In our last post, we looked at some of the conditions that may be put in place for someone released on bail. For a closer look at the potential restrictions you could be required to comply with, you can read that post in full here.
In this post, we will look at what can happen if you break the rules and violate the conditions of your release.
If you fail to comply with the conditions of release, the courts can revoke your release and order you to be detained until your trial.
For instance, a young man was released on bail after being charged with felony luring and a misdemeanor sexual contact offense. He is 20 years old, attends an affluent prep school and has been involved in a case where he and other young students have been painted as kids who think the rules don’t apply to them.
Unfortunately, the young man did not help this characterization much when he repeatedly traveled out of state for various reasons. According to the conditions of his release, he was not supposed leave his mother’s home after 5 p.m. until the morning. Despite explanations that his trips were for legal, safety and/or educational purposes, the courts revoked his bail and he was immediately taken to jail.
When a person breaks the rules they are supposed to obey when out on bail, they can immediately be detained and kept in jail until their trial. Further, if the violation is also a criminal offense, the person can face even more penalties and charges.
It should be noted that if you feel like the conditions of your release are inappropriate or if you feel as though you cannot reasonably comply with one, you can seek the removal or modification of that condition.
Considering all that is at stake when it comes to seeking bail and avoiding violations, it can be crucial that anyone facing criminal charges has legal support and guidance to help them understand and avoid the options for bail and the importance of complying with the conditions. Failure to do so can make an already-bad situation worse.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Prep School Sexual Assault Convict Owen Labrie Sent To Prison,” March 19, 2016