The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 1, §16 of the Michigan Constitution prohibit excessive bail. "Bail is generally considered unconstitutionally 'excessive' when it is set at an amount higher than a value reasonably calculated to provide adequate assurance that the accused will stand trial and submit to sentence." Stack v. Boyle, 342 U.S. 1, 5 (1951). For indigent residents of this county, an unreasonable amount may be only a few dollars. When the household income for an indigent resident is less than $28,000.00 per year and the take-home amount for that same pay is only around $1800 per month. And when median rent is nearly $850 per month ($10,200.00 a year), with other household expenses easily exceeding $1000 per month, it is easy to see how a bond of even $100 is impossible.
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