The truth is that New Jersey has adopted bail reform that has all but eliminated classic bail, namely, posting of money or a bond to secure immediate release following an arrest. The basis for post-arrest release now primarily involves imposing reporting requirements as conditions for release. For example, rather than requiring money that is forfeited in the event of non-appearance, a defendant is now required to report to a pretrial officer in accordance with either Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or Level 3 Plus reporting. This can involve something as simple as calling the pretrial officer once a month or terms that are as onerous as home confinement with electronic monitoring. If the defendant is granted pretrial release on any of these reporting levels but fails to comply with the related conditions, a violation of pretrial monitoring can be issued and result in incarceration.
You should also know that the terms of pretrial release can only be determined at an initial appearance before a judge. This typically necessitates the defendant remaining in the custody of the police and/or Middlesex County Jail for at least one day before the first court appearance can be conducted. Hiring a top Middlesex County criminal lawyer is the best thing you can do to minimize the time in custody.
