When someone is arrested in the State of Illinois, bond will have to be posted in order to be releaed from custody.  If the arrest is for a misdemeanor, typically a person can be released on posting bail in the amount of $100, or simply on their own signature with a promise to appear in court.  If someone is arrested on an arrest warrant, then bond has been pre-determined by a judge for that offense.  The cash amount of the pre-determined bond will have to be paid in order to be released from police custody on any arrest warrant.

If someone is arrested without a warrant and for an alleged felony offense, an appearance before a judge will be necessary for bond to be determined.  That person will not be released until the judge sets the bond and its equivalent cash amount is paid.

In Joliet, Will County, Illinois where I practice, bond hearings  are always at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 305 of the Will County courthouse, unless the arrest occurs on a holiday or the start of a weekend.  In the later instance, Will County has a “holiday court” where a judge sets a bond at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 121 of the Will County courthouse.  When determining an appropriate bond amount, the judge will always consider the seriousness of the alleged offense, as well as a persons criminal history, and connections to the community.

A bond setting is simply the beginning of any criminal prosecution.  Obtaining an experienced criminal defense attorney to represent you or someone you care about to provide a proper and intelligent defense to any type of criminal charge is almost always necessary to successfully navigate through the complexities of the criminal justice system.  An experienced local lawyer will always have the best insight into how any particular criminal case will be handled by that jurisdiction’s prosecutors and judges.