QUESTION
Can I hire an attorney to file and represent someone for strictly a bond reduction or conversion?
Asked on Oct 31st, 2020 on Criminal Law - Colorado
More details to this question:
I have a friend who is in custody for 7 weeks now. She has a cash only 50K bond. This is not realistic and two court dates so far. Next one I believe is on the 24 or 25th of November. She is charged with control substance delivery and possession and I am not exact on other charges they may have attached. I want to help her but am limited on funds. I would like to save what cash we do have to the bond so she can at least have the chance to get her affairs in order for when she does have to go to DOC. If she gets convicted. She deserves the oppertunity to fight her case on the outside. She had a prior possession charge 3 years ago and never missed a court date and when she had to turn herself in to the jail after sentencing, she did so. She is not a flight risk.
1 ANSWER
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Direct answer to your question is that it will be hard to find a lawyer who will just argue the bond issue, but it is possible. That is because often once a lawyer enters their appeaarance in a case, the courts lweave them in the case, so your friend would have to agree to let the lawyer withdraw once bond is decided. That being said, many courts read the law as requiring a $50,000 bond for a sale of drugs case (especially if there is a prior). Of course if your friend stays in jail, she will qualify for the public defender to represent her. Once she bonds out, she can only qualify if she meets their financial standards. So once out, she likely will need to hire a private lawyer.
She could go through a bondsperson to post bond - they can take up to 15% as their premium (non-refundable) to post bond - many do it for 10%. Some courts will set a cash option roughly equal to the premium a bondsperson charges.
Answered on Nov 02nd, 2020 at 6:51 AM