<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">How do judges decide how high to set a bond for someone who’s been arrested?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Under Article 334 of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure, judges must set bail at amounts that ensure defendants will appear in court.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The provision directs judges to consider 10 factors when setting those amounts. The factors, as listed in Article 334:</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The seriousness of the offense charged, including but not limited to whether the offense is a crime of violence or involves a controlled dangerous substance.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The weight of the evidence against the defendant.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The previous criminal record of the defendant.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The ability of the defendant to give bail.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The nature and seriousness of the danger to any other person or the community that would be posed by the defendant’s release.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The defendant’s voluntary participation in a pretrial drug testing program.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The absence or presence of any controlled dangerous substance in the defendant’s blood at the time of arrest.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Whether the defendant is currently out on bond on a previous felony arrest for which he is awaiting institution of prosecution, arraignment, trial, or sentencing.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">Any other circumstances affecting the probability of defendant’s appearance.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyListing">The type or form of bail.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Additionally, the law says bail may be set according to a schedule — that is, specific amounts for certain crimes — but it allows those amounts to be superseded.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“A person charged with the commission of a felony for which bail is fixed by a schedule may give bail according to the schedule or demand a special order fixing bail. …,” reads Article 340.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Bail herein may be set above the scheduled amount if the court deems it appropriate or the district attorney moves for good cause to have the bail set above the scheduled amount and the court finds it appropriate.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote"><a href="http://www.legis.la.gov">www.legis.la.gov</a></span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote"><a href="http://www.legis.la.gov">

</a></span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadBrief" style="font-size: 14px;">Recyclables vendor sorts waste material</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">How does Team Green recycle the stuff I drop off every week?</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Even though I separate my items, I noticed the attendants throw everything together into their truck and crush it. I noticed other people don’t even separate their items, and the attendant told me I didn’t have to.</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: ‘Lucida Sans’;" class="R~sep~ACopyBody">How can the materials be reused when they are gathered up this way?</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">City officials have said that the material is sorted by the vendor that ultimately collects the recyclables that residents drop off at Team Green sites.</span>

<span style="font-weight: bold;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Online:</span> <span class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote"><a href="http://www.cityoflakecharles.com/">www.cityoflakecharles.com</a></span>

<p style="text-align: center;">***

<span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">The I</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nform</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">er answers questions from rea</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ders each Sunday, Monday a</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">nd Wednesday. It is re</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">searched and written by</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">Andrew Perzo</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">, an</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">American Press</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">staff wri</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">ter. To ask a question, call</span> <span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">494-409</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">8 and leave voice mail, or ema</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;" class="R~sep~ACopyEditors~sep~endnote">il informer@americanpress.com.</span>