relationships with friends, family, and lovers will be ruined. This is not true.

We understand how stressful and flustered you must feel when you learn a loved one has been arrested. You never expected to have do deal with bail and we will continue to keep that task from you as much as possible. We’ll take care of the paperwork; we’ll take care of the processing with the jail. You take care of your loved one.

What To Expect

1. The family member is arrested and charged with a crime. The District Attorney (DA) will review the case and decide whether or not to file charges. If the DA decides not to move forward with charging the individual with a crime, the case is dismissed and he or she is free to go home.

2. If the DA does file charges, the individual will have an arraignment, at which time he or she will be notified of the charges made against them, and bail will be set.

3. The individual will be able to post bail with the court or through a bail agency. You may need (if you so wish) to help your family member meet the dollar amount for bail. If paying the court directly, the entire bail will need to be paid before he or she can be released. If paying a bail agency, the dollar amount is 10% of the full bail amount, and this can be paid on a schedule after the person is freed. Alternatively, your family member can choose to stay in jail and not pay bail at all.

4. At some point, trial will begin and end, at which time you all will learn of your loved one’s fate: freedom? A prison sentence? Community service?

Don’t psyche yourself out too much about your loved one. The best thing you can do right now is help pay his or her bail and support them.

How Can A Person Be Eligible For Own Recognizance Release?

You can consider being granted “own recognizance” release as the sincerest form of flattery when it comes to bail. This is a no cost bail where a judge will allow a defendant to be released from jail by signing a written promise to attend any and all court appointments. The defendant does not have to pay any money to get out of jail, which is a huge relief since bail is not cheap.

How does a judge decide whether a person is trustworthy enough to be released on own recognizance, or how expensive their bail is if they must pay?

Severity of the crime
Past criminal history, if applicable
Ties to the community
Danger to the community

Still, being released on own recognizance comes with certain conditions. On top of having to show up in court, a judge may require regular check-ins with a probation officer. A judge might also order the defendant curfew or to abstain from alcohol. If the defendant neglects any conditions of his or her release, or gets in trouble again with the law, he or she can be arrested again and bail eligibility would likely be taken away.

Some defendants are not so lucky and will have to pay money for bail. Conditions will still apply, like needing to show up in court and anything else the judge orders. Bail is expensive and if a defendant is unable to pay the court, they are highly encouraged to contact Memphis Bail Bonds. Paying for bail in this manner is more affordable than paying the court directly.

If you would like bail bond help, our company, Memphis Bail Bonds, is your answer. You can learn more details by calling us at (615)544-0000.

Speeding Is Illegal and Dangerous in Memphis

Posted on November 7, 2020 by spiralmode

Everyone has been late for something in their life. Anyone who has experienced this can attest to the fact that it is not fun. This makes a lot of people do whatever they can to avoid running late again in the future. Unfortunately, some people do this by breaking the law.

Speeding doesn’t seem like a big deal to a lot of drivers out there, especially since so many people do it on a daily basis. However, speeding is still illegal because it is dangerous. Speeding is classified as driving faster than what could be considered safe or prudent based on weather, visibility, and traffic.

The faster someone drives, the less time they have to react to an unexpected change or danger. This is what causes accidents. In fact, speeding is the third most common cause of accidents. Driving under the influence comes in second, and distracted driving is number one. This gives you a good idea of how dangerous speeding truly is.

Here in Tennessee, drivers will face tickets for speeding, which are arguably worse than just getting to their destination a few minutes late. So long as the overall speed was under 100 miles per hour (mph), the ticket prices are as follows:

$35 for being 1 to 15 mph over the speed limit.
$70 for being 16 to 25 mph over the speed limit.
$100 for being 26 mph or more over the limit.

For anyone caught going over 100 mph, they face a max fine of up to $500, as well as a 30-day suspension of their license for a first-time offense. If caught speeding like that again, the max fine can be up to $750 with a 6-month license suspension. A third or subsequent offense earns a person a max fine of $1,000 and a 1-year license suspension.

Despite how it may seem, speeding is a very dangerous thing to do. Driving at unsafe speeds can easily cause accidents that can harm or kill people, which is why the act is illegal.

How to Stay Safe and Secure While Shopping Online

Posted on November 7, 2020 by spiralmode

With the passing of Halloween, the holiday season has begun. Now people all over begin to really crack down on their holiday shopping lists. They want to get the perfect something for everyone on their list. Not only does this mean an increase in shoppers at stores, but it also means more people will be going online to do their shopping. After all many people find this method of shopping more convenient.

