Rhode Island police hold periods depend on the circumstances of your arrest and the charges filed:
Before arraignment: Police in Rhode Island can generally hold you up to 48 hours before you must be arraigned in court. Weekends and holidays can extend this, arraignments typically happen during the next business court day, so a Friday-night arrest often means holding over the weekend.
Pre-arraignment release options: A bail commissioner at the police station can sometimes set bail before arraignment. If you can post it, you may be released within hours of booking without waiting for a judge.
At arraignment: A judge reviews the charges and sets bail. Options include:
- Personal recognizance (PR), released on your promise to appear
- Cash bail, you or a family member posts the full amount
- Surety bond, paid through a bail bondsman at a percentage of the bail amount
- Third-party surety, a qualifying person guarantees your appearance
Held without bail: Certain serious felonies, first-degree murder, some sex offenses, and cases where the prosecution shows "proof is evident and the presumption great", can be held without bail after a hearing.
What to do: Call Bank & Munns at (401) 573-2265 the moment you or a loved one is booked. We appear at arraignment, argue for the lowest possible bail or PR release, and can often negotiate pre-arraignment release directly at the station.