Bond VS Bail

Bond and bail are words often used interchangeably in criminal proceedings. Bond is the term courts use to determine what amount of money, if any, is necessary for someone to pay the court after arrest as insurance that they will return to court following release from jail to attend all proceedings. Bond can be set at as low as no money, where a person may be released on their own “personal recognizance,” or a “PR” bond. Bond can also be set as high as figures into the millions.

A judge setting a bond amount will look at several factors to determine how high or low of a bond amount is appropriate, including the severity of the alleged offense, the defendant’s criminal history, and any “flight risks” the defendant may or may not pose. If a bond is set too high, your criminal defense attorney can file a motion to reduce bond and argue why the bond was set too high to begin with for a subsequent judge to consider. New MIDC standards are also ensuring that every defendant has a right to an attorney at even their arraignment, so that attorney will have an opportunity to argue for a reasonable bond amount at the very first hearing.