Bail is usually granted after you are charged unless the offence is serious or they have reasonable grounds to detain you. You can be remanded up to 48 hours or extended for 72 hours if a warrant for arrest and detention in respect of deportation is applied for

In some cases, the police will grant bail where they are conducting investigations but have not charged the person

Court bail is when the court may impose one or more bail condition(s) on the Defendant if they are required to attend Court again after the first appearance.

The conditions are often more stringent and includes surrendering your travel documents, residing at a designated address, curfews, not to contact a witness etc.

Yes, the Court can refuse bail especially where the offence is serious. If the Court refuses bail, you have the right to have your bail application reviewed every 8 days. Alternatively, you may make a bail application before a Judge of the High Court.

Whether a bail application is made in Magistrate Court, District Court of High Court, it is always recommended to engage legal representation so that they can assess andh help you obtain the best bail terms

If you fail to show up as required by the police or the Court, you will be considered as
"absconded"

What this means is that you will be placed on the “wanted list” and this will also be treated as a separate offence

If you have a history of absconding, it will be very difficult to apply for bail in the future.

Yes, this is correct. If you plead guilty at the earliest available opportunity, a one-third discount to the overall sentence will be given. However, this discount will reduce if you plead guilty at a later stage, such as when trial has commenced

It is advisable to consult lawyer if you are unsure whether to plead guilty or not as they can help you assess and advise you

Depending on the circumstances of the offence and where appropriate, the Prosecution may agree for the Defendant to plead guilty to fewer or lesser charges. This also saves time and costs

A plea bargain may not be suitable for more serious offences. Contact us for further details on whether you would be eligible for a plea bargain

It is possible and this is called a “Bind Over”.

The concept of a “Bind Over” is to have a person promise to the Court that they will not commit any offence and have good behaviour for a period not exceeding three years
If this promise is breached, you will be ordered to pay a sum into Court

簽保守行爲適合初犯和輕微罪行。如果您沒有案底並面臨輕微指控，則可能符合資格。

Bind overs are usually granted for first-time offenders and/or in minor offences

If you are unsure whether you would be eligible for a bind over, we can assess your circumstances and advise you on your chances of a bind over

The case will proceed for Trial. After the Prosecution and the Defence has presented its case, the Court will hand down a verdict

If you are dissatisfied with the conviction or the sentence, you may lodge an appeal

There must be reasonable grounds for the appeal and it must be made within the time limits. If you are considering to lodge an appeal, we can help assess your case and provide legal advice on your case

If the Court grants your appeal application, they may either, overturn the decision of the lower Court or impose a heavier sentence.

If your conviction is not “spent”, you will be required to disclose it

For certain job positions such as police officers, accountants, solicitors, financial services, judicial positions, or high-ranking government roles, you are required to give full disclosure of all previous convictions, including spent ones

Failure to disclose your conviction may result in separate offences being committed, such as providing false information

If you have a criminal record and you are unsure whether you need to disclose it, please contact our team for legal advice

A spent conviction is when a conviction can be ignored after three years from the date of the conviction has passed and there are no other convictions during the said perid.