Pre-Trial Release and Bond for a Stamford DUID Arrest
After a DUID arrest in Stamford, an individual must suddenly concern themselves with many overwhelming legal processes. Both the pre-trial release and bond processes for a DUID arrest in Stamford can be incredibly complex, and should not be tackled alone. Any individual involved in such a case should not hesitate to contact an experienced attorney immediately. A proper lawyer will build a strong case to assist in minimizing or reducing any penalties you may be facing.
Determining the Bond Amount
When someone is arrested for a DUID in Stamford, they are ordered to report to Stamford Superior Court for their first court appearance. If they are able to post bond, there are usually not many conditions of release issued until their arraignment hearing, which is the first court hearing. At the time of a DUID arrest in Stamford the bond amount is determined by the arresting police officer or the Stamford Police Department Desk Sergeant on duty at the time of an individual’s arrest.
The bond amount for a Stamford DUID arrest is determined by a number of factors such as the suspect’s criminal history, conviction record, and residence if the person lives out of state or out of country. When there is a criminal history, conviction record, or the person is not a local resident, the bond tends to increase. If there are prior DUIDs, then the bond amount goes up.
The bond amount is also determined by the seriousness of the Stamford DUID arrest. When there are serious physical injuries or someone is deceased, that bond is set at a higher amount. If the person is very intoxicated and the blood alcohol content readings are over 0.2 percent, the bond is higher because the police are concerned about the safety of the community.
Posting Bond
An individual can post the bond through a bail bondsman. Sometimes the bond is a surety bond, which means the bondsman can post a percentage of the bond amount. However, when it is a cash bond as determined by the police or the court, it must be paid in full cash at the police station or at the Bridgeport jail.
Blood and Urine Tests
Sometimes the arrest is by warrant application, which can happen with Stamford Connecticut DUID arrests because blood alcohol is determined by breath, urine, or blood. Usually, urine and blood test results do not come back for several days or weeks.
A person involved in a Stamford DUID may go to the hospital, provide a blood or urine sample, and then be released without being arrested. The police then submit an application for a search warrant of the person’s medical records to determine the blood or urine test results.
When an individual is involved in an accident in Stamford and they are asked to give a blood test or urine test, it is important to first speak to a lawyer to see if an individual should exercise their right to refuse. Many times there are hospitals that try to get someone’s urine or blood to provide to the police when they are in an accident and a DUID is suspected.
If there is a major car accident in connection with a suspected Stamford DUID, then an individual should not provide urine or blood samples at the hospital unless it is absolutely necessary for their health and safety. Even then, an individual may want to talk to a lawyer before agreeing to a test, because turning over that information can bolster the prosecution’s case against that individual.
Bond and Pre-Trial Release Proceedings
When the police investigating a Stamford DUID have to get information from an individual’s hospital medical record, it takes several weeks. An arrest warrant application is submitted to the state’s attorney or prosecutor’s office in Stamford Superior Court and then submitted to the judge, if they believe a DUID was committed. If signed by a judge, then the arrest warrant comes back to the police station with a court set amount for the bond.
When the bond is set by the police or the court and an individual does not post bond, an individual is brought to Stamford Superior Court on the next business morning. Those arrested in Stamford who have not posted bond have a bond hearing at noon in Stamford.
An individual will be brought to the courthouse at 123 Hoyt Street in Stamford for a bond hearing. At that point, the court hears from the bail commissioner’s office, the prosecutor or the state’s attorney, and from any victim in the case. The court then hears from the individual accused, or their criminal lawyer.
The court sets a bond and pre-trial conditions of release for an individual’s DUID arrest in Stamford, which can be a curfew, random alcohol and urine testing, alcohol and drug counseling, or any kind of home confinement. The court has the right to set all those conditions for release. An individual’s lawyers can argue against those if they are unnecessary or overly burdensome.
Benefits of an Attorney
It is important for you to have an experienced DUID lawyer at your arraignment to argue against conditions of release because those conditions can hang over your head for the entirety of the case. If you violate those conditions, it is a separate crime that can result in more arrests, more legal fees, and more potential jail time.