Opinion ID: 2286283
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: administrative order 88-18

Text: RE: PROCEDURES FOR BAIL COMMISSIONERS (SUPERSEDING ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 88-15) In addition to the applicable Constitutional and Statutory provisions, and the Rules of Criminal Procedure, the following procedures shall be followed by the Justices of the Peace Authorized to Set and Take Bail (Bail Commissioners) when conducting arraignments in misdemeanor cases and initial appearances in felony cases: For all cases: 1. At the commencement of the arraignment/initial appearance, the bail commissioner shall inquire if the defendant has counsel. Any entry shall be accepted and the name of counsel noted on the complaint. 2. If the defendant is without counsel, the bail commissioner shall inform the defendant of his/her right to retain counsel. 3. The bail commissioner shall inform the defendant the he/she has the right not to make a statement and that any statement may be used against the defendant at the time of trial. 4. The bail commissioner shall inform each defendant that if he/she is an alien in the United States, a plea of quilty or nolo contendere may affect his/her immigration status. For misdemeanor Cases: The bail commissioner shall explain the following: 1. The Right to Bail  The bail commissioner shall explain the degree of the offense charged to the defendant and his/her right to have bail set. 2. The Special Arraignment Process  The bail commissioner shall explain to the defendant that a bail commissioner may only accept a plea of not guilty and that the defendant insists on entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendere the case will be reassigned for arraignment before a judge of the court. 3. The Right to Counsel  The bail commissioner shall inform the defendant that if he/she is unable to afford a lawyer, the case shall be referred to the Office of the Public Defender. If claim of indigency is made, the space on the complaint labeled Attorney Name shall be marked Referred Public Defender or Referred P.D. On the Notice form the box indicating a referral to the Public Defender shall be marked with anX or a check mark. 4. The Special Arraignment  The bail commissioner shall read the charge to the defendant or state to him/her the substance of the charge. The defendant shall be given a copy of the charge. The defendant shall be called to plead thereto. A not guilty plea may be accepted by the bail commissioner. Such plea shall be noted on the complaint on the line entitled ARRAIGNMENT in the boxes labeled PLEA COUNT 1, PLEA COUNT 2, or PLEA COUNT 3. Silence by the defendant shall be recorded as a plea of not guilty. If the defendant insists on attempting to enter a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, the matter shall be scheduled for arraignment before a judge of the court. 5. The Right to Trial by Jury  In the case of a misdemeanor punishable by more than six (6) months imprisonment, the defendant shall be informed of the right to a trial by jury in the first instance. The bail commissioner shall inform the defendant that he has a right to trial by jury in the first instance, but in the event he chooses to waive that right and to stand trial in the District Court without a jury and is found guilty he is entitled to appeal that judgment to the Superior Court where he will receive a trial de novo before a jury. He shall also be informed that if within ten (10) days of the date of his arraignment he does not file a written waiver of his right to a jury trial in the first instance, the proceedings shall be transferred to the Superior Court for trial in that court. If the defendant desires such a waiver, the bail commissioner shall require the defendant to execute such a waiver and the commissioner shall return such waiver to the court. In either case, the box on the complaint labelled JURY TRIAL WAIVED shall be marked YES or NO. 6. The Setting of Dates [Notice Form]  If a plea of not guilty is recorded and (in the case of a misdemeanor punishable by more than six months imprisonment) a waiver of trial by jury is executed, the bail commissioner shall schedule pretrial conference and trial dates before the court. The bail commissioner shall explain the nature of these dates to the defendant. The pretrial conference date shall be two (2) weeks following arraignment; the trial date shall be six (6) weeks following arraignment [except for cases of driving while under the influence, which must be scheduled four (4) weeks following arraignment]. These dates shall be noted on a form provided and the defendant shall be required to sign the form; the defendant shall be given a copy thereof. The bail commissioner shall also note the dates on the complaint form and on the recognizance form. The bail commissioner shall explain that no other notice shall be given and that the defendant must appear with or without an attorney. For Felony Cases: 1. No bail commissioner shall set bail on any complaint for which bail may be denied pursuant to Article 1, § 9 of the Rhode Island Constitution or on a complaint alleging that the defendant is a fugitive from justice, 2. Except as provided in Paragraph 1, the bail commissioner shall explain the degree of the offense and his her right to have bail set. 3. The bail commissioner shall read the charge to the defendant or state to him/ her the substance of the charge. The defendant shall be given a copy of the charge. It shall be explained to the defendant that because the charge is beyond the trial jurisdiction of the District Court, no plea will be entered. The words NO PLEA shall be entered on the complaint on the line entitled ARRAIGNMENT in the boxes labeled PLEA COUNT 1, PLEA COUNT 2, or PLEA COUNT 3. 