Remand (bail or custody)
What happens to a defendant between hearings: released on bail, or held in custody.
A defendant is “remanded” between hearings, either on bail (released, often with conditions) or in custody (held in prison).
People have a general right to bail, but a court can refuse it, for example if there is a real risk the person would not come back to court or would commit further offences.
Time limits apply to how long someone can be held in custody before trial (custody time limits).
Official sources
- Bail: legal guidance (Crown Prosecution Service)
- Custody time limits: legal guidance (Crown Prosecution Service)
- A guide to criminal court statistics (Ministry of Justice)
This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. The official sources above are the authority.
See also
Custody time limit · Prisons · How a case moves from charge to sentence · All explainers
