Bail Basics

Bail starts with a county bail schedule, then a judge can change it. Here is how California bail amounts are set and how to find your county's schedule.

Felony bail is usually higher and gets more review than misdemeanor bail in California. Learn how schedules, wobblers, and release options differ.

O.R. release lets someone out on a signed promise instead of money. Learn how it differs from bail and how California judges decide.

Probation violations, state parole holds, and PRCS flash incarceration each follow different release rules in California. Here is what families should check before paying for a bond.

A hold can keep your loved one in custody even after bail is posted. Here is what warrants, probation and parole holds, and immigration detainers mean in California.

Most California warrants list a bail amount that can be posted. Learn how bench and arrest warrants differ, what happens on out-of-county warrants, and how to surrender.

A two-minute license check protects your family. Here is how to look up a bail agent with the California Department of Insurance and the red flags to watch for.

Domestic violence arrests follow stricter bail rules in California. Learn about PC 1270.1 hearings, emergency protective orders, and no-contact conditions.

Since October 2023, many LA County arrestees are released without bail before their first court date. Here is how the five release categories work.

Whether you get bail money back depends on how you paid. Here is how cash bail refunds, nonrefundable bond premiums, and collateral returns work in California.

What happens after a DUI arrest in California, when release without bail is possible, how DUI-with-injury bail differs, and the DMV deadline families should know.

Three ways to post bail in California, compared side by side: what each costs, what comes back, how fast it is, and the risks to your family.

A defense attorney can ask a judge to lower bail. Learn what the judge considers, how Humphrey changed things, and how families can help prepare.

Missing court can lead to a bench warrant and bail forfeiture, but California law gives a window to fix it. Here is what happens and what to do right away.

A bail bond in California typically costs 10% of the bail amount, and that premium is non-refundable. Here is what you pay, what you sign for, and how to spot an unlicensed agent.