Source: https://medvinlaw.com/virginia-bail-bond-motions-defense-lawyer/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 17:30:21+00:00

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Individuals charged with serious offenses and individuals who have a history of not appearing in court, will not be set free after an arrest (bail will be denied by the magistrate.) The defendant will need to have an attorney file a motion on his behalf to try and argue for release in front of a Judge. This is called a Motion to Admit the Defendant to Bail and Set Bond, or a Motion for the Reduction of Bond.
Setting a reasonable bond in Virginia is based on numerous legal grounds, to include: the Bill of Rights – 8th Amendment – United States Constitutional prohibition of excessive bail, the Virginia Constitutional prohibition of excessive bail (Article I, Section 9), and Virginia Code § 19.2-120 (see Virginia law sections below).
2. His liberty will constitute an unreasonable danger to himself or the public.
This is seen as a burden on the government to provide proof as to why someone should not be given bond. A magistrate will commonly deny bond in instances where the accused has a history of Failure to Appear in court, or there are facts presented to the magistrate that will cause him to believe that there is probable cause of a danger to the public or a non-appearance. In these instances, a bond motion will be needed.
However, in more serious circumstances, the burden will rest on the accused. The accused will need to prove to the court that he is deserving of being admitted to bail. Virginia law states that the judge shall presume that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the accused or the safety of the public if the accused is currently charged with one of the crimes listed in Section 19.2-120 (below). The only way for the accused to possibly be released on a reasonable bond is to go through a bond hearing with the prosecutor and defense lawyer arguing their cases in front of a judge.
A defense attorney should be consulted in all instances where a magistrate denies bond.
“Bail” means the pretrial release of a person from custody upon those terms and conditions specified by order of an appropriate judicial officer.
“Bond” means the posting by a person or his surety of a written promise to pay a specific sum, secured or unsecured, ordered by an appropriate judicial officer as a condition of bail to assure performance of the terms and conditions contained in the recognizance.
“Criminal history” means records and data collected by criminal justice agencies or persons consisting of identifiable descriptions and notations of arrests, detentions, indictments, informations or other formal charges, and any deposition arising therefrom.
“Judicial officer” means, unless otherwise indicated, any magistrate serving the jurisdiction, any judge of a district court and the clerk or deputy clerk of any district court or circuit court within their respective cities and counties, any judge of a circuit court, any judge of the Court of Appeals and any justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
“Person” means any accused, or any juvenile taken into custody pursuant to § 16.1-246.
“Recognizance” means a signed commitment by a person to appear in court as directed and to adhere to any other terms ordered by an appropriate judicial officer as a condition of bail.
§ 19.2-102. In what cases bail allowed; conditions of bond.
Unless the offense with which the prisoner is charged is shown to be an offense punishable by death or life imprisonment under the laws of the state in which it was committed, any judge, magistrate or other person authorized by law to admit persons to bail in this Commonwealth may admit the person arrested to bail by bond, with sufficient sureties, and in such sum as he deems proper, conditioned upon his appearance before a judge at a time specified in such bond and upon his surrender for arrest upon the warrant of the Governor of this Commonwealth.
§ 19.2-120. Admission to bail.
Prior to conducting any hearing on the issue of bail, release or detention, the judicial officer shall, to the extent feasible, obtain the person’s criminal history.
13. A violation of subsection C of § 18.2-460 charging the use of threats of bodily harm or force to knowingly attempt to intimidate or impede a witness.
C. The judicial officer shall presume, subject to rebuttal, that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of the person or the safety of the public if the person is being arrested pursuant to § 19.2-81.6.
D. A judicial officer who is a magistrate, clerk, or deputy clerk of a district court or circuit court may not admit to bail, that is not set by a judge, any person who is charged with an offense giving rise to a rebuttable presumption against bail as set out in subsection B or C without the concurrence of an attorney for the Commonwealth. For a person who is charged with an offense giving rise to a rebuttable presumption against bail, any judge may set or admit such person to bail in accordance with this section after notice and an opportunity to be heard has been provided to the attorney for the Commonwealth.
3. The nature and seriousness of the danger to any person or the community that would be posed by the person’s release.
F. The judicial officer shall inform the person of his right to appeal from the order denying bail or fixing terms of bond or recognizance consistent with § 19.2-124.
G. If the judicial officer sets a secured bond and the person engages the services of a licensed bail bondsman, the magistrate executing recognizance for the accused shall provide the bondsman, upon request, with a copy of the person’s Virginia criminal history record, if readily available, to be used by the bondsman only to determine appropriate reporting requirements to impose upon the accused upon his release. The bondsman shall pay a $15 fee payable to the state treasury to be credited to the Literary Fund, upon requesting the defendant’s Virginia criminal history record issued pursuant to § 19.2-389. The bondsman shall review the record on the premises and promptly return the record to the magistrate after reviewing it.
§ 19.2-297.1. Sentence of person twice previously convicted of certain violent felonies.
g. Arson in violation of § 18.2-77 when the structure burned was occupied or a Class 3 felony violation of § 18.2-79.
(ii) conspiracy to commit any of the violations enumerated in clause (i) of this section; and (iii) violations as a principal in the second degree or accessory before the fact of the provisions enumerated in clause (i) of this section.
