Domestic violence bail bonds are complicated due to the stricter rules and regulations that apply to domestic violence cases. If you or a loved one has been arrested on charges of domestic violence, it’s important to understand how the domestic violence bail bond process works, and Bad Boys Bail Bonds understands the bail process better than anyone.
What is Domestic Violence?
To start, you must understand what domestic violence is. While statutes differ from state to state, in general, domestic violence is an act or threat of physical violence committed by one family or household member on another family or household member.
The Utah state legislature defines domestic violence as, “… any criminal offense involving violence or physical harm or threat of violence or physical harm, or any attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation to commit a criminal offense involving violence or physical harm, when committed by one cohabitant against another.”
Depending on the circumstances of the case, the defendant can either be charged with a Class A or Class B misdemeanor. Class B domestic violence crimes include threats or attempts of bodily harm, shows of force or violence to commit bodily harm or an act, committed with unlawful force, which ends in bodily harm. Class A cases are when the accused intentionally and purposefully commits acts of violence against a family or household member. Class B assaults can become Class A assaults if the victim is pregnant and the accused knows about the pregnancy. If convicted, the accused can face a hefty fee and possible jail time – up to a year in more serious cases – depending on the severity of the crime.
Domestic Violence Bail Conditions
Because of the high rate of recurrence, and the demonstrated risk of continued acts of violence, the Utah Legislature has declared domestic violence as a crime in which bail can be denied. In order for a court to deny bail, there must be substantial evidence to support the charge and the court must deem the accused to be a substantial threat to the victim if released on bail.
There are two main differentiators when posting bail in a domestic violence case in Utah:
- The accused is not eligible for bail until the end of the first court day following the initial arrest.
- The accused may not contact the victim while they are waiting to be released on bail. If the accused does contact the alleged victim, it’s considered an additional Class B misdemeanor.
If the accused has been granted bail, and the above conditions are met, they may then post bail. If the bail is too high, the accused has the right to file a motion requesting a reduced bail amount.
How to Post Bail in Domestic Violence Cases
Bail is a type of collateral used to ensure a freed inmate will return to court on a specific day. When the defendant appears in court as promised, the money is returned. If the accused skips bail, there are serious consequences.
If you don’t have the cash for bail, you must stay in jail until your trial is complete. However, while bail can be paid in cash, due to the high costs, bail bonds are much more common. The bail bondsmen at Bad Boys Bail Bonds are here to ensure you or your loved ones spend as little time in jail as possible. We will put up the bail in exchange for a small fee to get you freed from jail quickly.
Our bail bonds agents are quick and professional and will work hard to help you get your life back on track. You can request a bail bond online, or, for more information, contact Bad Boys Bail Bonds 24/7 at 801-895-4014.
