Bond Hearing

Q. What is a Bond Hearing?

A. Whether you are in custody or have been summoned to court for an Initial Appearance, one of the first procedures you must go through in the Criminal Process is called a "Bond Hearing". Essentially, the Court must determine whether you can released into the community while the criminal process is pending. (You are, of course, entitled to this hearing because you are presumed innocent of any charges until they are proven against you.)
The major questions the Court must address at this hearing are whether you have sufficient local ties to ensure your appearance compared to the seriousness of the offense. The more serious the offense, the more local ties needed to remain in the community while the case is pending and vice-versa.
The Court has three general options at the conclusion of the hearing: (1) Grant bond pursuant to a "Signature Bond", (2) Grant bond pursuant to a cash bond, (3) Deny bond.