How Have Changes to the Bail Act Affected Remand Numbers?
The new Bail Act, which came into effect in May this year, has had a significant impact on the number of defendants being granted bail. Although the Bail Act has been controversial, with requests for it to be reviewed only...
Don’t Let the Truth Get in the Way of Bail Act Hysteria
On 17 September 2014, the Daily Telegraph published a (“news”) story decrying the decision of Police to grant bail to a never licensed driver charged with an offence of Dangerous Driving Causing Death following the tragic loss of a schoolgirl...
Has the NSW Government Lost the Plot on Bail?
The NSW Bail Amendment Bill 2014 appears to showcase the sort of messy governmental decision-making that comes from populist knee-jerk reactions. Within just weeks of the existing Bail Act 2013 coming into operation on May 20 this year, the Baird...
Are the New Bail Laws here to Stay?
In May this year, a new bail act was introduced in NSW. The Bail Act 2013 signalled a radical departure from previous NSW bail laws. Under the new act, simpler than previous bail laws, the focus is on whether or...
What Can Happen When You Commit a Breach of Bail (NSW)?
If you have been charged with a criminal offence, before any trial or hearing or even any court appearance, there is the consideration by the police and the courts as to whether you should be released on bail or kept...
NSW Bail Hearings: Recent Commencement of New Rules
For decades, NSW has been governed by a complex and heavy-handed bail system under the Bail Act of 1978. NSW bail laws have been particularly harsh on juveniles and vulnerable people, but that has now changed with the commencement of...
Should Minors Charged with Serious Offences be Released on Bail?
The issue of minors committing criminal offences has been in the spotlight after the recent incident where a 16-year-old was charged with sexual assault after the alleged gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Sydney’s west. Sexual offences perpetrated by...
The New Bail Act – Changes to Bail Legislation in NSW
Changes to the bail process in NSW, including the removal of presumptions in favour of bail, are set to become law. The legislation, known as the new Bail Act, was introduced to the state parliament in May 2013. The act...
The New Bail Act
The new Bail Act 2013 (NSW) has not taken effect in NSW as yet, but is expected to become law in early 2014. The current Bail Act 1978 (“the old Bail Act”) looks at presumptions in relation to bail, and...
Refused Bail? Legal Advice Can Help
If you are arrested on suspicion of committing a crime in NSW and you are charged, police will decide whether or not to grant you bail. Under current legislation, certain offences have a presumption in favour of bail, while others...