Arraignments

After a person has been arrested, they will be arraigned by a judge.  Arraignments are held a minimum of twice daily and the person must be brought before the judge for that hearing within 24 hours of arrest.  At that hearing, the judge determines which of the following is appropriate for this case:

• Personal Recognizance:  The person is allowed to sign their own bond, with their signature being the guarantee that they will come to court on their court date.

• Surety Bond:  This type of bond can be met by cash payment, posting property that is owned in the county in which the crime occurred or by hiring a bondsman to secure your release.  The person posting the bond is responsible for ensuring the appearance of the defendant on their court date.

• Denied Bond:  In certain cases, the judge may decide to deny a bond pending trial.

• No Bond: In certain cases, the judge will send the case to Circuit Court for a judge there to make the determination at a later date.