If I am arrested for a crime, how much is it going to cost me?
When you are arrested for a crime, the monetary cost can be quite high. The cost will vary depending on the type of crime for which you are arrested, the state in which you are arrested, the fees charged by your attorney (assuming you hire one), and the monetary-related penalties imposed on your by the court if you are convicted of the crime. The cost can be specifically made up of the following:
Bail is a monetary amount set by a judge that a defendant charged of a crime must pay in order to be released from jail until the time of his trial. The purpose of bail is to provide an incentive for the defendant to show up for all trial-related proceedings that he is required to attend. In general, bail is refunded to the defendant if he shows up as he is required to appear but is forfeited if he fails to appear. Some crimes do not allow the judge to set bail. Likewise, if the judge does not believe that bail will provide sufficient motivation for the defendant to appear for required proceedings, the judge may choose not to set bail. If bail is set, depending on where you are arrested, you may be able to post bail in cash or by pledging property. As bail may be refunded to the defendant if he appears, there may be no cost to the defendant if he can post the bail on his own. However, if a bail bondsman is used—which is someone who posts bail on behalf of the defendant for a fee—the fee will be forfeited as payment to the bail bondsman. The fee can vary depending on the amount of the bail, but 10% of the bail amount is generally a good estimate of the cost. In a criminal case, if you cannot afford to hire an attorney, a public defender will be appointed to defend you. The fee for the public defender is paid by the local, state, or federal government or possibly by a not-for-profit agency. Regardless, a public defender will not cost the defendant any money. However, if the defendant can afford an attorney, the fee charged by the attorney can vary widely depending on the type of crime, the amount of time it will take the attorney to prepare for and try the case, whether the attorney charges a flat or hourly fee, and how good/experienced the attorney is. In general, the better the attorney, the more expensive it will be to the defendant. Regardless of whether you use a public defender or can afford to hire your own attorney, the defender will have to pay court costs. Court costs vary depending on the jurisdiction and length of the proceedings, but usually they range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. If you are found guilty of a crime, part of the sentence can be monetary. If your crime had a victim who was injured or had property damaged as a result of your crime, the court can award the victim the cost of medical bills, money for pain and suffering, and the amount necessary to pay for any damage to the victim’s property. The crime may also mandate as a part of the sentence the assessment of fines or penalties, and the court can award punitive damages—that is, an additional amount as a further deterrent for the defendant to not commit the crime again. As you can see from the information above, being charged with a crime can be an expensive proposition, and being found guilty of a crime can become even more costly. If you have been arrested, you should at least obtain a consultation from a criminal attorney. If you complete the short form at http://www.criminaldefensehome.com/eval_bar.php, a criminal lawyer will review your case free of charge. This review will allow the attorney to estimate the amount of money you could have to pay if you are found guilty of the crime, as well as the cost the attorney would need to charge to mount an adequate defense. As the review is 100% confidential, free of charge, and there is no obligation, you should seek a professional consultation with an attorney today.Bail
Attorney fees and court costs
Repayment of damages, fines, and penalties
Do I need to hire a criminal defense attorney to represent me if I am arrested for a crime?
