Being on bail
Bail conditions
When you are on bail you are released while you wait for your court date. Most people who are released on bail have rules to follow, called conditions.
This includes conditions to help keep victims and witnesses safe.
Your bail conditions can include:
- coming to court when the case starts
- not contacting victims or other witnesses
- going to counselling or for medical treatment
- living at a particular address
- regularly reporting to a police station or agreed alternative location.
If you do not follow the conditions of your bail, this is called a breach of bail, and bail can be taken away. This means you will be on remand and go into custody.
If you follow the conditions and attend court, you will remain on bail until the outcome of the court case.
Breaches of bail
All bail orders require you to attend court for your court date.
If you do not attend court, you can be arrested and charged with another offence for failing to appear in court.
Other examples of not following bail conditions could include:
- being late or not attending a 'booking in' appointment
- not following the conditions of your bail order
- contacting a victim or witness
Breaching these types of bail conditions is not an offence in the ACT. But if you breach these bail conditions, you can be arrested and go back to court for another bail hearing.
The consequences of breaching a bail condition will depend on relevant circumstances. If you breach bail, including by not attending court for your court date, the court may:
- revoke bail and put on you on remand
- change your bail conditions
- release you without consequences.