DUI Booking and Bail

When you are pulled over for a suspected DUI, the law enforcement officer will likely ask you to submit to a chemical blood alcohol content (BAC) test.  You will be asked to take a breathalyzer, urine, or blood test.  If your results return a reading of 0.08% BAC or higher, you will be charged with DUI and taken into police custody.  After your arrest, two procedures are carried out: booking and bail.

Booking

Whenever anyone is arrested, he or she must go through the booking process.  During this procedure, the law enforcement officer takes down your pertinent physical and personal information:

Name, birthday, height and weight
Statement and description of the crime
Photographs and fingerprints of the suspect
Criminal background check
Physical searching and confiscation of personal items

After all of your information has been recorded, you will be placed in a jail or holding cell.  At this point, you can begin the process of being released.

Bail

Bail is a sum of money you must pay to the court system in order to negotiate your release from jail.  It acts as a sort of insurance for the court because you will be returned your bail money when you show up on your trial date.  It is meant serve as an incentive for you to return when you are supposed to.

Sometimes, bail is not required.  In other, quite different situations, one will not be allowed to pay bail and be released immediately.  A judge must examine the situation, decide if bail will be allowed, and set the amount.  For DUI, however, there is typically a pre-set amount that offenders must pay for their release.

Contact Us

If you would like to learn more about DUI booking and bail, then Rhode Island DUI defense lawyer James Powderly can help.  Contact him today at 401-662-9006 with any questions and concerns you may have.