Senate Bill 139 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

April Weaver Senator

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Pretrial detention hearings; procedure revised

Description

Under existing law, every person charged with and arrested for a felony has an absolute right to a preliminary hearing.

This bill would provide that a pretrial detention hearing may satisfy the right to a preliminary hearing.

Under existing law, a defendant may be denied bail for certain enumerated offenses following a pretrial detention hearing.

This bill would provide that a pretrial detention hearing must be set within 10 days of the defendant's arrest.

This bill would provide that a continuance of a pretrial detention hearing may not exceed 21 days unless a joint motion is filed by the parties.

This bill would require a court to make a record of all pretrial detention hearings.

This bill would also provide that an appeal of a pretrial detention order shall be made to the Court of Criminal Appeals.

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Subjects

Criminal Procedure