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The following offenses are bailable only before a judge
of the superior court:
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Treason
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Murder
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Rape
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Aggravated
sodomy
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Armed
robbery
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Aircraft
hijacking and hijacking a motor vehicle
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Aggravated
child molestation
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Aggravated
sexual battery
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Manufacturing,
distributing, delivering, dispensing, administering, or selling any
controlled substance classified under Code Section 16-13-25 as Schedule I or
under Code Section 16-13-26 as Schedule IIViolating Code Section 16-13-31,
relating to trafficking in cocaine, methamphetamine, or
marijuana
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Kidnapping,
arson, aggravated assault, or burglary if the person, at the time of the
alleged kidnapping, arson, aggravated assault, or burglary, had previously
been convicted of, was on probation or parole with respect to, or was on
bail for kidnapping, arson, aggravated assault, burglary, or one or more of
the offenses listed in paragraphs (1) through (10) of this subsection;
and
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Aggravated
stalking.
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All
offenses not included in subsection (a) of this Code section are bailable by
a court of inquiry. Except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code
section, at no time, either before a court of inquiry, when indicted or
accused, after a motion for new trial is made, or while an appeal is
pending, shall any person charged with a misdemeanor be refused bail.
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Except
as otherwise provided in this chapter:
i.
A person
charged with violating Code Section 40-6-391 whose alcohol concentration at the
time of arrest, as determined by any method authorized by law, violates that
provided in paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of Code Section 40-6-391 may be
detained for a period of time up to six hours after booking and prior to being
released on bail or on recognizance; and
ii.
When an
arrest is made by a law enforcement officer without a warrant upon an act of
family violence pursuant to Code Section 17-4-20, the person charged with the
offense shall not be eligible for bail prior to the arresting officer or some
other law enforcement officer taking the arrested person before a judicial
officer pursuant to Code Section 17-4-21.
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i.
Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, a judge of a court of inquiry may, as a condition of
bail or other pretrial release of a person who is charged with violating Code
Section 16-5-90 or 16-5-91, prohibit the defendant from entering or remaining
present at the victim´s school, place of employment, or other specified places
at times when the victim is present or intentionally following such person.
ii.
If the
evidence shows that the defendant has previously violated the conditions of
pretrial release or probation or parole which arose out of a violation of Code
Section 16-5-90 or 16-5-91, the judge of a court of inquiry may impose such
restrictions on the defendant which may be necessary to deter further stalking
of the victim, including but not limited to denying bail or pretrial release.
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In
the event a person is detained in a facility other than a municipal jail for
an offense which is bailable only before a judge of the superior court, as
provided in subsection (a) of this Code section, and a hearing is held
pursuant to Code Section 17-4-26 or 17-4-62, the presiding judicial officer
shall notify the superior court in writing within 48 hours that the arrested
person is being held without bail. If the detained person has not already
petitioned for bail as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section, the
superior court shall notify the district attorney and shall set a date for a
hearing on the issue of bail within 30 days after receipt of such notice.
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In
the event a person is detained in a municipal jail for an offense which is
bailable only before a judge of the superior court as provided in subsection
(a) of this Code section for a period of 30 days, the municipal court shall
notify the superior court in writing within 48 hours that the arrested
person has been held for such time without bail. If the detained person has
not already petitioned for bail as provided in subsection (d) of this Code
section, the superior court shall notify the district attorney and set a
date for a hearing on the issue of bail within 30 days after receipt of such
notice.
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Notice
sent to the superior court pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of this
subsection shall include any incident reports and criminal history reports
relevant to the detention of such person.
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A
person charged with any offense which is bailable only before a judge of the
superior court as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section may petition
the superior court requesting that such person be released on bail. The court
shall notify the district attorney and set a date for a hearing within ten
days after receipt of such petition.
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A
court shall be authorized to release a person on bail if the court finds that
the person:
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Poses
no significant risk of fleeing from the jurisdiction of the court or failing
to appear in court when required
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Poses
no significant threat or danger to any person, to the community, or to any
property in the community
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Poses
no significant risk of committing any felony pending
trial
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Poses
no significant risk of intimidating witnesses or otherwise obstructing the
administration of justice.
