One of the first things a criminal attorney in Grand Forks, ND does after being hired is to negotiate the bail amount for the client, if necessary. Sometimes a person hires a defense lawyer before actually being arrested if they have been questioned by law enforcement and they worry that an arrest is imminent.
In other cases, discussions about bail are not needed because bail has been set automatically by the state or jurisdiction for this particular offense. The person may have been able to pay it and regain freedom until trial. Another situation is when the arrested person cannot afford the bail, but judges may not be allowed to reduce or waive the amount.
Negotiating Bail
In many scenarios, however, defendants rely on a criminal attorney in Grand Forks, ND to negotiate bail so they do not have to wait in jail until their court date. At the hearing, the prosecuting attorney may demand a high amount and the defense lawyer counteracts, either with a lower number or the suggestion the person should be released without bail.
A judge may grant the request to dispense with bail if the individual has strong ties to the community, such as a family, a career and ownership of real estate. Those factors make the defendant less of a flight risk.
Further Negotiations
More efforts at negotiation follow the bail hearing. The defense lawyer attempts to find solid reasons to persuade the district attorney to reduce or drop the charges. There may be problems with the evidence that the lawyer can explain to the judge at the next hearing, which could lead the judge to dismiss the case.
If the evidence against the client is too strong and this person does not want to risk going to trial, a plea bargain may be arranged. That is intended to allow the defendant to avoid jail time or at least to have a minimal sentence of incarceration compared to what could be levied by a judge in court.
In all these situations, a defense attorney with an organization such as Morrow Law Firm will always work to achieve the best possible result for the client.
