Ing to The New York Times, "While New Jersey, California, Illinois and other states have limited the use of bail, New York is one of the few states to abolish bail for many crimes without also giving state judges the discretion to consider whether a person poses a threat to public safety in deciding whether to ...
The FY 2024 Budget improves New York's bail laws by giving judges greater discretion to set bail for serious crimes and greater discretion in selecting appropriate non-monetary pre-trial conditions in all cases, regardless of the offense.
Is New York Bail Reform Still in Effect? Yes, bail reforms which were enacted in 2019 are still in effect. However, there were certain rollbacks made thereafter which have limited, to some extent, the reforms that were put in place.
The Bail Eligible Offenses, 2020 Reform Edition Generally, most misdemeanors (but not sex offenses and domestic violence charges); felony drug charges (aside from Operating as a Major Trafficker, PL 220.77; and non-violent felony charges (with exceptions noted above).
The decision to post bail for someone should not be taken lightly. Financially, you risk losing the bail amount or collateral if the defendant fails to appear in court. Legally, the defendant's absence can lead to arrest warrants and additional charges, complicating their legal situation further.
Most bond agreements include travel restrictions, confining you to a specific geographic area such as your county or state. These limitations are designed to ensure your availability for court dates. If travel is necessary, you must seek prior approval from the court or your bail bondsman.
In what cases are judges prevented from setting bail? Generally, most misdemeanors (but not sex offenses and domestic violence charges); felony drug charges (aside from Operating as a Major Trafficker, PL 220.77; and non-violent felony charges (with exceptions noted above).