However, if the person is
charged with a serious violent felony and has already been convicted of a
serious violent felony, or of an offense under the laws of any other state or
of the United States which offense if committed in this state would be a
serious violent felony, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that no
condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the appearance of
the person as required or assure the safety of any other person or the
community. As used in this subsection, the term 'serious violent felony' means
a serious violent felony as defined in Code Section 17-10-6.1.
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Except
as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section or as otherwise provided
in this subsection, the judge of any court of inquiry may by written order
establish a schedule of bails and unless otherwise ordered by the judge of
any court, a person charged with committing any offense shall be released
from custody upon posting bail as fixed in the schedule.
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For
offenses involving an act of family violence, as defined in Code Section
19-13-1, the schedule of bails provided for in paragraph (1) of this
subsection shall require increased bail and shall include a listing of
specific conditions which shall include, but not be limited to, having no
contact of any kind or character with the victim or any member of the
victim´s family or household, not physically abusing or threatening to
physically abuse the victim, the immediate enrollment in and participation
in domestic violence counseling, substance abuse therapy, or other
therapeutic requirements.
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For
offenses involving an act of family violence, the judge shall determine
whether the schedule of bails and one or more of its specific conditions
shall be used, except that any offense involving an act of family violence
and serious injury to the victim shall be bailable only before a judge when
the judge or the arresting officer is of the opinion that the danger of
further violence to or harassment or intimidation of the victim is such as
to make it desirable that the consideration of the imposition of additional
conditions as authorized in this Code section should be made. Upon setting
bail in any case involving family violence, the judge shall give particular
consideration to the exigencies of the case at hand and shall impose any
specific conditions as he or she may deem necessary. As used in this Code
section, the term 'serious injury' means bodily harm capable of being
perceived by a person other than the victim and may include, but is not
limited to, substantially blackened eyes, substantially swollen lips or
other facial or body parts, substantial bruises to body parts, fractured
bones, or permanent disfigurements and wounds inflicted by deadly weapons or
any other objects which, when used offensively against a person, are capable
of causing serious bodily injury.
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If
probable cause is shown that the offense charged is in furtherance of a
pattern of criminal gang activity as defined by Code Section 16-15-3, the
court shall require increased bail and shall include as a condition of bail
or pretrial release that the defendant shall not have contact of any kind or
character with any other member or associate of a criminal street gang and
that the defendant shall not have contact of any kind or character with the
victim or any member of the victim´s family or household.
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For
offenses involving violations of Code Section 40-6-393, bail or other
release from custody shall be set by a judge on an individual basis and not
a schedule of bails pursuant to this Code section.
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No
appeal bond shall be granted to any person who has been convicted of murder,
rape, aggravated sodomy, armed robbery, aggravated child molestation,
kidnapping, trafficking in cocaine or marijuana, aggravated stalking, or
aircraft hijacking and who has been sentenced to serve a period of
incarceration of seven years or more. The granting of an appeal bond to a
person who has been convicted of any other felony offense or of any
misdemeanor offense involving an act of family violence as defined in Code
Section 19-13-1, or of any offense delineated as a high and aggravated
misdemeanor or of any offense set forth in Code Section 40-6-391, shall be in
the discretion of the convicting court. Appeal bonds shall terminate when the
right of appeal terminates, and such bonds shall not be effective as to any
petition or application for writ of certiorari unless the court in which the
petition or application is filed so specifies.
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Except
in cases in which life imprisonment or the death penalty may be imposed, a
judge of the superior court by written order may delegate the authority
provided for in this Code section to any judge of any court of inquiry within
such superior court judge´s circuit. However, such authority may not be
exercised outside the county in which said judge of the court of inquiry was
appointed or elected. The written order delegating such authority shall be
valid for a period of one year, but may be revoked by the superior court judge
issuing such order at any time prior to the end of that one-year period.
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As
used in this Code section, the term 'bail' shall include the releasing of a
person on such person´s own recognizance.
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For
all persons who have been authorized by law or the court to be released on
bail, sheriffs and constables shall accept such bail; provided, however, that
the sureties tendered and offered on the bond are approved by the sheriff of
the county in which the offense was committed.