Pretrial Release

Copyright by the American Bar Association. This work (Criminal Justice Standards) may be used for non-profit educational and training purposes and legal reform (legislative, judicial, and executive) without written permission but with a citation to this source.  

In February 2002, the ABA House of Delegates approved "black letter" standards that appear with commentary in a publication entitled:   ABA Standards for Criminal Justice:  Pretrial Release, 3d ed. © 2007.  For the text of the publication, click HERE .  This Standards can also be purchased in a book format. To go directly to individual "black letter" standards (without commentary), click on the applicable link in the Table of Contents, below.  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

[Use the navigation bar on the left side to go to a specific Part.]

PART I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Standard 10-1.1   Purposes of the pretrial release decision
Standard 10-1.2   Release under least restrictive conditions; diversion and other alternative release options
Standard 10-1.3   Use of citations and summonses
Standard 10-1.4   Conditions of release
Standard 10-1.5   Pretrial release decision may include diversion and other adjudication alternatives supported by treatment programs
Standard 10-1.6   Detention as an exception to policy favoring release
Standard 10-1.7   Consideration of the nature of the charge in determining release options
Standard 10-1.8   Pretrial release decision should not be influenced by publicity or public opinion
Standard 10-1.9   Implication of policy favoring release for supervision in the community
Standard 10-1.10 The role of the pretrial services agency

PART II. RELEASE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ACTING WITHOUT AN ARREST WARRANT

Standard 10-2.1   Policy favoring issuance of citations
Standard 10-2.2   Mandatory issuance of citation for minor offenses
Standard 10-2.3   Permissive authority to issue citations in all cases
Standard 10-2.4   Lawful searches

PART III. ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS IN LIEU OF ARREST

Standard 10-3.1   Authority to issue summons
Standard 10-3.2   Mandatory issuance of summons
Standard 10-3.3   Application for an arrest warrant or summons

PART IV. RELEASE BY JUDICIAL OFFICER AT FIRST APPEARANCE OR ARRAIGNMENT

Standard 10-4.1   Prompt first appearance
Standard 10-4.2   Investigation prior to first appearance: development of background information to support release or detention determination
Standard 10-4.3   Nature of first appearance

PART V. THE RELEASE AND DETENTION DECISIONS

Standard 10-5.1   Release on defendant's own recognizance
Standard 10-5.2   Conditions on release
Standard 10-5.3   Release on financial conditions
Standard 10-5.4   Release order provisions
Standard 10-5.5   Willful failure to appear or to comply with conditions
Standard 10-5.6   Sanctions for violations of conditions of release, including revocation of release
Standard 10-5.7   Bases for temporary pretrial detention for defendants on release
Standard 10-5.8   Grounds for pretrial detention
Standard 10-5.9   Eligibility for pretrial detention and initiation of the detention hearing
Standard 10-5.10  Procedures governing pretrial detention hearings: judicial orders for detention and appellate review
Standard 10-5.11  Requirement for accelerated trial for detained defendants
Standard 10-5.12  Re-examination of the release or detention decision: status reports regarding pretrial detention
Standard 10-5.13  Trial
Standard 10-5.14  Credit for pre-adjudication detention
Standard 10-5.15  Temporary release of a detained defendant for compelling necessity
Standard 10-5.16  Circumstances of confinement of defendants detained pending adjudication

PART VI. NOTICE TO VICTIMS OF CRIME

Standard 10-6.1  Judicial assurance of notice to victims

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