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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76391</law_id><section_number>19.2-121</section_number><catch_line>Fixing terms of bail</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="19.2">Criminal Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="9">Bail and Recognizances</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Bail</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If the <span class="dictionary">person</span> is admitted to <span class="dictionary">bail</span>, the terms thereof shall be such as, in the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of any official granting or reconsidering the same, will be reasonably fixed to ensure the <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> and to ensure his good behavior pending <span class="dictionary">trial</span>. The judicial officer shall take into account (i) the nature and circumstances of the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>; (ii) whether a firearm is alleged to have been used in the <span class="dictionary">offense</span>; (iii) the weight of the <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>; (iv) the financial resources of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> or juvenile and his ability to pay <span class="dictionary">bond</span>; (v) the character of the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> or juvenile including his family ties, employment or involvement in education; (vi) his length of residence in the community; (vii) his record of <span class="dictionary">convictions</span>; (viii) his <span class="dictionary">appearance</span> at <span class="dictionary">court</span> proceedings or flight to avoid <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> or failure to appear at <span class="dictionary">court</span> proceedings; (ix) whether the <span class="dictionary">person</span> is likely to obstruct or attempt to obstruct justice, or threaten, injure, or intimidate, or attempt to threaten, injure, or intimidate a prospective <span class="dictionary">witness</span>, juror, or victim; and (x) any other information available which the <span class="dictionary">court</span> considers relevant to the determination of whether the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> or juvenile is unlikely to appear for <span class="dictionary">court</span> proceedings. <a id="paragraph-274232" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-121/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> When a <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> conducts a <span class="dictionary">bail</span> <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> for a <span class="dictionary">person</span> arrested on a warrant or <span class="dictionary">capias</span> for a jailable <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, the <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> shall describe the information considered under subsection A on a form provided by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme <span class="dictionary">Court</span> and shall transmit the completed form to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> or district <span class="dictionary">court</span> before which the warrant or <span class="dictionary">capias</span> is returnable, and if such jailable <span class="dictionary">offense</span> is an act of violence as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Sentence of person twice previously convicted of certain violent felonies" href="/19.2-297.1/">19.2-297.1</a>, then such <span class="dictionary">magistrate</span> shall transmit within 24 hours a copy of the completed form to the attorney for the Commonwealth for the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> where the warrant or <span class="dictionary">capias</span> is returnable. Transmission of such copy to the attorney for the Commonwealth may be by facsimile or other electronic means. <a id="paragraph-274233" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-121/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> In any case where the <span class="dictionary">accused</span> has appeared and otherwise met the conditions of <span class="dictionary">bail</span>, no <span class="dictionary">bond</span> therefor shall be used to satisfy fines and costs unless agreed to by the <span class="dictionary">person</span> who posted such <span class="dictionary">bond</span>. <a id="paragraph-274234" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/19.2-121/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1975, c. 495; 1978, c. 755; 1980, c. 190; 1991, c. 581; 1992, c. 576; 1993, c. 636; 1999, cc. 829, 846; 2019, c. 176; 2022, cc. 47, 48.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
