Bond Hearings
Arrested in Illinois? A bond hearing decides whether you stay in custody or go home. Harter & Schottland fight to secure release, lower bail, and protect your rights.
When a person is arrested in Illinois, they are often held in custody until a bond hearing is held. By law, this hearing must occur within 48 hours of arrest. At the hearing, a bond court judge decides whether the accused can be released pending trial or must remain in custody.
What Judges Consider at a Bond Hearing
When deciding whether to release someone on bond, the judge evaluates several factors, including:
- Criminal history (if any)
- Community ties such as family, employment, or residency
- Seriousness of the alleged offense
- Risk of fleeing or violating the law
The goal is to ensure the accused will appear in court, follow all pretrial conditions, and comply with the law while their case is pending.
Why Legal Representation Matters
Bond hearings are critical because they determine whether you remain in custody until trial or go home while your case proceeds. Recent changes in the law now require that the accused be represented by an attorney at these hearings — and for good reason. Without skilled legal advocacy, many people remain jailed unnecessarily.
At Harter & Schottland, our attorneys fight to secure your release and minimize bail and conditions of bond. If you’ve already had a hearing, we can also request reconsideration of the bond determination.
Pretrial Bond Services Reports
When judges make initial bond decisions, they often have very limited information — usually only the defendant’s name, date of birth, address, and charges. To provide a clearer picture, we may request a pretrial bond services report, which includes:
- Family and social background
- Employment and education history
- Physical and mental health information
Armed with this additional context, we can better argue for your release or reduced conditions.
Protecting Your Rights from the Start
Even before a bond hearing, it is critical not to speak with authorities without an attorney present. Many people unintentionally make their situation worse by trying to explain themselves. Remember: you have the constitutional right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.
At Harter & Schottland, we act quickly to protect your rights, advocate for your release, and minimize the impact of an arrest. We represent clients accused of all types of crimes throughout Northern Illinois.
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