A New Option to Get Out Of Jail in Pinellas County Florida

St. Petersburg Criminal Attorney and Former State Prosecutor Melinda Morris of the Morris Law Firm discusses a New Option in Pinellas County to Get Out of Jail.

Issue:

Until now, to get out of jail in Pinellas County you needed cash, a money order, or a bail bond.  As many detainees do not have funds on hand when arrested, it meant they had to call a relative or friend to be bailed out of jail.  Now, detainees in Pinellas County Jail can bail themselves out using a credit card.

Why This Matters To You:

Without a way to bail out of jail, many detainees were forced to wait in jail until their first advisory hearing or beyond.  Now in Pinellas County, you can use an approved credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are currently accepted) to bail yourself out of jail.

There is currently a bail limit of $750 when using a credit card.  At this level of bail, the crimes covered are typically non-violent misdemeanors and traffic violations.  As an example, the typical bail for a no valid driver’s license offense would be $250, whereas more serious crimes would carry a bail far higher than the $750 limit.  The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says the intent is to reduce the number of non-violent and first-time offenders awaiting trial in jail.  The Morris Law Firm, St. Petersburg First Time Offender Attorney, has experience in representing the type of clients that the new credit card option seeks to assist.

What To Do Next:

If You Have Been Arrested for a Criminal Offense:

·         Do not speak to the police - ask to have an attorney present.

·         Do not give a written statement – again, ask to have an attorney present.

·         Contact an attorney immediately.

·         Have your credit card on hand to bail yourself out of jail.

You have a very narrow window of time between when you are arrested and when the State Attorney's office makes a decision to file a criminal charge against you.  Hiring an attorney immediately to negotiate on your behalf gives you the best chance of avoiding criminal charges.

If you have been arrested for a criminal offense in St. Petersburg or Clearwater, Pinellas County, or Tampa, Hillsborough County, or Bradenton, Manatee, Polk, Pasco, or Sarasota Counties, FL contact a St. Petersburg Criminal Defense Attorney to discuss possible defenses that may exist in your case.  Call the Morris Law Firm at 727-388-4736 to discuss your case directly with an attorney, or fill out our Online Form to be contacted for a Free Initial Consultation.