Category Archives: Criminal Defense

When someone is arrested, they are usually brought before a judge for a bail hearing. This is your chance to argue for your release until your trial. Here are some tips on how to prepare for your bail hearing.

When you’re convicted of a crime in both Washington State and the rest of America, part of your sentencing includes the assignment of Legal Financial Obligations—LFOs. There is a wide array of fines, fees, and expenses associated with criminal justice in America, even for things we expect to be “free” in the sense that they’re funded by the taxpayers.

One of the most important pieces of advice you can hear about working with a bail bonds agent is that you need to ensure that they're licensed. Here are a few tips when it comes to making sure you're working with the real deal:

• Don't Feel Intimidated

If you're working with a legitimate agent, they will be more than happy to show you evidence that they're licensed. The best hallmark of honesty is transparency, and many agents will even show you without being asked or have their license clearly displayed. However, if they act strangely or seem offended when you ask them, don't back down! This is one of the first signs of a fraud. They may seem indignant that you're questioning them, but it's not only your right but your responsibility as a smart consumer to ask.

• Look for an Office

A legitimate bail bond agent will have a storefront. If you find someone's number online when you're in a pinch and they ask you to meet up somewhere that isn't a storefront, you should probably take your business elsewhere. Bail bond agents don't work out of a suitcase of cash.

• Look for a Robust Online Presence

Online reviews can tell you a lot! Not only the customer feedback written on sites like Yelp or Google Reviews, but also sites like the Better Business Bureau, where you can investigate any claims of fraud that have been leveraged against a company. If you find negative online feedback, that's a red flag, but even worse should be no feedback. Someone without any reviews probably isn't a business you should trust, and maybe not a business at all.

• Go Straight to the Source

If you have any reason to be suspicious, you can easily check all business and professional licenses on the Washington State Licensing Department website. If your bail bond agent doesn't show up on this directory, walk away immediately, and if they've already taken your money you should call the cops.

It is not at all uncommon for All City Bail Bonds to receive late-night calls from worried parents whose child has just been arrested. It’s an especially confusing, upsetting, and hectic time if you yourself have never been arrested and it’s also your child’s first arrest. You know you need to help get them out of jail and make the best decisions throughout the judicial process, but you have no idea where to start. Here are a few things to help you understand the process of arrest, jail, and bail for teenage defendants.

In the American judicial system, a major determinant of whether or not a defendant is granted bail, and how high that bail is, is whether or not they are considered a flight risk. But how does a judge determine their level of risk?

Everyone makes mistakes. In the bail industry, we see a lot of people at their lowest point. Our goal isn't to judge you, but to help you, and one of the situations we see the most often is DUIs.

Juveniles don't always have a right to bail in Washington State--know your rights!

According to the eighth amendment "cruel and unusual punishment" minors cannot be sentenced to death. Minors may be sentenced to life only with the exception of review for parole.

A few tips on finding a criminal defense attorney in Bellingham, what you should be looking for.