Many clients find themselves in custody and held on very high bond after being charged with trafficking cannabis or controlled substances. Multiple grams of meth, marijuana, or any number of pills can easily result in Illinois trafficking charges. Most persons are stopped on either Interstate 70 or 55 in Madison County, Illinois. The troopers are very adept at getting the subjects to agree to a consent search and even to transporting across state lines. Once the evidence is gathered the client is taken to the Madison County Jail where he/she sits on $100,000 or greater bonds.
That is where we come into the picture. Usually a friend or relative calls us and gives a brief narrative of what they believe happened. We are retained and first attempt a reduction of the bond. There are two ways to accomplish this goal. First an informal attempt through direct contact with the charging prosecutor is made. This normally works. Secondly, we file a Motion for Reduction with the court. If needed the court hears a brief position statement from the defense attorney and rebuttal by the State. Then he/she either reduces the bond or leaves it as is. We are very successful in both means of reduction. It is not uncommon to obtain reductions on bonds originally set over $100,000 to less than $5,000. I have even obtained recognizance bonds in extreme circumstances for clients charged with marijuana trafficking.
Once bond is reduced the client posts and is allowed to travel to their state of residence. The bond may be posted via the government's pay site (online) or in person. The online method works well with credit card payments and for those too far away to attend court.