What is a warrant, what is bail, and what is a summons?
A. A warrant is an order issued by a court requiring that a person suspected of committing a crime be apprehended and taken into custody, i.e. be arrested. A person can also be arrested without a warrant by an officer having probably cause that the person committed a crime. After a person is arrested, they make an initial appearance at Central Judicial Processing Court or before the Criminal Assignment Judge, depending on the seriousness of the crime charged. They are informed of the charges, and the judge decides if the defendant will be held in jail or can be released. The judge will consider public safety and the probability that the defendant will remain available for all upcoming proceedings. The judge can release the accused on personal recognizance, or set bail as a condition of release. Bail is the posting of something of value to permit the release of a suspect from jail designed to assure future appearance at all stages of the criminal process. If at any point the suspect fai