4. The Right to Counsel  The bail commissioner shall inform the defendant that if he/she is unable to afford a lawyer, the case shall be referred to the Office of the Public Defender. If claim of indigency is made, the space on the complaint labeled Attorney Name shall be marked Referred Public Defender or Referred P.D. On the Notice form the box indicating a referral to the Public Defender shall be marked with an X or check mark. 5. The Setting of Dates (Notice Form)  The bail commissioner shall set the following screening dates on the forms provided: a) Pursuant to Superior Court Administrative Order 88-8, for complaints for Divisions 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8, the following dates shall be set on forms provide: (i) If no entry has been filed, a determination of attorney date two (2) weeks hence in the Division of origin. (ii) A Pre-Arraignment Conference Date nine (9) weeks hence at the Garrahy Judicial Complex. (iii) An Arraignment date ten (10) weeks hence at the Garrahy Judicial complex. b) For complaints from Division 2, 3, and 4, the following dates shall be set: (i) A Determination of Attorney Date two weeks hence. (ii) A screening date three (3) weeks hence. The nature of these dates shall be explained to the defendant by the bail commissioner. These dates shall be noted on a form provided and the defendant shall be required to sign the form; the defendant shall be given a copy thereof. The bail commissioner shall also note the dates on the complaint form and on the recognizance form. The bail commissioner shall explain that no other notice shall be given and that the defendant must appear with or without an attorney. For all cases: 1. If the rights enumerated above are explained to the defendant, the box labeled ADVISED OF RIGHTS shall be marked YES. 2. The bail commissioner shall set bail pursuant to the Bail Guidelines promulgated by the Rhode Island Supreme Court. 3. The amount and form of bail set shall be indicated in the box labeled BAIL FOR ALL COUNTS in the portion of the complaint marked ARRAIGNMENT and on the bail/recognizance form. 4. Any conditions of bail shall be noted on the bail/recognizance form. 5. In any case of Domestic Violence as defined in R.I. General Laws § 12-29-2, the bail commissioner shall issue a no-contact order (as a condition of the bail/recognizance) prohibiting the person charged or arrested from having contact with the victim. The bail commissioner shall write the following legend on the bail/recognizance form: VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE UNDER R.I.T.L. § 12-29-4 AND WILL SUBJECT A VIOLATOR TO ARREST! 6. The bail commissioner shall require the defendant to execute a Bail/Recognizance Form in connection with the setting of all bail. 7. Cash bail may be satisfied by currency or by a Bank, Cashler's or Certified check. In no circumstance may a personal check be accepted as bail money. 8. The bail commissioner shall explain to the defendant that he/she must appear on the dates which have been given and that he/she must keep the peace and be of good behavior. The bail commissioner shall further explain to the defendant that if he/she fails to appear, fails to keep the peace, or breaches any condition of his/her release, one or more of the following may occur: a) A warrant will issue and the defendant will be subject to arrest. b) The defendant may be held without bail for a bail revocation hearing. c) Bail may be defaulted. d) The defendant may be found in contempt. e) That if the defendant fails to appear and is arrested, a $100 Warrant fee will be assessed. The bail commissioner shall also inform the defendant that the defendant must obtain permission to leave the state and must personally notify the clerk's office of any change in address. 9. In all cases where a mittimus to the Adult correctional Institution must be executed, a writ of habeas corpus shall also be executed [and sent to the prison] which requires the defendant to be brought before the next sitting of the court. 10. Bail commissioners must personally present the Complaint, Bail Recognizance Form, Notice Form, Jury Trial Waiver Form, and/or any other documents in the case and any bail money to the Clerk's Office for the Division at 8:30 A.M. on the next day it is open. Entered as an Order of this Court on this 22nd day of November, 1998. BY ORDER: /s/ Jerome Smith JEROME SMITH, Chief Clerk ENTER: /s/ Albert E. DeRobbio ALBERT E. DEROBBIO, Chief Judge