Please read the below guidelines before submitting a referral for bail assistance.
*These guidelines reflect our current financial and staff capacity and are subject to change.
We want to help if we can, so should your situation fall outside of these guidelines, please email information@massbailfund.org*
REFERRALS ARE CLOSED. REFERRALS WILL REOPEN JUNE 1st.
** THE BAIL FUND WILL BE PAUSING BAIL
OPERATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. WE WILL RESUME JUNE 2022!**
*These guidelines reflect our current financial and staff capacity and are subject to change.
We want to help if we can, so should your situation fall outside of these guidelines, please email information@massbailfund.org*
REFERRALS ARE CLOSED. REFERRALS WILL REOPEN JUNE 1st.
** THE BAIL FUND WILL BE PAUSING BAIL
OPERATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. WE WILL RESUME JUNE 2022!**
The Massachusetts Bail Fund is an abolitionist and non-judgmental bail fund;
we do not factor charges, court history, and circumstance in posting bail.
we do not factor charges, court history, and circumstance in posting bail.
|
Where does the Massachusetts Bail Fund currently post bail?
|
How much money will the Massachusetts Bail Fund contribute to bail?
|
MBF is available to accept bail requests from the 1st to the 15th of the month. Referrals are accepted for half of the month to ensure that our small staff can work through everyone's request in a timely fashion.
Please read below before clicking through to the referral form.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
- Referrals are generally accepted from court-appointed counsel. If your loved one is held on a bail that we can post, we are committed to helping. Please email information@massbailfund.org with as much information as you have about the case and we will help.
- The Massachusetts Bail Fund will currently contribute up to $1000.00 where the bail is over $1000.00 and all but $1000.00 has been collected. In situations where the Bail Fund contributes to a persons bail, the Bail Fund and the person' friend or family member will be co-sureties. Once the case is concluded, the friend or family member can go on their own to retrieve their share of the bail.
ELECTRONIC MONITORING (GPS, SCRAM, Etc.)
At this time, we are currently UNABLE to do GPS postings that need to be done in court. Due to COVID and ongoing capacity, we only post at jails. If you are asking for bail help for someone who has a GPS condition, that condition must read "24 hours after release". At Billerica House of Corrections, Western Mass Regional Women's Correctional Center, Ludlow House of Corrections and MCI Framingham we are able to post bail for those with GPS conditions and the jail will transport them to court for GPS fitting the next morning.
TRANSPORTATION:
Because of COVID-19 safety concerns, MBF can not guarantee arranging transportation for people who are released once bail is posted. There are some options for transportation from the jails outlined below.
|
Middleton:
The staff at Middleton HOC will provide transportation to the court that has jurisdiction over the person's case. For example, if the case is being heard out of Salem District Court, the jail will drive the person to Salem District Court once they are released. Family members can also pick up their loved ones at the HOC which is preferred. Ludlow HOC: Ludlow jail does not offer rides to people being released during the 4:30 pm bail call. If the person has a ride, that is most preferred and should be noted in the application. MBF in some cases may be able to coordinate a taxi if someone needs a ride but that needs to be arranged before hand through the application and is not guaranteed. |
South Bay House of Corrections:
The HOC will provide $25 in funds to anyone whose case is out of jurisdiction. For example, if the case is being heard out of Plymouth County, the jail will provide $25 in cash for public transportation. Please provide contact information on the form so that MBF can coordinate with the ride. If the transportation plan is for the jail to provide $25 please let us know on the form. Western Mass Regional Women's Correctional: This prison does not offer rides to people being released during the 4:30 pm bail call. If the person has a ride, that is most preferred and should be noted in the application. MBF in some cases may be able to provide a ride but that needs to be arranged before hand through the application and is not guaranteed |
Nashua Street Jail:
If there is someone who can provide transportation, please provide contact information on the form and we will coordinate with them. If there is no transportation plan, the person will be released to the street. Billerica HOC: Billerica jail does not offer rides to people being released during the 7 pm bail call but the jail will give people a one way train ticket and a ride to the train station. If the person has a prearranged ride, that is most preferred and should be noted in the application. |
Worcester County House of Corrections:
Worcester House of Correction: MBF staff/volunteers cannot provide transportation from the HOC. However, MBF will coordinate & pay for Taxi/Ride Sharing transportation for people whose bails we post at the Worcester House of Correction. Please let us know if they need this in the application. If the person has family/friends who can provide transportation, this is preferable. Please let us know the name and contact information for this person so that we may coordinate with them. MCI Framingham:
This prison does not offer rides to people being released during the 5 pm bail call. If the person has a ride, that is most preferred and should be noted in the application. MBF in some cases may be able to provide a ride but that needs to be arranged before hand through the application and is not guaranteed. |
We rely on attorneys who refer clients to us to let us know the essential information we need in order to post and pickup bail efficiently. We expect attorneys to read the above requirements and to let us know the following information when cases close:
1. Date of Case Closure - what date the case resolve?
2. Case Disposition - for example, Dismissal, or Guilty-Probation for 6 months
3. Attorney Fee Status- Bails are not available for pickup until the attorney fee is fulfilled in some way.
The need for our assistance is bottomless. The Massachusetts Bail Fund is dedicated to helping as many people as we can, and to do this we rely on attorneys to let us know case information as quickly as possible.
1. Date of Case Closure - what date the case resolve?
2. Case Disposition - for example, Dismissal, or Guilty-Probation for 6 months
3. Attorney Fee Status- Bails are not available for pickup until the attorney fee is fulfilled in some way.
The need for our assistance is bottomless. The Massachusetts Bail Fund is dedicated to helping as many people as we can, and to do this we rely on attorneys to let us know case information as quickly as possible.