B. Prior convictions shall include convictions under the laws of any state or of the United States for any offense substantially similar to those listed under “act of violence” if such offense would be a felony if committed in the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth shall notify the defendant in writing, at least thirty days prior to trial, of its intention to seek punishment pursuant to this section.
C. Any person sentenced to life imprisonment pursuant to this section shall not be eligible for parole and shall not be eligible for any good conduct allowance or any earned sentence credits under Chapter 6 (§ 53.1-186 et seq.) of Title 53.1. However, any person subject to the provisions of this section, other than a person who was sentenced under subsection A of § 18.2-67.5:3 for criminal sexual assault convictions specified in subdivision f, (i) who has reached the age of sixty-five or older and who has served at least five years of the sentence imposed or (ii) who has reached the age of sixty or older and who has served at least ten years of the sentence imposed may petition the Parole Board for conditional release. The Parole Board shall promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection.
§ 19.2-121. Fixing terms of bail.
If the person is admitted to bail, the terms thereof shall be such as, in the judgment of any official granting or reconsidering the same, will be reasonably fixed to assure the appearance of the accused and to assure his good behavior pending trial. The judicial officer shall take into account (i) the nature and circumstances of the offense; (ii) whether a firearm is alleged to have been used in the offense; (iii) the weight of the evidence; (iv) the financial resources of the accused or juvenile and his ability to pay bond; (v) the character of the accused or juvenile including his family ties, employment or involvement in education; (vi) his length of residence in the community; (vii) his record of convictions; (viii) his appearance at court proceedings or flight to avoid prosecution or failure to appear at court proceedings; (ix) whether the person is likely to obstruct or attempt to obstruct justice, or threaten, injure, or intimidate, or attempt to threaten, injure, or intimidate a prospective witness, juror, or victim; and (x) any other information available which the court considers relevant to the determination of whether the accused or juvenile is unlikely to appear for court proceedings.
In any case where the accused has appeared and otherwise met the conditions of bail, no bond therefor shall be used to satisfy fines and costs unless agreed to by the person who posted such bond.
§ 19.2-124. Appeal from bail, bond, or recognizance order.
A. If a judicial officer denies bail to a person, requires excessive bond, or fixes unreasonable terms of a recognizance under this article, the person may appeal the decision of the judicial officer.
If the initial bail decision on a charge brought by a warrant or district court capias is made by a magistrate, clerk, or deputy clerk, the person shall first appeal to the district court in which the case is pending.
If the initial bail decision on a charge brought by direct indictment or presentment or circuit court capias is made by a magistrate, clerk, or deputy clerk, the person shall first appeal to the circuit court in which the case is pending.
If the appeal of an initial bail decision is taken on any charge originally pending in a district court after that charge has been appealed, certified, or transferred to a circuit court, the person shall first appeal to the circuit court in which the case is pending.
Any bail decision made by a judge of a court may be appealed successively by the person to the next higher court, up to and including the Supreme Court of Virginia, where permitted by law.
B. The attorney for the Commonwealth may appeal a bail, bond or recognizance decision to the same court to which the accused person is required to appeal under subsection A.
C. No filing or service fees shall be assessed or collected for any appeal taken pursuant to this section.
§ 19.2-125. Release pending appeal from conviction in court not of record.
A person who has been convicted of an offense in a district court and who has noted an appeal shall be given credit for any bond that he may have posted in the court from which he appeals and shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of this article.
§ 19.2-103. Discharge, recommitment or renewal of bail.
If the accused is not arrested under warrant of the Governor by the expiration of the time specified in the warrant or bond, any judge in this Commonwealth may discharge him or may recommit him for a further period not to exceed sixty days, or such judge may again take bail for his appearance and surrender, as provided in the preceding section, but within a period not to exceed sixty days after the date of such new bond.
§ 19.2-104. Forfeiture of bail.
If the prisoner is admitted to bail and fails to appear and surrender himself according to the conditions of his bond, any judge of a circuit or general district court by proper order, shall declare the bond forfeited and order his immediate arrest without warrant if he be within this Commonwealth. Recovery may be had on such bond in the name of the Commonwealth as in the case of other bonds given by the accused in criminal proceedings within this Commonwealth.
§ 19.2-132. Motion to increase amount of bond fixed by judicial officer; when bond may be increased.
If the amount of any bond fixed by a judicial officer is subsequently deemed insufficient, or the security taken inadequate, or if it appears that bail should have been denied or that the person has violated a term or condition of his release, or has been convicted of or arrested for a felony or misdemeanor, the attorney for the Commonwealth of the county or city in which the person is held for trial may, on reasonable notice to the person and, if such person has been admitted to bail, to any surety on the bond of such person, move the appropriate judicial officer to increase the amount of such bond or to revoke bail. The court may grant such motion and may require new or additional sureties therefor, or both or revoke bail. Any surety in a bond for the appearance of such person may take from his principal collateral or other security to indemnify such surety against liability. The failure to notify the surety will not prohibit the court from proceeding with the bond hearing.
This entry was posted in Bail & Bond Motions, Virginia Criminal Law and tagged Bond Motion Lawyer in Alexandria Virginia, Bond Motion Lawyer in Arlington Virginia, Bond Motion Lawyer in Fairfax Virginia, Bond Motion Lawyer in Falls Church Virginia, Criminal Defense in Alexandria, Criminal Defense in Fairfax Virginia, Criminal Defense in Falls Church.

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