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Can You Go on Vacation While Out on Bail in Indiana?

Someone in the family gets arrested, and suddenly, life feels upended. The rules and regulations may seem ruthless and confusing if it’s your first time with the criminal justice system.

Many people ask us whether they’re allowed to travel while on bail. Keeping in mind the confusion, we’ve answered these questions in detail and highlighted other release conditions aspects.

You can connect with us directly if you have any queries.

Being Free vs. Being on Bail

Being out on bail does limit your movement. Technically speaking, bail doesn’t grant you complete freedom.

There are certain conditions for being released on bail. While the judge respects your right to reasonable and fair bail, they also take strides to keep you from absconding.

How Free Are You?

Under US criminal law, a defendant is innocent until proven guilty. If you’re charged with a crime, you’ll be considered guilty, but you’ll have to meet some conditions.

The purpose of pretrial bail is to:

  1. Allow the accused to continue their lives, such as family commitments and employment, until the hearing.
  2. Reduce the custodial burden on the justice system.

So if you’re released on bail, you’ll be free to resume employment or pursue healthy and legal hobbies. However, travel restrictions are at the court’s discretion and depend on the nature of the case.

A bail bond agent explaining the bond agreement

How Do the Courts Determine Restrictions?

So now that you know there are mobility restrictions, it’s important to understand how the judge determines these restrictions.

  • Offense severity – the graver the crime, the stricter will be the bail restrictions.
  • Criminal history – the judge may look at your criminal history to determine bail conditions. If you have a history of repeat offenses, bail jumping, or violent crimes, the court may set severe limitations on your mobility or deny the bail altogether.
  • Flight risk – if the judge believes that the defendant may flee, they may raise the bond amount or set travel restrictions. For instance, the judge may ask to surrender the passport if your family lives abroad.
  • Mental or physical status – the judge will consider a defendant’s physical condition and mental state when setting release conditions. If the accused has a history of mental disorder, they won’t be allowed to travel.

Generally, a defendant is allowed to travel within the home state. In some cases, interstate mobility is also permitted. However, you can’t travel internationally.

Can You Go on Vacation?

Traveling within cities and states is permitted, but if the accused is bonded out of jail, they cannot go on vacation as it can lead to a breach of the bail bond agreement. You can, however, ask for permission to travel for the following reasons:

  • Travel scheduled prior to the arrest
  • Travel to visit a dying or ill loved one
  • Travel that’s necessary for the job

Let DeLaughter Bail Bonds help you through the bail process in Indiana. We offer bail bond services in Howard County, Cass County, and other counties in Indiana. We offer 24-hour bail bonds to expedite the process. Contact us today!

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