Art. 312. Right to bail before and after conviction

A. Except as provided in this Article and Article 313, a person in custody who is charged with the commission of an offense is entitled to bail before conviction.

B. A person released on a previously posted bail undertaking for (1) a crime of violence as defined by R.S. 14:2(B) which carries a minimum mandatory sentence of imprisonment upon conviction or (2) the production, manufacture, distribution, or dispensing or possession with intent to produce, manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled dangerous substance as defined by the Louisiana Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law, shall not be readmitted to bail when the person previously failed to appear and a warrant for arrest was issued and not recalled or the previous bail undertaking has been revoked or forfeited. If a person voluntarily appears without confinement by a law enforcement officer or bail recovery agent following a motion to revoke bail or issuance of an arrest warrant for failure to appear but prior to revocation or forfeiture, then he may be released only under one of the following circumstances:

(1) After a contradictory hearing, a person may be released on the previously posted bail undertaking if the motion to revoke bail is rescinded or the arrest warrant is recalled and the surety is present or represented at the hearing and gives written consent. Previous instances of revocation and forfeiture in unrelated cases are admissible at the hearing. This relief is available only once.

(2) A person may be released on a new bail undertaking without a contradictory hearing only on bail with a commercial surety and in an amount higher than the original bail.

C. A defendant who has been surrendered under the provisions of Article 331, or has been rearrested under the provisions of Article 332, is entitled to bail in accordance with this Code.

D. A convicted person shall be remanded to jail to await sentence unless any of the following occur:

(1) He is allowed to remain free on a bail undertaking posted prior to conviction by operation of Article 331(A), and the bail previously fixed is in accordance with all of the applicable provisions of this Article.

(2) He is released by virtue of a bail undertaking posted after conviction, and the bail was fixed in accordance with this Article.

E. After conviction and before sentence, bail shall be allowed if the maximum sentence which may be imposed is imprisonment for five years or less. Bail may be allowed pending sentence if the maximum sentence which may be imposed is imprisonment exceeding five years, except when the court has reason to believe, based on competent evidence, that the release of the person convicted will pose a danger to any other person or the community, or that there is a substantial risk that the person convicted might flee.

F. After sentence and until final judgment, bail shall be allowed if a sentence of five years or less is actually imposed. Bail may be allowed after sentence and until final judgment if the sentence actually imposed exceeds imprisonment for five years, except when the court has reason to believe, based on competent evidence, that the release of the person convicted will pose a danger to any other person or the community, or that there is a substantial risk that the person convicted might flee.

G.(1) After conviction of a capital offense, a defendant shall not be allowed bail.

(2)(a) After conviction of any crime punishable by imprisonment for twenty-five years or more that is both a sex offense and a crime of violence, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the release of the person convicted will pose a danger to another person or the community and that there is a substantial risk that the person convicted might flee.

(b) For purposes of this Paragraph:

(i) "Crime of violence" means any offense defined or enumerated as a crime of violence in R.S. 14:2(B).

(ii) "Sex offense" means any offense that requires registration and notification pursuant to R.S. 15:540 et seq.

H. A person held without bail or unable to post bail may invoke the supervisory jurisdiction of the court of appeal on a claim that the trial court has improperly refused bail or a reduction of bail in a bailable case.

Acts 1993, No. 834, §1, eff. June 22, 1993; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 52, §1, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 2010, No. 914, §1; Acts 2016, No. 613, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; Acts 2018, No. 484, §1, eff. May 25, 2018.