• You can post the entire amount of the bond in cash with the court. This, not surprisingly, is know as a CASH BOND. At the conclusion of the case, you will have the entire amount of the bond you posted refunded to you.
• You can contact a licensed bail bondsman to post a COMMERCIAL SURETY BOND, more commonly known as a bail bond. This service is helpful if you cannot afford to post the entire amount of the bond in cash. For a fee (usually around 13% of the total bond), a bail bondsman will post the total amount of the bond for you. This fee is non-refundable.
• You may post a PROPERTY BOND. The court allows real property to be posted as bond, so long as there is sufficient equity in the proposed property to cover the full amount of the bond. The court holds and records a mortgage against the property in the amount of the bond, and cancels the mortgage only after the conclusion of the case. There is sometimes a fee associated with a property bond (to cover the cost of filing and recording the mortgage).
• A judge may choose to issue a RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE, or ROR bond. This is known in some states as a personal recognizance bond. It requires merely that a defendant sign a promise to return to court for trial whenever notified, but does not require posting any money either with the court or with a bail bondsman. Frequently, the services of a reputable attorney can be useful in appealing for a recognizance bond, as judges are more likely to grant this type of bond when they know a defendant is represented by counsel.
• A judge may grant a PERSONAL SURETY BOND (PSBU). This is similar to an ROR bond, except it is a signature bond by someone other than the defendant who pledges (but does not post) the full amount of the bond. Typically a hearing is held where the person signing the bond must establish that they have sufficient assets to cover the bond amount should the defendant forfeit the bond by failing to appear at court. If the bond is forfeited, the court can demand the amount of the bond from the signer of the bond, otherwise no money is ever required. In Orleans Parish there is a $200.00 fee for a PSBU.

An experienced attorney can:

• Help protect an arrested subject’s rights after arrest
• Insure that a bond is set in a timely manner
• Insure that bond is set at an appropriate amount
• Make a motion to reduce a bond that has been set too high
• Recommend a reputably bonding company to post bond
• Assist in the possible release of a defendant on their own recognizance

I have successfully represented hundreds and hundreds of clients in absentia saving countless hours of time for people across the city and across the country. Busy professionals and especially out-of-town tourists and conventioneers have trusted me to handle their minor criminal matters for years.

You can call or text me immediately on me cell phone at 504.237.5245, call my office at 504.528.9500, email me at townsend@nolacriminallaw.com, or find @nolalaw on twitter. If you prefer to use the contact form on this page or the “contact” page of this site, I can promise your request will be answered immediately.

There is a negligible additional fee involved in representing a client in absentia.

• murder / homicide
• manslaughter
• aggravated assault
• simple battery
• second degree battery
• aggravated battery
• arson
• kidnapping
• rape
• armed robbery
• first degree robbery
• simple robbery

Violent crimes generally carry more serious sentences, and in almost all case do not carry the possibility of probation. Because of this, it is very important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible to begin to prepare your defense for any violent crime charge.

Drug-related crimes usually involve the following illegal drugs:

• Marijuana
• Heroin
• Cocaine (including Crack cocaine)
• Methamphetamine
• LSD
• Ecstasy
• Prescription drugs

In general the types of offenses charged include:

• Drug possession
• Possession with the intent to sell drugs
• Distribution of drugs
• Cultivation and manufacturing drugs
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

Punishment for drug possession varies greatly in severity depending on the type and the amount of drug involved. Possession of marijuana, for instance, is a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 6 months in Parish Prison. For all other types of drugs, a convicted individual will face significantly more severe penalties, as even the simple possession of all other drugs (including prescription pills) are felony offenses.

The laws and potential sentences vary depending on the type of drug involved, the particular offense charged, and the amount of drugs involved in the offense. Additionally, in all felony offenses, your sentence can vary depending upon your prior criminal history.

Because of the complicated nature of Louisiana law, you need an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney to serve you throughout your drug arrest and trial.

In addition to the possibility of incarceration, the  long-term consequences of a felony conviction may include the loss of the right to vote; ineligibility for elected office or professional licenses; and restrictions on the right to possess weapons.

Many felony crimes DO however carry the possibility of probation, and even those crimes that carry mandatory prison time can be negotiated down by a skilled attorney to a lesser charge for which probation is an option. It is extremely important when charged with a felony offense to retain an experienced criminal defense attorney to assist you.

LET ME HELP YOU SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

In Louisiana there are several ways to go about posting bond:

• In Louisiana lawyers are allowed to request PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE releases for their clients from judges and other elected officials for specified non-violent offenses. Most typical non-violent cases you will be inquiring about fall into this category. So it is quite possible that I can help you get your friend or loved one out of jail without needing to involve a bail bondsman or other surety agent. This can help save substantial time and money.
• You can post the entire amount of the bond in cash with the court. This, not surprisingly, is know as a CASH BOND. At the conclusion of the case, you will have the entire amount of the bond you posted refunded to you.
• You can contact a licensed bail bondsman to post a COMMERCIAL SURETY BOND, more commonly known as a bail bond. This service is helpful if you cannot afford to post the entire amount of the bond in cash. For a fee (usually around 13% of the total bond), a bail bondsman will post the total amount of the bond for you. This fee is non-refundable.

The possibility of obtaining an unsecured personal recognizance bond can be especially helpful for arrested individuals who live out of state (students, tourists, business people, convention goers, etc.), as  in many cases the standard practice of commercial bonding is limited to people with substantial ties to the area. That is, if you are not from the New Orleans area most bail bond companies will not offer to bond you out of jail. That means that in many cases your only option would be to post the full cash bond, which can be prohibitively expensive, unless you secure the services of a lawyer.

Call or text me at (504)237-5245, or email me using one of the contact forms on this website. I promise you will hear from me immediately, especially if you indicate that the matter involves someone who is currently incarcerated.

It is important to get a qualified criminal defense attorney involved as soon as possible after arrest to help protect the rights of the arrested person, as well as to help friends and family navigate the complexities of post-arrest court proceedings and the procedures associated with posting bail.