New Rules for Supreme Court Bail Applications
The rules applying to bail have been in a constant state of flux since 2013, when new bail laws were introduced to replace the old Bail Act of 1978. While the old Act was complex, confusing and in some respects...
Man Released Due to Lack of Prison Resources
In the latest example of the effects of prison overcrowding, a District Court judge has been forced to release an alleged drug supplier on bail due to a lack of resources in prisons and remand centres. The unnamed man appeared...
Bail Laws to Get Tougher for Suspected Terrorists
Regular readers of our blog will know that the NSW government has been changing the law on bail more frequently than most of us can keep up with. And now, the Baird government has announced that more changes are on...
Showing Cause under the New Bail Act
The Bail Act 2013 commenced in May 2014, replacing the old Bail Act 1978 which had been amended over 80 times and was widely criticised as unfair and unworkable. If you’ve been following our blogs, you’ll be aware of the...
Moving Backwards with Bail – Is Making Bail Harder a Good or Bad Thing?
The long-awaited overhaul of the outdated Bail Act 1978 has encountered many bumps in the road towards reform. Since it came into effect on 20 May 2014, the new Bail Act 2013 has sparked fierce debate from all ends of...
In trouble with the law over the holidays? Getting bail over the silly season
The courts are generally closed over the holiday season. So what happens if you or a loved-one is accused of a serious crime and police refuse to let you out of custody? Will you have to wait until the holidays...
Is the Tightening of Bail Laws in NSW making the Magistrate’s Role Redundant?
The flipping and flopping of politicians when it comes to bail laws is enough to make you mad. Just keeping abreast of the likely changes in order to decide whether and, if so, when to make a bail application (now...
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...
