How To Get Bail Amount Reduced In San Diego?

BY | June 7, 2023

If you’re facing criminal charges, one thing you’re going to want to learn more about is bail - after all, getting a bail bond is your ticket to freedom while you wait for your court date, and without bail, you’d have to stay in jail until the date came about, which could be many months. In that case, it makes sense to know as much about bail and bail bonds as possible so that you’re entirely prepared and know precisely what to do if you ever need them and services like the ones we provide at Alana’s Bail Bonds.

When it comes to bail, it usually comes down to money, so with that in mind, read on to discover more about how to get bail amount reduced in San Diego so you can go home to your family and familiar surroundings after a brush with the law.

Hire A Lawyer

The first and perhaps most important step when you want to know how to get bail amount reduced in San Diego is to hire a lawyer to help you. Hiring a seasoned criminal defense lawyer should always be your first move when you’ve found yourself on the wrong side of the law because they’ll have the experience, knowledge, and expertise to get you the best help - the help that’s actually going to make a difference and put you in a better position than you could manage on your own.

The thing about the law is that it can be complex and a challenge to understand, and any form of confusion can lead to big problems - one wrong word or action can result in additional charges or more jail time. With an expert criminal defense lawyer by your side, that’s far less likely to happen, and everything should run smoothly.

A lawyer will be able to meticulously assess the circumstances surrounding your charges and understand the unique factors that have brought you to this exact position, and that will also influence the court’s decision about how much bail to set for you. Their knowledge of local laws and, specifically, the San Diego legal system means they’ll be able to present your case properly and put forward all the evidence they need to get your bail amount reduced.

File A Motion To Reduce Bail

Once you’ve found a great lawyer to work with to help you learn how to get bail amount reduced in San Diego, you’ll then need to have that lawyer file a motion to reduce the bail amount - this is a formal document that states all the reasons why the bail amount needs to be lowered, and there are certain phrases and terms that must be included for it to be legal and valid. That’s why it’s always best to have a good lawyer file the motion on your behalf.

Essentially, the motion to reduce bail is a structured argument to explain why the current bail amount is unjustifiably high and why a more reasonable amount would be better. It also suggests the amount that would be better - fairer, in other words. The motion must outline the factors that influence the court’s decision, including your ties to the community, your previous criminal history (or, ideally, lack of one), and anything else that might be important, all of which we’ll go through below.

Your lawyer will put all this information into one important document and set things out so that the court can see precisely why you’re not a flight threat and why a lower bail amount would be better in your case. This motion is a truly powerful tool when it comes to persuading the court to reduce your bail amount, so it’s not something that should be rushed or handled without care and attention - it’s far too important for that. That means when you’re choosing your defense lawyer, you should ask them about their experience in writing these formal documents; you’ll want to find someone who knows what they’re doing and how crucial the outcome is for you.

Show Your Ties To The Community

As we mentioned above, there are certain elements that need to be included in the motion to reduce your bail, and making sure these are accurate and in-depth is a vital part of understanding how to get bail amount reduced in San Diego. The first one to consider is that you need to show your ties to the local community. Courts are more likely to consider reducing your bail if you can demonstrate strong ties to your local area, and that evidence could include a stable job, family connections, community involvement, and perhaps even owning a property (or at least signing a long lease).

Your lawyer can help put this evidence together and present your case to the court, but you’ll need to help them - answer their questions honestly and think about any way you might be able to show a connection to the local community; even something small could be enough to sway a judge and prove you’re not a flight risk.

Show You Have No Criminal History

The next element to include in the motion is your lack of criminal history (if you do have a criminal history, that’s a different matter, and you’ll need to discuss what to do with your lawyer). If you have a clean criminal record or perhaps just a minimal criminal history, this could be a fantastic way to show a court that you’re not likely to commit any further crimes, and reducing your bail amount would be a fair thing to do.

Your lawyer can gather and present evidence of your clean record, emphasizing your law-abiding nature and the fact that you won’t pose a danger to the community if you’re released on a lower bail amount.

Show Evidence Of Health Conditions

Another useful inclusion in the motion to reduce your bail amount is your health and whether or not you suffer from any particular health conditions. If you do have documented health issues, especially if they might become worse if you had to spend time in jail, that could be a strong argument for reducing your bail amount.

Your lawyer will need access to your medical records, doctor’s statements, and any other relevant information and evidence so they can present it all to the court to show that being behind bars could be harmful to you and that a lower bail amount would help.

Show That You’re Willing To Comply

Whatever the amount of bail is set, there are going to be various terms and conditions that go along with it. You’ll need to stick to those terms and abide by the conditions because, even if the bail has been paid, if you go against what the court has ordered, you’ll end up back in jail.

So you need to prove to the court that you’re going to comply with whatever rules you’re given, no matter how difficult that might be. It could be that you need to stay in a certain area or that you must attend your hearings, for example, but that’s just a start - it’s down to the courts to decide.