214-747-4110

163 Pittsburg Street, Suite A2, Dallas, TX 75207

940-383-4600

909 E. McKinney St., Denton, TX 76209

972-562-6057

1502 W. University Suite #101, McKinney, TX 75069

Recent Blog Posts

Justin Felony Bail Bonds: How Much Will You Pay?

 Posted on October 17, 2018 in City Jails

Doc's Bail Bonds

The Justin City Jail located at 415 North College Ave. is a part of the city's police department. It's not designed for long-term holding, but it can still be a tough way to spend a night. If you have been picked up on charges, you want to spend as little time there as possible. But many are intimidated by the bail bond process because they're not sure of how it works and big numbers are thrown around when discussing costs.

In the following article, we're going to pull back the curtain on what you can expect to pay, particularly regarding felony charges. But first...

How Justin Deals with Felonies

If you have been picked up on a felony charge, don't expect to spend very long at the Justin City Jail. It's a three-day max 'vacation.' Except it's not a vacation. It's a high-security facility as the JPD keeps it fully staffed at all times. You'll be held there for as long as it takes to get a release on your own recognizance or to post bond. If you can't afford to post bond and you're unwilling to hire a bail bondsman, then your next stop is the Denton County Detention Center.

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Bailed Out in Aubrey: How Long Will It Take?

 Posted on October 12, 2018 in City Jails

Doc's Bail Bonds

The city of Aubrey is home to just under 3,000. As such, it's the type of place where you can get around quickly. That fast pace carries over into the bail bond system. If you have been picked up and charged with a crime, you can expect a short stay before being shipped off to the county detention center or released on your own recognizance.

Either way, one day inside of a city jail is too many. And the faster you can get the paperwork filled out and the bond paid, the better.

A Matter of Minutes

So just how long does it take to bail your loved one out of city jail (or get yourself bailed out)? The answer varies, but it depends largely on how quickly you can reach out to the Doc. At Doc's Bail Bonds, we are equipped to pursue a speedy release through a combination of knowing the bail system and having an extensive network within the law enforcement community.

We know many officers in Aubrey and the larger Denton County. If you're staying at Aubrey, it's a super simple fix. Denton County is a little more complicated, but still well within our purview.

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What Happens When You're Booked by Allen Police?

 Posted on October 10, 2018 in City Jails

Doc's Bail Bonds

The Allen Police Department handles all crime committed within the city limits, but that doesn't mean you'll end up staying at the city jail. Your ultimate 'resting place' is going to depend on the crime you've committed, the length of your stay as determined by a judge, and your ability to pay the bond.

But it all starts with the booking process. In the following article, we'll address what you can expect if you're unfortunate enough to get arrested and charged with a crime. Let's boogie.

What You Need to Know About the Allen Jail

Allen is not a terrifically huge city. The population is around 85,000. People formally charged have two choices as far as places to stay are concerned, and neither of them is particularly charitable. The first is the city jail itself, housed at the same location as the police department. The address is 205 West McDermott. You'll be here for about three days for a class C misdemeanor. After that, you'll either be released or transferred to the Collin County Detention Center.

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What Is Driving Calls for Bail Reform?

 Posted on September 30, 2018 in Legal News

There are competing views bail reform in the state of Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott recently threw his support behind the Damon Allen Act, named for the Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper, who was killed in the line of duty in November 2017.

Abbott's support for the bail reform measure states a goal of keeping the most violent felons from being released. But critics have argued it could go too far and end up keeping nonviolent persons in jail longer than the current system. 

While considerations are still underway — you can read more about the Abbott measure here — it highlights a growing desire to see the process changed. This desire stems from some in our industry who work to take advantage of underprivileged individuals who find themselves under arrest and facing charges. 

Pay to Play Is Driving Bail Reform Efforts

Too often, bail bondsmen are in it solely for the money. This is something we've actively fought against at Doc's Bail Bonds. But the reason we have to fight against it is that the threat is real. Bondsmen don't act in the best interests of their clients. 

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Wrongfully Accused: A Real Problem Bail Can Help Solve

 Posted on September 23, 2018 in Bail Bonds

In 2002, Ru-El Sailor was convicted of murdering Omar Clark. Sailor allegedly shot Clark to death. His sentence: 25 years to life in prison. Thankfully, the Ohio Innocence Project — through mountains of research, evidence, and testimonies — were able to connect the dots and prove Sailor innocent beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Stories like Sailor's are all too common in the justice system. You might dismiss them as rare, but you could probably do a Google News search every week and find a newly-unearthed example or two. 

When Wrongfully Accused, It's a Societal Problem

It's easy to dismiss stories like Sailor's with a cavalier attitude. We convince ourselves that, while he may not have been guilty of that crime, he had to have been guilty of something to be close enough to the heat where police could pin it on him. 

Never mind there are countless cases of mistaken identity that end with horrific convictions and years-long stays in a state penitentiary. This type of attitude is not one that belongs in a civilized society. If you're innocent of a crime, you should not be doing the time. And if you are doing the time, that means someone else is getting away with something. 

