Quick Answer
2024 bail bond procedures: Florida’s uniform statewide bail bond schedule took effect January 1, 2024 under Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order AOSC23-88. It sets pre-first-appearance bond amounts statewide, including Lake County. Second-degree felonies and higher are generally no bond until first appearance. A judge is not bound by the schedule at first appearance or a later bail hearing.
The Florida Supreme Court has ordered a Florida statewide bail bond schedule to go into effect on January 1st, 2024. This statewide bond schedule and new pretrial detention procedures came after Governor Ron DeSantis tasked the legislature and Florida Supreme Court to do something about the inconsistencies from county to county about their pretrial release practices.
Administrative Order No. AOSC23-88 was signed by Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz on 12/12/2023 unifying pretrial release practices. Florida counties already have a bail schedule put in place by the chief judge of that judicial circuit, but their ideology differed greatly.
This new uniform bond schedule unites all of Florida for uniform strong bail practices. Most Florida counties recognize the importance of not letting career criminals out of jail on just a promise, but some have created increased crime and lack of accountability due to their pretrial release practices.
According to the Administrative Order issued by the Florida Supreme Court, “This bond schedule applies when the police or county jail or pretrial release employees exercise their discretion to release a person on bond before that person’s first appearance hearing. The uniform statewide bond schedule shall not bind a judge in an individual case who is conducting a first appearance hearing or bail determination.”
How bail bond procedures will change in Lake County Florida
Bail bond procedures will change in my area of Lake County along with the entire State of Florida in many ways. The most common change will be third degree felonies will be raised. A third-degree felony without force or threat of force, such as possession of a controlled substance will be raised from $2,000 to $2,500. Learn more about Felony Charges in Lake County, FL.
A third-degree felony with force or threat of force such as Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon will be raised from $2,000 to $5,000. Most misdemeanors that are arrested and taken into custody will remain at $1,000 for first degree with force or threat, and $500 for without force or threat of. This change in bail schedule will only apply from the time of arrest until bond hearing, then the bond hearing judge can change the bail amount.
New “No Bond” Procedure
Another new procedure in this order is to make second degree felonies and higher no bonds until first appearance. At first appearance, which is held every morning in Lake County, bail would be set by the first appearance judge. This change will put more accountability on our judges.
There are circumstances that an arrestee will encounter under the new bond schedule and detention that will prevent them from bailing out right away. If an arrestee is already out on bond, or any form of pretrial release in Florida or another state, on probation or community control, if the person is a convicted sex offender, or has been arrested three times in a 6-month period; these scenarios will require a “No Bond” status until bond hearing.
The Florida Statutes that instruct our judicial branch include strong wording in Statute 907.041 “(2) RULES OF PROCEDURE. —Procedures for pretrial release determinations shall be governed by rules adopted by the Supreme Court.” to direct with this new order.
There are a lot of changes that the Supreme Court ordered for Florida’s pretrial release and bail practices. Our jails we write bail bonds for in Lake, Sumter, and Marion are slowly catching on to the new procedures and there will be growing pains for sure. The new uniform bail bond schedule and rules of procedure was implemented to unite Florida’s pretrial release rules and to remove policies that put the public in danger and promote unaccountability and failure to appear.
2024 Bail Procedures
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Florida’s statewide bail bond schedule take effect?
NEW BAIL BOND PROCEDURES: The Florida Supreme Court ordered the uniform statewide bail bond schedule under Administrative Order AOSC23-88 to take effect on January 1, 2024. It applies when law enforcement, jail staff, or pretrial release employees use discretion to release someone on bond before first appearance.
Does the statewide bond schedule control what a judge can set at first appearance?
No. The administrative order states that the uniform statewide bond schedule does not bind a judge who is conducting a first appearance hearing or a bail determination in an individual case. A first appearance judge in Lake County can still change the amount.
How did third-degree felony bail amounts change in Lake County?
A third-degree felony without force or threat of force, such as possession of a controlled substance, increased from $2,000 to $2,500. A third-degree felony with force or threat of force, such as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, increased from $2,000 to $5,000. Those amounts apply from arrest until the bond hearing.
Which charges are no bond until first appearance?
Under the new procedure, second-degree felonies and higher are generally no bond until first appearance. First appearance is held every morning in Lake County, and the first appearance judge then sets bail.
When else can someone be held no bond until a bond hearing?
A person may be held no bond until a bond hearing if they are already out on bond or another form of pretrial release in Florida or another state, are on probation or community control, are a convicted sex offender, or have been arrested three times in a 6-month period.
Did misdemeanor bail amounts change?
Most misdemeanors that result in a custodial arrest remain $1,000 for a first-degree misdemeanor with force or threat of force, and $500 without force or threat of force, until a judge reviews the case.
Altman Bail Bonds, Inc
801 W Main St
Tavares, FL 32778
(352) 343-6090