Q. If the judge sets a bond in my case, how do I pay? A judge can set a personal recognizance bond, which means you simply promise to return to court, but don't post any money. A judge may also set a cash or surety bond, which means you will need to post this amount to be released during the pendency of your case. If the judge sets a 10 percent provision, it means you only need to actually post 10 percent of the amount set, and the other 90 percent will be owed to the court if you do not show-up. It is always best to bring someone to post bond for you, because some courts will not allow a defendant to post their own bond.
Q. Will the police come to my house and arrest me? If you've been charged with a crime in Michigan, the police can come arrest you based upon an an active arrest warrant. For felony offenses in Michigan, the police will most likely come arrest you, unless your attorney can arrange to have a walk-in arraignment to avoid an embarrassing arrest. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, like an MIP, you will receive a notice in the mail to appear for court, and will most likely not be arrested prior to this court date. Some courts give you ten days to come to court, which can be confusing. What I do in these MIP cases is file my attorney appearance with the court, which usually waives this requirement, and we get a court date at a later date. This allows us to get the police reports and other evidence, and working on our proactive plan.
Q. Will the police come to my house and arrest me? If you've been charged with a crime in Michigan, the police can come arrest you based upon an an active arrest warrant. For felony offenses in Michigan, the police will most likely come arrest you, unless your attorney can arrange to have a walk-in arraignment to avoid an embarrassing arrest. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, like an MIP, you will receive a notice in the mail to appear for court, and will most likely not be arrested prior to this court date. Some courts give you ten days to come to court, which can be confusing. What I do in these MIP cases is file my attorney appearance with the court, which usually waives this requirement, and we get a court date at a later date. This allows us to get the police reports and other evidence, and working on our proactive plan.