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Wanted – Aaron Kyle Martin

 Posted on July 31, 2018 in Wanted

Doc's Bail Bonds

POSS CS PG 2 >= 1G<4GBond Amount: $75000; Bond No.: Kaufman Bond Height: 6'; 180 LbsRace: White; Brown Hair, EyesDate of Birth: October 25, 1985; Age: 32

Cash Reward

Doc's Bail Bond is offering a $500 for information that helps us capture Aaron Kyle Martin.  If you have any information please call Doc's Bail Bonds at (214) 747-4110.

Download Wanted Poster

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What Does It Take to Reduce Your Bail Amount?

 Posted on July 25, 2018 in Bail Bonds

Doc's Bail Bonds

The bail amount a judge will set for a defendant can seem like an arbitrary number, but there is a certain logic to it. Courts are known to base the amount on three factors: 

  • The severity of the crime of which the defendant is accused
  • Flight risk of the defendant
  • The danger of the defendant to themselves and/or others

While these factors hold true, there is another factor that weighs in thanks to the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which dictates courts must not set excessive bail. As such, the financial means of the accused must weigh in at some point. 

What Is Excessive Bail? 

Unfortunately, 'excessive bail' is about as descriptive as the Eighth Amendment gets. Courts have worked through case law to bring the meaning a little more into focus. Basically, excessive bail is anything so high there's little chance the accused can actually pay it. 

That said, courts have the ability to set bail at very high amounts should they be able to prove a compelling interest in doing so. (See the factors bulleted above.) If a court does set the bail amount too high, they could be viewed as unfairly incarcerating you prior to your actual trial. The courts have to be able to justify their decision, and that's where the above factors are so crucial to the defendant's rights. 

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What Are the Unintended Consequences of Not Posting Bail?

 Posted on July 23, 2018 in Bail Bonds

Doc's Bail Bonds

Posting bail when under arrest for a serious offense can seem staggering. Depending on the charges, the amount can run into many thousands — even hundreds of thousands — of dollars. 

But some of the hesitation to post bail emanates from not fully knowing how the process works. When a bond is set at $500,000, for instance, posting places one on the hook for just 10 percent of the total. 

From there, it's up to the accused to make the court date to ensure the full amount of the bond isn't triggered. Of course, $50,000 is still a lot of money, and numbers like that could discourage doing anything at all. But that, too, can be a serious mistake. In the following article, we'll show you how by examining some of the unintended consequences. Let's begin. 

Unintended Consequence No. 1: Job Loss

Most employers will not fire an innocent person until they're proven otherwise — at least not for the crime itself. But criminal charges make an employer very uncomfortable, and if you have to miss a lot of work on account of being locked up, you end up giving them an easy out to get rid of you. When you lose a job against your will, you end up having a black mark on your resume that makes it more difficult to find future positions. There's also the loss of money in the short term to worry about — something that can spill over into other aspects of your life. 

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Why No Showing Your Court Date Is a Horrible Idea

 Posted on July 20, 2018 in Bail Bonds

Doc's Bail Bonds

No-showing a court date creates a nightmare scenario for more than just the accused. The most obvious problem to arise is the money issue, but it goes well beyond that. In the following article, we'll be discussing all the ways that failure to appear can ruin your life and relationships. Let's begin. 

Friends and Family

Many times, people accused of serious crimes rely on friends and family to post the 10 percent required for bonding out. That means if your bail bond is set at $25,000, a loved one put up $2,500 on your behalf, provided you were unable to pay for it yourself. 

No-showing your court date means they lose their money and the full amount of the bond is due. Beyond the obvious financial impact of that, you've likely lost a friend or family member you could count on to be there for you during troubled times. 

Your Record

People accused of crimes often are not first-time offenders. As they are drawn into a life of crime, their actions will escalate to more serious offenses. Not showing up for a court date will almost always come back to haunt these people because it shows future judges you can't be trusted — something they'll factor in the next time they're faced with whether to grant bail. 

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Bail Considerations When It Isn't Your First Offense

 Posted on July 18, 2018 in Bail Bonds

In the US, judges usually prefer granting bail to keep with the code of law one is innocent until proven guilty. But that doesn't always mean it's a slam dunk. Sometimes the circumstances of a crime or the circumstances of the accused's life can lead to higher bail amounts or flat-out denial. 

Repeat offenders are particularly susceptible to the more stringent rulings. But what exactly does the court look for when making these determinations? In the following article, we'll be discussing considerations for when it isn't your first offense. Let's begin. 

A History of Offending

When you have more than one arrest on your record, it automatically increases the odds that you won't be granted bail or that the amount set will be so high you can't even afford the 10 percent bond-posting fee that most bondsmen require. That said, there are plenty of cases where your past doesn't factor in. For instance, if you have a record but it isn't one filled with serious or violent felonies, then the court likely will treat your current charge as a first offense. 

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