[COURT NAME]
[DIVISION OR COUNTY], MASSACHUSETTS

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
       v.                   
[DEFENDANT FULL LEGAL NAME],
     Defendant.

DOCKET NO.: [DOCKET NO.]

DEFENDANT [DEFENDANT LAST NAME]’S
MOTION TO REDUCE BAIL AND FOR MODIFICATION OF CONDITIONS OF RELEASE

[// GUIDANCE: Confirm caption formatting complies with local standing orders. Many MA courts require the charge(s) to be listed under the case caption as well.]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction and Relief Requested..................................... [___]
2. Procedural Background................................................ [___]
3. Applicable Legal Standard........................................... [___]
4. Argument............................................................ []
   4.1. Bail Factors Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276........................ []
   4.2. Application of Bail Factors to the Instant Case................... []
   4.3. Proposed Alternative Conditions of Release........................ []
5. Request for Hearing................................................. [___]
6. Conclusion and Prayer for Relief..................................... [___]
7. Certificate of Service.............................................. [___]

[// GUIDANCE: Update page numbers after finalization.]

1. Introduction and Relief Requested

1.1 Pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, §§ 57 and 58, and Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure 9 and 30, the Defendant, [DEFENDANT FULL LEGAL NAME] (“Defendant”), respectfully moves this Honorable Court to:

a. Reduce the currently imposed cash bail of $[CURRENT BAIL AMOUNT] to $[REQUESTED BAIL AMOUNT / PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE]; and
b. Modify the existing conditions of release as set forth in Section 4.3 below.

1.2 In support of this Motion, the Defendant submits the accompanying Memorandum of Law, Proposed Order, and [OPTIONAL: Affidavit of Defendant / Supporting Documentation].

2. Procedural Background

2.1 On [DATE OF ARRAIGNMENT], the Defendant was arraigned in this Court on the following charge(s):
  • [LIST CHARGES & STATUTORY CITATIONS]

2.2 The Court imposed cash bail in the amount of $[CURRENT BAIL AMOUNT] with the following conditions:
  • [CONDITION 1]
  • [CONDITION 2]

2.3 The Defendant has been detained at [NAME OF HOUSE OF CORRECTION] since [DATE DETAINED], unable to post bail.

2.4 No dangerousness hearing under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 58A has been requested or conducted in this matter.
[// GUIDANCE: If § 58A hearing has occurred, adjust accordingly and attach ruling.]

3. Applicable Legal Standard

3.1 Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, §§ 57–58, bail shall be set solely to assure the Defendant’s appearance before the Court.

3.2 In determining the amount of bail and appropriate conditions, the Court must consider, inter alia:
 a. Nature and circumstances of the alleged offense;
 b. Potential penalty;
 c. Weight of the evidence;
 d. Defendant’s family, employment, and community ties;
 e. Length of residence in the Commonwealth;
 f. Past and present conduct, including any record of convictions or court appearances;
 g. History of mental illness or substance-use disorder; and
 h. Likelihood of Defendant’s appearance.
[// GUIDANCE: Source factors from MA Bail Manual & standard practice; statutory text does not list them exhaustively but courts routinely apply these considerations.]

3.3 If the Court finds that conditions of release other than monetary will reasonably assure the Defendant’s appearance, the Court must impose the least restrictive such conditions. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 58.

4. Argument

4.1 Bail Factors Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276

The Commonwealth bears the burden of demonstrating the necessity of the current bail amount to secure the Defendant’s appearance. The statutory framework favors release on personal recognizance or unsecured bond unless specific findings warrant monetary bail.

4.2 Application of Bail Factors to the Instant Case

[// GUIDANCE: Insert detailed, case-specific facts in each subsection below. Attach supporting exhibits where available.]

a. Nature of the Offense
 • [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CHARGE(S) AND NON-VIOLENT NATURE, IF APPLICABLE]

b. Weight of the Evidence
 • [SUMMARY OF EVIDENTIARY WEAKNESSES / LACK OF PRIORITIZATION BY COMMONWEALTH, ETC.]

c. Defendant’s Personal History and Community Ties
 • Residency: [YEARS] years at [ADDRESS], living with [FAMILY MEMBER(S)].
 • Employment: [POSITION], [EMPLOYER NAME], employed since [DATE].
 • Education: [EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND].
 • Family Obligations: [CARETAKING RESPONSIBILITIES, E.G., MINOR CHILDREN, ELDERLY RELATIVES].

d. Criminal Record and Court Appearance History
 • [DETAIL PRIOR RECORD OR LACK THEREOF, NOTING PRIOR APPEARANCES WITHOUT DEFAULT].

e. Financial Circumstances
 • [DEFENDANT’S MONTHLY INCOME], demonstrating inability to post current bail.

f. Risk of Flight
 • [ANALYSIS SHOWING LOW RISK, E.G., SURRENDERED PASSPORT, STRONG COMMUNITY TIES].

g. Safety of the Community
 • [STATEMENT THAT NO STATUTORY BASIS FOR PRETRIAL DETENTION UNDER § 58A EXISTS].

