Navigating our criminal justice system is often a daunting task. One of the challenges that offenders face following an arrest is paying bail set by the judge.
A judge sets bail based on several factors, with the primary factor being the offense you've been charged with. Therefore, your bail is likely to be higher if you’re charged with a serious offense such as a felony or a crime where you’re deemed a threat to public safety. Here is a brief list and explanation of some of the criminal offenses with a higher bail.
How Much is Bail in Louisiana?
The jurisdiction in Louisiana normally charges a 2% or $15 bail bond fee, whichever is higher. This is charged regardless of whether you've paid the bond in cash or through a bail bondsman. Therefore, you can expect an additional fee -normally 10%- if you use a bail bondsman, which adds up to around 12%.
Criminal Offenses With High Amounts of Bail
The following are some of the criminal offenses with the historically highest bail:
1. Murder/homicide
Often, murder cases have no specific bail amount set. This is based on the underlying circumstances which make it difficult for the person to be released pending trial. However, where bail is set for first-degree murder, the amount tends to be near the $ 1,000,000 mark.
In addition, a second-degree murder charge has a bail of around $ 250,000. This amount is doubled-$500,000- if you are charged as an accessory to 1st-degree murder.
2. Manslaughter
Manslaughter is different from murder in that it involves the killing of a person without intending to harm or kill the person. That said, there are two levels of manslaughter – voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.
Voluntary manslaughter results in a $ 100,000 bail bond, while involuntary manslaughter is usually set at $ 25,000.
3. Sexual Offenses: Rape
States are often stringent when it comes to sexual offenses. That being said, the average bail amount for bail is often set at $ 100,000. You can expect this amount to rise significantly depending on the circumstances associated with the charge.
4. Robbery
The bail for robbery depends on certain circumstances. This can be your previous felony record, if a firearm, force, or fear was used, or if the robbery is first degree.
That said, the bail for a first-degree robbery is often set at $100,000, while a second-degree robbery can be at the $ 50,000 mark. However, on the lower end-depending on the circumstances of the offense- a minimum bail amount of $ 25,000 is normally set.
5. Assault
There are different levels of assault. As such, the judge sets the bail depending on the severity of the crime. For example, where you commit an assault with the intention of committing a crime, then your bail may hit the $1,000,000 mark.
In the same token, an assault where a firearm was used has a bail of $50,000, while an assault with a deadly weapon – not necessarily a firearm- can have a bail of $25,000.
6. Kidnapping
The bail amount for kidnapping is normally set at $ 100,000. However, if the kidnapping involves a child under 14 years of age, then your bail amount can be set at $ 500,000.
This amount tends to increase significantly depending on the circumstances. Therefore, if the kidnapping was done for extortion or robbery, then a bail amount of $1,000,000 can be set.
What should you do?
Staying in custody puts your life on hold and prevents you from returning to your job, friends, and family. Using a bail bond agent is a safe and easy option to get immediately released and click the un-pause button on your life.
At Bad Boyz, we believe in offering affordable bond solutions for anyone who has been arrested. We’ll make sure that you post bail and get out of jail as soon as possible. Contact us today for more information on this. You can also learn more about our bail bond solution by clicking here.
Comments