Bail Pending Sentencing or Appeal in California's State System

Regardless of what stage your case is at after a conviction, you may have the ability to remain free on bail pending your upcoming sentencing, or pending appeal. An experienced defense lawyer from The Kavinoky Law Firm has the skills and knowledge you need to help you remain free after a criminal conviction.

The critical issue in helping you to remain free after a California criminal conviction is whether or not you've already been sentenced. The courts are much more conservative about granting bail after you've been sentenced, because conventional wisdom is that once you know what kind of sentence you face, you're more likely to flee the jurisdiction and evade punishment altogether.

However, being free on bail may be critical to appealing your case because it is much easier to represent you if you are "out" rather than "in." Being free on bail gives you much more latitude to meet with your attorneys and aid in the process of withdrawing your plea or reversing your case.

In some cases, the court will recognize that your freedom is essential to properly pursuing your appeal, and allow you to be released on bail. However, the terms may be more stringent than bail in pre-conviction cases. You may be required to use real estate or other property of significant value to ensure that you remain in the jurisdiction while your appeal is pursued.

It's also possible to be released on bail after you've been convicted but before you've been sentenced, but again, the court will take significant precautions to ensure that you are present to receive your punishment.

If you're like many California criminal defendants, you may believe that being released on bail is only possible before a case goes to trial, but that's simply not the case. It may be entirely possible to secure your release from custody on bail while appealing your conviction. To learn more about your options following a California criminal conviction, please contact a skilled attorney from The Kavinoky Law Firm today for a free consultation.