Legal Definitions - Bail Clause

The Bail Clause is a part of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It says that people who are accused of a crime cannot be required to pay an excessive amount of money to be released from jail before their trial. This clause was inspired by a similar law in England's Bill of Rights from 1689.

For example, if someone is accused of stealing a candy bar, it would be unfair to require them to pay $10,000 to be released from jail before their trial. The Bail Clause ensures that people are not punished before they are found guilty of a crime.