California bail amounts can vary based on factors like offense severity, prior offenses, and other considerations. They also change from year to year, and furthermore vary from county to county. To keep families of defendants updated with the latest information, our Ventura criminal defense lawyers have listed the newest Ventura County bail amounts, based on the recently updated 2017 bail schedule.
Bail Amounts for Different Crimes in California
After a person is arrested, he or she will generally be taken into custody and temporarily held in a local correctional facility while information gets processed. For example, someone who gets arrested in Ventura County may be booked into the Ventura County Jail.
The person’s family members can pay money called “bail” to have their loved one released. The bail amount is set by the judge, who has a few options. These options include:
- Denying bail, in certain circumstances.
- Releasing the defendant on his or her “own recognizance” (OR), which is cost-free.
- Setting a dollar amount as bail.
The judge’s decision depends on factors like:
- Danger to the community.
- Prior bail-jumping charges.
- The defendant’s status as a current parolee or probationer.
The judge’s decision is also guided by an outline called a bail schedule, which varies by location and is updated annually. The bail schedule supplies information that helps the judge decide on what an appropriate bail amount would be, though there are some cases where bail is excessive and can be reduced with help from an attorney. Continue reading to see examples of felony and misdemeanor Ventura County bail amounts for 2017.
2017 Ventura County Bail Schedule
The list below is not exhaustive, but should provide you with a clearer idea of the general bail amount ranges you may expect to encounter. The list is divided into misdemeanors and felonies, with offenses sorted alphabetically for fast browsing.
2017 Ventura Bail Amounts for Misdemeanors
- Aggravated Trespassing – $5,000
- Child Abuse – $5,000
- Disorderly Conduct – $5,000
- Driving Under the Influence (Misdemeanor DUI) – $5,000
- Elder Abuse – $5,000
- Failure to Register as a Gang Offender – $10,000
- Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – $10,000
- Indecent Exposure – $5,000
- Possession of a Concealed Firearm – $5,000
- Probation Violation – $5,000
- Prostitution – $5,000
- Resisting an Officer – $5,000
- Sexual Battery – $10,000
- Violating a Restraining Order (Protective Order) – $10,000
The bail amount for felonies, which are listed in the next section, can be drastically higher.
2017 Ventura Bail Amounts for Felonies
- Aggravated Arson – $250,000
- Aggravated Mayhem – $250,000
- Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child – $250,000
- Arson – $20,000 – $50,000
- Assault with a Deadly Weapon – $20,000
- Assault with a Firearm – $50,000
- Assault with a Semiautomatic Weapon – $50,000
- Assault with an Assault Weapon on a Police Officer – $250,000
- Battery with Serious Injury – $20,000
- Carjacking – $100,000
- Child Pornography and Obscene Matter – $50,000 – $100,000
- Conspiracy to Commit Any Crime – Minimum $20,000
- Continuing Sexual Abuse – $50,000
- Elder Abuse – $50,000
- Failure to Register as a Sex Offender – $20,000
- Felony DUI – $50,000 – $100,000
- First Degree Burglary – $50,000
- First Degree Robbery – $100,000
- Gang Activity – $100,000
- Gross Vehicular Manslaughter while Intoxicated – $50,000
- Gross Vehicular Manslaughter while Intoxicated with Prior Offenses – $250,000
- Identity Theft – $50,000
- Involuntary Manslaughter – $50,000
- Kidnapping – $100,000
- Kidnapping (Ransom, Extortion) – $250,000
- Lewd Acts with a Child Under 14 – $50,000
- Lewd Acts with a Child Under 14 with Force – $100,000
- Mayhem – $100,000
- Murder – $500,000
- Murder with Special Circumstances – No bail
- Perjury – $20,000
- Pimping – $20,000
- Possession of a Firearm on School Grounds – $100,000
- Possession of a Firearm to Commit a Felony – $50,000
- Possession of Marijuana for Sale/Selling Marijuana – $20,000
- Probation Violation – No bail
- Rape – $100,000
- Resisting an Officer with Serious Injury – $20,000
- Resisting Arrest with a Firearm – $50,000
- Sale of a Controlled Substance – $50,000
- Second Degree Burglary – $10,000
- Second Degree Robbery – $50,000
- Selling Controlled Substances to a Minor – $100,000
- Sexual Acts with a Child 10 Years Old or Younger – $250,000
- Sexual Battery – $20,000
- Shooting at a Person from a Motor Vehicle – $100,000
- Spousal Rape – $100,000
- Stalking – $100,000
- Terrorism – $20,000
- Threatening a Witness – $50,000
- Torture – $250,000
- Violating a Restraining Order (Protective Order) with Prior Offenses – $20,000
- Voluntary Manslaughter – $100,000
The presumptive bail amount for the following crimes may be doubled if (1) it is a domestic violence crime and (2) the defendant has specific types of prior convictions:
- Assault with a Deadly Weapon – $40,000
- Assault with a Firearm – $100,000
- Assault with a Semiautomatic Weapon – $100,000
- Spousal Rape – $200,000
- Terrorism – $40,000
- Violating a Restraining Order (Protective Order) with Prior Offenses – $40,000
Contact Ventura Criminal Defense Lawyers for Help Getting a Bail Reduction
If a family member or loved one has been arrested and booked into jail in Ventura County, you need a skilled and qualified defense attorney who has extensive previous experience handling cases similar to yours. The legal team at The Law Offices of Bamieh & De Smeth, PLC includes Ventura DUI lawyers, drug crime attorneys, murder defense attorneys, sex crime attorneys, assault defense attorneys, and more.
To speak with a Ventura criminal attorney from Bamieh & De Smeth in a free and confidential legal consultation, contact our law offices at (805) 643-5555 right away. Our law firm handles misdemeanor and felony criminal cases throughout Ventura County.