In Minnesota’s levels of offenses, there are four categories ranging from petty misdemeanors to a felony. So what does it mean when you are charged with one or more of these categories?  The lowest level of offense in Minnesota is the petty misdemeanor. If you are convicted of a petty misdemeanor, you can only be fined up to $300.00, and it is not even considered a crime because jail time cannot be given. However, even if it is not technically a crime, a petty misdemeanor can come up on a background check and employers may take it into account. An example of a petty misdemeanor is speedin ..read more

While you await your trial, the court might release you on bail; however, the courts need to assess if you will appear for all your court dates and go through the trial process. This determines whether you will be let out on a secured or unsecured bail bond.  A secured bail bond means you have to pay actual money or put up property to secure your release. If you do not show up for your court appearances or you flee the state, you’re stuck with the loss of collateral or money that you put up for your release.  An unsecured bail bond means you don’t put up any money or collateral upfro ..read more

The commercial bail bond has been an established method of release since the United States was founded. Commercial bail, though a controversial and often over-glorified industry, was originally established to provide affordable release of a defendant while providing financial relief to the public for housing and/or returning a defendant to custody. The bond represents a promise to the courts that the physical body of the defendant will appear to every court date, the location/whereabouts of the defendant for extradition purposes (when applicable), or the full-face value of the bond will be pai ..read more

Failed to appear in court. Now what? If a defendant fails to appear to a court date, and the bond is forfeited, the bondsman will be given a demand to either pay the full value of the bond to the courts or return the defendant to custody. Upon this failure to appear (FTA), the bondsman will contract a bail enforcement agent and will begin investigative steps to discover the location of the defendant and/or secure the apprehension (when applicable) of the defendant. Once the defendant is apprehended (when applicable), the defendant will be surrendered to the County/State in which the bond was p ..read more

What is pretrial release? When a defendant is released on a pretrial release program, it is with a promise to reappear to court and to be placed on a non-restrictive or restrictive supervision program. These programs have included GPS monitoring, pretrial supervision/reporting, drug testing, house arrest, chemical dependency treatment, and various other options. At times, in these instances, the courts can order a defendant to pay 10% of what would normally have been the face value of the bail directly to the courts. If, for whatever reason, a defendant fails to appear or violates a term of re ..read more

Various terms and phrases relating to bail bonds can understandably be confusing for someone unfamiliar with the administration of bail. We hope that the explanations below can provide a resource that alleviates stress or worry about the bail bond process. ARRAIGNMENT – The initial appearance before a judge in a criminal case. At an arraignment, the charges against the defendant are read, a lawyer is appointed if the defendant cannot afford one, and the defendant’s plea is entered. A plea can be guilty, not guilty, or where permitted nolo contendere. ARREST – This occurs when a citizen is tak ..read more

Various terms and phrases relating to bail bonds can understandably be confusing for someone unfamiliar with the administration of bail. We hope that the explanations below can provide a resource that alleviates stress or worry about the bail bond process. PREMIUM – Premium is the amount charged for a bail bond transaction to take place. This is not refundable. In the State of Minnesota, the bail bond premium is 10% of the bail bond, unless in some circumstances when a minimum fee is required.  COLLATERAL – Physical/Real Estate/Money that is taken by the Bail Entity, to be held against ..read more

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?” Due to our affinity toward legal dramas and action films, most people have heard Miranda Rights recited on television or in movies. The Miranda Warning, often referred to as Miranda Rights, play an important role for all citizens, even those who will never have them read by a police ..read more

Various terms and phrases relating to bail bonds can understandably be confusing for someone unfamiliar with the administration of bail. We hope that the explanations below can provide a resource that alleviates stress or worry about the bail bond process. SURETY: The insurance company that supports/guarantees with the State/Court for every bond posted by a Bail Bond Company/Agent. The Surety empowers the Bail Bond Company to act in its authority as its Agent. BAIL AGENT/COMPANY: The entity conducting business and establishing/posting bail on behalf of a Surety for an accused person. In Minn ..read more

Knowing where your important documents are located might sound like a no-brainer. Nonetheless, in the event of an emergency or unforeseen circumstance, having these documents both safe and readily available can relieve unnecessary stress to any startling situation. Birth or adoption certificates. A birth certificate can be one of the simplest ways to prove your age, citizenship status and identity. Having documents on hand that have the ability to establish your identity is important to the bail bond process. If you don’t have your original certificate, a copy can be requested from Minnesota’s ..read more