4.3 Proposed Alternative Conditions of Release

Should the Court deem any conditions necessary, the Defendant proposes the following less-restrictive measures, individually or in combination, as sufficient to ensure appearance:
 1. Release on personal recognizance pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 58;
 2. Unsecured bond in the amount of $[REQUESTED UNSECURED AMOUNT];
 3. Weekly check-ins with the Probation Department;
 4. GPS monitoring with exclusion zone [IF APPROPRIATE];
 5. Participation in [SUBSTANCE-USE / MENTAL-HEALTH] treatment program;
 6. Surrender of passport and travel restrictions;
 7. Any additional condition the Court deems reasonable and least restrictive.

[// GUIDANCE: Tailor proposed conditions to factual context; avoid over-burdening conditions that may violate “least restrictive” requirement.]

5. Request for Hearing

Pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 58 and Mass. R. Crim. P. 47, the Defendant respectfully requests a prompt hearing on this Motion. Counsel estimates a total hearing time of approximately [ESTIMATED MINUTES] minutes, inclusive of testimony from [WITNESS NAMES / PROFFERS].

6. Conclusion and Prayer for Relief

For the foregoing reasons, the Defendant respectfully prays that this Honorable Court:

1. Reduce bail to $[REQUESTED BAIL AMOUNT] or order release on personal recognizance;
2. Adopt the alternative conditions of release proposed in Section 4.3, as the Court deems necessary; and
3. Grant such other and further relief as is just and equitable.

Respectfully submitted,

plaintext
_________ Date: [DATE]
[ATTORNEY NAME], Esq.
B.B.O. No. [BAR NUMBER]
[LAW FIRM NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE] | [EMAIL FOR SERVICE]
Counsel for Defendant [DEFENDANT LAST NAME]

7. Certificate of Service

I, [ATTORNEY NAME], hereby certify that on this [DATE] a true copy of the foregoing Motion was served by [METHOD OF SERVICE—EFILE SYSTEM, HAND-DELIVERY, OR FIRST-CLASS MAIL] upon the Office of the District Attorney for [COUNTY] County at [ADDRESS], in compliance with Mass. R. Crim. P. 13(d).

plaintext

[ATTORNEY NAME], Esq.

PROPOSED ORDER

[// GUIDANCE: File as a separate PDF or include beneath motion per local practice.]

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS DOCKET NO.: [DOCKET NO.]

ORDER ON DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO REDUCE BAIL

Upon consideration of the Defendant’s Motion, any opposition filed by the Commonwealth,
and the arguments of counsel, it is hereby ORDERED that:

□ The Motion is ALLOWED. The Defendant shall be released on:

□ Personal recognizance □ Unsecured bond of $__
□ Cash bail reduced to $__

□ The following conditions of release are imposed:
□ Weekly Probation check-ins
□ GPS monitoring with exclusion zone: ___
□ Mandatory treatment program: ____
□ Surrender of passport on or before ___
□ Other: _______

□ The Motion is DENIED.

So ORDERED this _ day of __, 20___.

[NAME OF JUDGE], Justice
[COURT NAME]
[// GUIDANCE: Include check boxes to expedite judicial completion; adjust layout to your court’s “Proposed Order on Motion” format.]

OPTIONAL ATTACHMENTS

1. Affidavit of [DEFENDANT/THIRD PARTY] in Support of Motion
2. Character Letters (Exhibits A–C)
3. Employment Verification (Exhibit D)
4. Treatment Program Acceptance Letter (Exhibit E)

[// GUIDANCE: Attach only verified documents; redact personal identifiers per S.J.C. Rule 1:24.]

PRACTICE NOTES

• Bail Review Timing: A decision denying bail reduction can be appealed to a single justice of the S.J.C. under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 276, § 58 within seven days.
• Dangerousness Hearings (§ 58A): If the Commonwealth seeks detention on dangerousness grounds, insist on strict adherence to statutory timelines and evidentiary requirements.
• Least Restrictive Means: Emphasize non-monetary alternatives; Massachusetts jurisprudence disfavors cash-based detention absent specific findings of necessity.
• Financial Inquiry: Include concrete evidence of inability to pay current bail to satisfy “ability to pay” considerations.

[// GUIDANCE: Remove this Practice Notes section prior to filing; it is for attorney reference only.]