4. Go to your bail hearing

If you aren't released within 24 hours of being arrested, you will be brought before a judge or justice of the peace for a bail hearing.

If you aren't ready to have your bail hearing, or the court is too busy, you may be told you have to come back on another day. This is called an adjournment. There may be multiple adjournments before you actually have your bail hearing.

On the day of your bail hearing, the judge or justice of the peace will decide if you should be released while your criminal charges are resolved or while you wait for your trial date.

If you are granted bail, you may have to follow conditions given to you by the court. For example, you may:

• not be allowed to talk to or write to the complainant
• not be allowed to talk to or write to your co-accused
• not be allowed within a specific distance of a specific place
• have to live at a specific address
• have to stay at home during specific hours, usually overnight
• have to follow the rules of a house arrest