What Happens If You Get Arrested On A Weekend Or Holiday?
Posted on: 29 January 2021
The police don't take weekends and holidays off. If you commit a crime on any day of the year, you can get arrested. However, the day you are arrested can affect how you get out. Here's what you should know.
You Might Get Released on the Spot
In some situations, the police might decide that they need to take action but don't want to spend the hours it takes to book you into jail at the end of their shift. Or, they might feel bad for you and want to get you home. For minor crimes, they often have the discretion to give you the summons to come to court instead of taking you to jail.
A summons means that you get to go home that night without going to jail and having to bail out, but it doesn't mean you'll never have bail set. When you go to court, the judge may set bail if you have a prior record, have charges added or upgraded, or if you have trouble showing up in court when you're supposed to. You should be prepared to have to post bail any time you have a court appearance.
Some Crimes Have an Automatic Bail
Even if you're taken to jail, you might have your bail set without seeing a judge. There's often a schedule of bail amounts for the most common and less serious offenses. For example, if you get charged with DUI and have no prior record, your bail might automatically be $1,000.
In these types of cases, there's no real delay in getting out. A 24/7 bail bondsman can have you out in a few hours.
Some Courts Will Be Closed
Depending on where you live, the court may not be open on nights, weekends, and holidays. If your area requires you to see a judge to set your bail for the crime you're charged with, you're going to have to wait to see the judge. If you call a bail bondsman in advance, they can meet you at court and bail you out immediately.
Cases May Also Get Backed Up
When the courts are closed, they're not processing cases and it may take longer than usual to get to your case. If you don't want your money tied up in bail for the extra time, you may want to use a bail bondsman even if you can pay the bail on your own.
To learn more about how to get out of jail, contact a local bail bondsman today.
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