How is Bail Amount Determined in California?

If you or a loved one are arrested and placed in California jail, there is a way to get out while you wait for the trial schedule to be released. This secured, legal form of action is called paying bail — and we’re going to talk all about that in this article.

Keep reading to learn about bail amounts, who’s eligible, and all the relevant information you’ll want to know for future reference. 

Who is eligible for bail-release in California?

In the United States of America, each county within each state is required to follow a bail schedule. This is the amount of money that a person must pay to gain release from jail. The total amount can be submitted to the jail directly or a bail bondsman can post the full scheduled bail, and you can pay the bail bondsman 10% of the overall total. 

When adhering to the bail schedule, a judge must take a few things into account:

• The severity of the crime
• The defendant’s criminal history
• The defendant’s history with court appearances
• The flight risk associated with the case
• Whether the defendant is currently on probation or parole

Taking all things into consideration and relying heavily on the bail schedule, the judge will then announce the bail amount due at arraignment. 

There are special cases where the defendant will be released on OR, or their own recognizance. This is case-specific and does not often happen.

What can influence a bail amount?

The few adherents mentioned above are particularly important, but there are additional occurrences that may make the judge tweak the bail schedule and bail amounts. These include:

• Whether or not releasing the arrested person(s) will endanger the community, as public safety is a #1 priority
• Whether or not the defendant will flee the county, state, or country, resulting in bounty hunter services
• The severity of the case at hand, including it’s violence and dangerous attributes, e.g. threats made, gun or violent weapons used, possession of illegal drugs, etc.
• Previous records of skipping bail and a detailed list of prior offenses

What happens if the defendant cannot afford to post bail?

Bail is a pretty high ticket number, meaning that it’s so expensive, most defendants can’t afford to purchase their temporary freedom from jail. 

If this happens, one of two things can be done. 

1. Your attorney can request a bail hearing and schedule it as close to the first court appearance as possible. He or she can then submit a bail motion to lower the cost and the judge will take it into consideration.
2. You can choose to work with a bail bonds company to pay 10% of the total bail. Your charge goes directly to the bail bondsman as payment for their services, and they put forth the full bail amount. Once all of your court appearances are conducted, the bail bonds company will get their money back and you’ll have paid them their wage for helping you. 

If you’ve been arrested and you need help, reach out to our professionals at Synergy Bail Bonds. We focus on granting our clients’ immediate freedom under any circumstance — and we help everyone! We are committed to you from start to finish, that’s our promise. 

Call today for a free consultation at 619-565-2450. We have professional and informative information for you and provide loyal and dedicated services. The transactions will be seamless and if you need our help, we’ll be with you long-term. It’s important to us that your needs are met, so don’t hesitate to lean on our expertise and guidance!