How much is bail for assault

When there's no weapon involved, simple assault is generally treated as a misdemeanor, so the preset figures stay on the low end. Los Angeles County treats simple assault as book and release, with no money bail at all, under its misdemeanor bail schedule.

San Diego sets a much higher amount for the same offense if the person hurt is a police officer or firefighter. The San Diego bail schedule sets it at $10,000 rather than $1,000.

Aggravated assault typically means a weapon came into play or a victim risked serious harm. California most often files this as assault with a deadly weapon. In the California counties that list a felony amount for it, bail runs from $20,000 to $75,000.

Cases involving a gun frequently carry higher amounts. For assault with a firearm, Santa Clara County sets $50,000 and Fresno County sets $35,000.

Certain serious assault charges may be brought as misdemeanors, which brings the bail down. Riverside County sets $5,000 for assault with a deadly weapon filed that way, while San Francisco County sets $20,000. Tulsa County sets $1,000 for misdemeanor aggravated assault.

Yes, a schedule only provides a starting amount. California judges can let someone go on their own recognizance, pick a different bail amount, keep the person in custody, or attach conditions. Release on your own recognizance means you walk out without paying anything, on the strength of your promise to return for court. The Santa Clara court page explains how judges set or adjust bail.

Certain jurisdictions bypass the schedule for assault altogether. Franklin County, Ohio, home to Columbus, leaves assault and domestic violence out of its standard bond schedule, so judges decide those bonds themselves, per the municipal court. Under Ohio law, courts there must pick the least restrictive release conditions.

If you can't pay the full cash bail, a licensed bail agent can post a bond for you. In exchange, you pay the agent a premium, a fee that stays with the agent.

The California Department of Insurance says the premium there is usually 10% of the bond, on top of actual, necessary, and reasonable expenses. That works out to $3,000 on a $30,000 bond. Agents have to stick to the rates their company has on file with the state, though rebates are allowed.

• You don't get the premium back, even once the case is over.
• The fee comes back to you, minus administrative costs, if the person is surrendered into custody again.
• Since January 1, 2022, California has banned charging a yearly renewal premium.

Ohio law requires bail agents to charge whatever rate the state insurance office approved and to disclose the expense fee to you. Oklahoma handles licensing of bail bondsmen through its Insurance Department, though its rules don't set a percentage.

Paid bail agents aren't permitted in a handful of states, so things work differently in those places.

• Illinois: money bail came to an end on January 1, 2023. Under Illinois law, people are released with conditions, or held in custody only after a hearing.
• Kentucky: commercial bail has been against the law since 1976. Judges can choose release on recognizance, an unsecured bond, cash, or property, and Kentucky Courts says Pretrial Services interviews people after arrest.
• Wisconsin: courts may require cash bail or a 10% cash deposit, yet the state law never names licensed bail agents.