If you took out a bond to regain your freedom after being arrested, you might feel as though you are free to live life as usual. However, bond often comes with several restrictions. It is essential to make sure you are not restricted in your ability to travel before you leave the state, or you could face both criminal and financial penalties as a result. In fact, if you leave the state while you are out on a bond that restricts travel, you may end up sacrificing the entire bond amount. In this post, we will explain how you can learn about whether you have restrictions on your travel and the steps to take if you need to have the restrictions lifted.
How to Know if You Have Travel Restrictions After Arrest
If you need to leave the state for any reason while you are out of jail on a bond, the first thing that you should do is contact your criminal defense lawyer and ask whether you can leave the state. Some people may avoid this step because they do not want to risk asking and being denied permission, but ignorance is not a defense. If you leave the state while you are out on a bond and facing criminal charges, you may end up in jail and sacrificing your bond, and it will not serve as a defense that you did not know you were not able to leave the state.
Your attorney may be able to give you a clear answer, or they may have to get on the court docket to raise the issue with a judge. If this happens, you will likely be required to be there to explain to the judge why you need to leave the state. If you have a valid reason for leaving the state, such as attending a funeral or a reason related to work or familial responsibilities, the judge may lift any travel restrictions in order to allow you to go. However, before you go, you must contact your bond agency. Just because the judge gives you permission to go does not mean that the company who got you out on bond will, after all, if you do not return and appear for your court date, they may lose their money. You will have to talk to your bond agent to determine whether there are any restrictions on your ability to travel and, if so, whether they can be lifted.
Schedule a Consultation with Criminal Defense Lawyers at Ghanayem & Rayasam, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia, Today
If you are facing criminal charges in Georgia, the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Ghanayem & Rayasam, LLC, are ready to fight to get the charges against you kicked out of court. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help you keep your charges from becoming a conviction.