Bail Applications and Conditions

At Leanne Warren & Associates, all of our lawyers are experienced in providing advice about applications for bail [money needed as security against the temporary release of a detainee pending trial] and appearing in these applications. We understand how distressing it is when someone has been arrested and refused bail by the police. The police can issue criminal charges in three ways: summons, bail and remand.
Bail

The police can bail you from the police station. This means that when you receive a charge, you will have to sign an ‘undertaking of bail’ before you are allowed to leave.
Remand


The police can also remand a person in custody, pending the hearing of their charges. They will usually do this when the person has other outstanding criminal matters, the charges are serious, or they think the person might not arrive at the court or might commit further offences. If the police remand a person they must bring them before a Magistrate within 24 hours.
The Bail Act 1977

The law around bail is complex. The Bail Act 1977 governs the law of bail in Victoria. There are THREE DIFFERENT TESTS the court must apply in deciding whether to grant bail:

“Prima facie” entitlement
The law says every person has a prima facie [on a first impression] entitlement to bail unless they fall into the categories of “show cause” or “exceptional circumstances” (See below). A prima facie entitlement to bail means the person has a right to be granted bail, unless the police can show that the person is an unacceptable risk of: committing further offences, not coming to court, interfering with witnesses, or endangering the community.

“Show Cause”
This means that the person applying for bail must “show cause” as to why they should be granted bail. The court will consider all matters relevant to the person making the application, and the charges against them. The court will look at things like: the person’s personal circumstances, the support they have in the community, how strong the evidence is, and whether the person is likely to be sentenced to jail if they are found guilty of the charges. This test applies to people who have been charged with certain offences, or have been charged while they are on bail for another matter.

"Exceptional Circumstances”
This means that the person applying for bail must show the court that there are “exceptional circumstances” supporting their bail application. The court will consider similar matters to those in the “show cause” type of application, but the requirements are more stringent. People who have been charged with very serious offences (such as large-scale drug trafficking or murder) must show “exceptional circumstances” to be granted bail.
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Additional Bail Applications

A person in custody has one chance of making a bail application. If that application is refused, they can only make a further application if:
‘New facts and circumstances’ have arisen since the first application;
The person was not represented by a lawyer at the first application; or
The first application was refused by a Bail Justice.
If it is the Magistrates’ Court that has refused the application then a further application can be made to the Supreme Court. Because it can be difficult to make a second application for bail, it is important that the first application is well prepared and well timed.

Magistrates can be reluctant to grant bail to people who are withdrawing from drugs at that time. This is because they are concerned that the person may commit another offence because they are desperate for more drugs. It is also important to be able to show the court that the person has support in the community such as: stable housing, family support, or assistance with mental health/drug addiction.
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Leanne Warren is an accredited criminal law expert specialising in providing advice about applications for bail and appearing in these applications.
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