An settlement with the court docket permits a defendant’s launch from custody with out initially posting any cash or asset. As an alternative, the defendant indicators a written promise to seem in court docket as required. Ought to the person fail to seem, they develop into answerable for the complete quantity of the bail set by the court docket. As an illustration, if bail is about at $10,000, the defendant is launched on their promise. Lacking a court docket date ends in a $10,000 debt owed to the court docket.
This sort of launch provides a major benefit by permitting people with restricted monetary assets to stay free whereas awaiting trial. It prevents pre-trial detention solely primarily based on lack of ability to pay, thus aligning with rules of equity and equal entry to justice. Traditionally, this mechanism developed as a substitute for money bail, aiming to scale back the burden on native jails and enhance court docket look charges by incentivizing compliance. It acknowledges that not all defendants pose the identical flight threat.
