The police arrested you for a criminal offense and now the Court has released you on bond. You do not have much experience with the legal system and do not want to do anything that could get you into more trouble and go back to jail. What do you need to do to make sure you stay out of jail?
Abide by the Conditions of Bond
In addition to paying the required bond that either you or someone else posted to get you out of jail, the Court will have imposed certain conditions on you that you will have to follow. These are referred to as “conditions of bond.”
At the very least, when the Court released you on bond, they required that you do not commit any new criminal offenses. You probably expected this condition. However, the Court often imposes other conditions that you must follow depending on what kind of crime police have accused you of committing.
For example, if you are accused of Assault, the Court could require that you stay away and have no contact with the alleged victim. This can be true even if you both live at the same address! Also, if police have charged you with Driving While Intoxicated, the Court could order you to install and maintain an interlock device on your vehicle.
These are just a few examples of what the Court might require of you while on bond. The paperwork that you received from the Court upon release from jail lists each restriction that you must follow. Always refer to this document. If you lose it, ask the Court for a new copy. In many counties, you can even find a copy online.
This paperwork will also tell you when you have to report back to Court. You can expect to show up for court several times before the District Attorney’s office formally files the charges. After this happens, you might have to start appearing at a different Court. Either way, the Court will usually give you a few weeks between each Court appearance during which you have the opportunity to consult with an attorney.
Holding Bond Insufficient
If you fail to follow these court-required conditions, the State could file a motion with the Court to hold your bond insufficient. This means that the prosecutors are asking the Court to make you pay more bond money or else go back to jail while you await trial.
Additionally, if you fail to report to Court on the required date, the Judge could issue a warrant for your arrest and revoke your bond. This means that you will go back to jail and lose the bond that you or someone else posted.
Find an Attorney
As soon as you leave jail, you need to find an attorney to guide you through the process. A good attorney will be able to explain the whole process and exactly what you need to to stay out of jail. Also, a good attorney will keep track of your Court dates so you do not forget and end up with a warrant for your arrest. Your freedom is one of your most important rights. A good attorney will do everything legal to make sure your stay free.