Overview
The Massachusetts Bail Fund accepts referrals for bail assistance for people prosecuted in Massachusetts who cannot afford to post bail on their own. THE MASSACHUSETTS BAIL FUND IS A CHARGE NEUTRAL BAIL FUND; WE POST BAIL REGARDLESS OF COURT HISTORY, CHARGE, OR CIRCUMSTANCES. Our only limitation is and has always been access to funds and staffing. Please go here for our current referral guidelines.
If a person has a bail they cannot afford that falls within our referral guidelines, the Massachusetts Bail Fund will pay the bail so that the person can be free to fight their case from a position of freedom. If you are court appointed counsel and you have a client you think would benefit from the Bail Fund please make a referral here. If you have a loved one you think would benefit from the Bail Fund, please send an email to information@massbailfund.org. A referral asks simply for information that we need to get someone free. We collect some limited dempgraphic information because we recognize the criminal legal system is racist, mysogynist, and homophobic, and we want to ensure that our impact counteracts these disparities rather than contributes to them. Referrals and decisions are handled as quickly as possible - often within hours or days of receiving the completed application. We understand that spending even one day in jail can have disastrous effects on someone's life and we act accordingly. We schedule bail postings throughout the month and you will be notified as soon as possible when we are scheduled to post the bail you have requested.
Posting Bail
Once a bail posting has been scheduled, Bail Fund staff or volunteers pays the bail according to the specific requirements of the jail in question. This process can take between two and eight hours, depending on the timeliness of the Bail Commissioner and the Jail or Prison. Once the bail is processed, the person is free to leave and with some notice and information, the Bail Fund can assist with transportation as needed.
Pending Trial
While the person's ' case is ongoing their bail money is kept by the courts. If the person defaults (meaning does not come to court when required) the bail money can be forfeited, which means the Bail Fund loses that amount of money. This does not happen often; in the history of the Bail Fund, 97% of all bails are returned. If notice of forfeiture is sent to the Bail Fund, our policy is to allow the process to play out without our involvement.
Case Closed
Once a persons' case concludes, the bail money is free to be released back to the Bail Fund. Bail Fund staff or volunteers go to the court where the case was heard in order to have the bail money released back to the Bail Fund. That money can then be used for the next person who can't afford bail.
The Massachusetts Bail Fund accepts referrals for bail assistance for people prosecuted in Massachusetts who cannot afford to post bail on their own. THE MASSACHUSETTS BAIL FUND IS A CHARGE NEUTRAL BAIL FUND; WE POST BAIL REGARDLESS OF COURT HISTORY, CHARGE, OR CIRCUMSTANCES. Our only limitation is and has always been access to funds and staffing. Please go here for our current referral guidelines.
If a person has a bail they cannot afford that falls within our referral guidelines, the Massachusetts Bail Fund will pay the bail so that the person can be free to fight their case from a position of freedom. If you are court appointed counsel and you have a client you think would benefit from the Bail Fund please make a referral here. If you have a loved one you think would benefit from the Bail Fund, please send an email to information@massbailfund.org. A referral asks simply for information that we need to get someone free. We collect some limited dempgraphic information because we recognize the criminal legal system is racist, mysogynist, and homophobic, and we want to ensure that our impact counteracts these disparities rather than contributes to them. Referrals and decisions are handled as quickly as possible - often within hours or days of receiving the completed application. We understand that spending even one day in jail can have disastrous effects on someone's life and we act accordingly. We schedule bail postings throughout the month and you will be notified as soon as possible when we are scheduled to post the bail you have requested.
Posting Bail
Once a bail posting has been scheduled, Bail Fund staff or volunteers pays the bail according to the specific requirements of the jail in question. This process can take between two and eight hours, depending on the timeliness of the Bail Commissioner and the Jail or Prison. Once the bail is processed, the person is free to leave and with some notice and information, the Bail Fund can assist with transportation as needed.
Pending Trial
While the person's ' case is ongoing their bail money is kept by the courts. If the person defaults (meaning does not come to court when required) the bail money can be forfeited, which means the Bail Fund loses that amount of money. This does not happen often; in the history of the Bail Fund, 97% of all bails are returned. If notice of forfeiture is sent to the Bail Fund, our policy is to allow the process to play out without our involvement.
Case Closed
Once a persons' case concludes, the bail money is free to be released back to the Bail Fund. Bail Fund staff or volunteers go to the court where the case was heard in order to have the bail money released back to the Bail Fund. That money can then be used for the next person who can't afford bail.
Bail is a renewable resource. Once bail is returned your money can be used to post bail for the next person who needs help.