Get to Know about the Canadian Bail System with the Best Criminal Law Firm in Toronto
A person accused of a crime is taken into police custody and is kept in prison until he/she appears in a court of law. The bail hearing is conducted within 24 hours of the person being arrested, provided the judge is available, or as soon as possible if the judge is not available. A bail hearing is a procedure in which a judge determines whether the accused should be detained in prison or released while the case is in criminal court.
After a bail hearing the accused may get bail on the court order and the accused is released from prison while his/her case is in court. However, certain conditions are attached to the bail and these conditions should be strictly followed by the accused, or else he/she will be sent back to prison. The accused in police custody has the right to hire a criminal lawyer from a reputed law firm in Toronto to represent him/her in court.
What happens at a bail hearing?
The bail hearing procedure starts with the Crown presenting allegations that are read out from the police-prepared synopsis and in some instances, the Crown may even call a witness. After the Crown put forth the allegations, the defendant’s criminal lawyer is given the opportunity to present the potential surety of the defendant. The criminal lawyer also tries to convince the court that after being released on bail, the defendant will abide by the bail conditions either with the assistance of their surety or their own recognizance. After hearing the criminal lawyer, the court decides whether the accused will be released on bail or kept in prison for trial.
Individuals proposing themselves as a Surety
Individuals proposing themselves as a surety in a Canadian court should meet the following criteria:
- Individuals should be over 21 years of age
- Individuals should not have any criminal record
- Individuals should punctually attend the bail hearing
- An individual should have savings or equity to give as security of promise to the court
- The court requires an individual to oversee the defendant
- Individuals should understand and implement the conditions mentioned by the court
How Criminal Law Firm in Toronto can help during a Bail Hearing?
If any accused is in police custody and is waiting for a bail hearing procedure, then the accused or his family member should get in touch with the top criminal law firm in Toronto to seek the legal assistance of an eminent criminal defence lawyer who is completely aware of the bail working procedure. It is in the best interest of the defendants to hire a competent and experienced criminal lawyer from a leading law firm in Toronto to aptly represent them in court and argue on their behalf.
The knowledgeable lawyers of the reputed law firm in Toronto will present satisfactory testimony like charity work of the defendant towards the community, good character of the defendant, and lack of criminal history of the defendant. All these aspects may prove significant for getting bail. The criminal law firm of Toronto also helps in selecting a surety, who will pledge a certain amount of money to the court.
On breaking the bail conditions, either the accused or the surety will need to pay this money to the court. However, granting or denying bail is the sole decision of the judge but the evidence presented during the first appearance is crucial to obtain a fair bail amount if requested.
Best Course of Action for Seeking Bail
Accused who require bail should first get in touch with the top criminal law firm in Toronto to hire an experienced criminal defence lawyer having a license from the Law Society of Ontario that allows them to appear for bail hearings. A bail hearing is a formal legal process, so defendants and their surety should aptly dress to show their respect to the Crown.
On the day of the bail hearing, the surety should be present and should arrive early to give the lawyer sufficient time for reviewing any plan. Bail hearing usually takes a good amount of time so the surety should be free for the whole day.
The bail procedure is completely an overwhelming and painful experience for a person accused of a crime. Handling and managing the Canadian bail system is a complex legal process that can be efficiently managed by a reputed law firm in Toronto that has experienced criminal defence lawyers. These lawyers are competent in handling bail procedures and ensure that the defendants have more chance of getting bail.