Unfortunately, thieves are well aware of this fact. They become more active during the holiday season to take advantage of the increased amount of victims they can target. One thing that online shoppers need to be wary of is fake or malicious websites.

Some thieves will take to making new websites for people to buy stuff from. They will take the person’s credit card information and then either send nothing or send something that wasn’t what the person ordered. They will also make it difficult for the buyer to return items, or just have a bad return policy that can never be met.

One thing, in particular, to look for when making purchases online, is that the site is secure. This can easily be determined by checking the website address. Secure sites start with “https” and should have a lock symbol next to them in modern web browsers. This lets a person know that the site is secure and that any information typed into it will remain private.

Always be careful when shopping online. Make sure that you are on a secure site, and that you are on the site you want to be on, not one that mimics another, well-known site. After all, you do not want to willingly give your credit card information to a thief.

Tips for Preventing Christmas Tree Fires

Posted on November 5, 2020 by spiralmode

Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without an evergreen tree standing tall and proud in the living room. This is why thousands upon thousands of people will be getting cut evergreen trees for their homes this year. While the trees look stunning, especially when fully decorated, they can pose a bit of a problem. Pine and other evergreen trees can be very flammable, especially as they dry out.

If a person wants to avoid the possibility of a fire in their own home, then they need to follow these tips.

Choose a fresh tree. A person should be able to touch the tree and not see a bunch of needles fall from the branch.
Place the tree away from any sort of heat sources that could cause the tree to ignite.
Replace any light strands that are broken or damaged as they can cause a spark.
Never place candles on or near the tree.
Water the tree daily to keep it hydrated.
Turn the lights off when leaving home or going to bed.

Once Christmas has come and gone, the tree should be removed from the room as quickly as possible. Over the course of the month, the tree will dry out and become more and more of a fire hazard. It should be removed as soon as possible and kept away from the house until it is removed completely.

Driving with Pets Can Be Distracting

Posted on October 12, 2020 by spiralmode

Just about everyone knows that driving while distracted can be a very dangerous practice. One second of not paying attention is all it takes for a driver to find himself in a bad accident. That is why a driver needs to constantly give their full attention to the road while driving.

In order to encourage drivers to remain focused, lawmakers usually enact laws that limit what drivers can do while driving. Some of the basics here in Tennessee include:

No texting while driving.
No talking on the phone while driving.
No using other electronic devices while driving.

Tennessee laws don’t cover all of the bases when it comes to distracted driving. For instance, eating while driving is not illegal in Tennessee, though it is considered to be a type of distracted driving. An Ohio town is taking distracted driving laws a step further in order to protect drivers and their furry companions.

Starting December 20th, drivers in Mantua, Ohio can be ticketed for distracted driving if they have an animal in their lap. The offense will only be a misdemeanor, which means a small fine and no possibility of jail time. However, any ticket price will be more than a driving pet owner really wants to pay.

Distracted driving is not something that any driver should do. Unfortunately, driving with a pet can be very distracting. For their safety, and the safety of the driver, the pet should remain in another section of the vehicle, away from the driver. This way, they cannot interfere with the driver’s task and inadvertently cause an accident.

Bicycles and DUI’s

Posted on August 16, 2020 by spiralmode

It’s a well known fact that if you drink to much and than get behind the wheel of your vehicle, you’ll get a DUI, which comes with several life altering consequences. In order to preserve their driver’s license and reputation, many Tennessee residents who decide they’re going out for a night on the town, decide to leave their car at home and ride their bike instead. The theory is that if they’re on a bike, they don’t have to worry about getting charged with a DUI. Or do they?

According to the Tennessee Vehicle Code Section 21200.5, riding a bike after drinking is actually a very bad idea and one that can get you in legal hot water. The charge is called Cycling Under the Influence (CUI.) The good news is that you won’t be in quite as much trouble as if you’d driven. The fine connected to biking and drinking is only $250. You won’t serve any jail time. While the court won’t sentence you to jail time, it’s likely that the patrol officer who catches you biking while under the influence will have you stay in jail until you’ve sobered up.

Don’t assume that just because the penalty doesn’t require jail time that the charge isn’t a serious one. It is. It’s an official misdemeanor which means you’ll have a criminal record which can have a negative impact on several areas of your life. If you’re charge with a CUI an are under 21, the prosecutor can add drinking as a minor to the charges which can result in a suspended driver’s license.
Cycling under the influence includes cycling while drunk and under the influence of other drugs. If you’ve consumed an illegal substance, additional charges may be added.

The best way to deal with a CUI is by hiring an experienced lawyer.