What the bail schedule is
The bail schedule is a published list, set by the Superior Court in each county, that assigns a presumptive bail amount to each charge. It is what lets bail be set quickly at booking for most misdemeanors without waiting for a hearing. The judge can move off the schedule, but it is the starting point for nearly every case.
Why the number differs by county
Here is the part that surprises people: there is no single statewide bail schedule. Each county’s Superior Court adopts its own. That is why the same charge — a first DUI, say — can carry one presumptive amount in Riverside and a different one in San Diego or Orange County. The charge is the same; the schedule behind it is not.
How enhancements stack
The base charge is only the beginning. Enhancements — prior convictions, a weapon involved, an injury, multiple counts — are added on top, and they can raise the bail amount well above the base figure. Two people charged with the “same” offense can face very different numbers once the enhancements are counted.
Reading your county’s schedule
The schedules are public. You can find the current version on the county Superior Court website, usually under a felony and a misdemeanor schedule. Find the code section for the charge, note the base amount, and then account for any enhancements that may apply. It is dense, but it is knowable.
When in doubt, call
You do not have to decode it alone. Tell us the county and the charge and a bilingual agent will tell you the likely amount on the schedule and what enhancements could move it. That is a free conversation, and it beats guessing from a PDF at two in the morning.