Are bail fees different in different counties?
Is there a difference between getting bail in Santa Ana and Sacramento? I ask because I was booked for the same thing as my friend in Sacramento but he got a lesser bail amount. What’s the deal?
Your question is actually one of the most common questions that are asked about bail; many people want to know why one bail is set higher than another bail for the exact same crime. In actuality, there is a major difference between the amount of bail in Santa Ana and Sacramento, just as there is a major difference in bail amounts for jurisdictions across the state of California and around the country.
There are a number of factors that might account for the difference in the amount of bail that you got and the amount of bail that your friend got. Clearly, you have recognized that the locality may be playing a major role in the monetary difference. Each locality has a different bail schedule, just as each judge sets bail differently. Therefore, you two are not only working with different bail scheduled, but the judges may react to the same situation in very different ways.
Also, it is important to keep in mind that your situation may not actually be identical to your friend’s situation when it comes to being in jail in the first place. If you were both booked on the same thing, then on this particular instance, you may have both violated the same law. However, you may have different temperaments and you may have different criminal histories. In addition to accounting for the bail variations that could be caused by the difference in judges and localities, you must also take your personal characteristics into account. Here are some things that could contribute to the difference:
Criminal History
The judge will review your criminal history and determine whether or not you deserve a higher or lesser bail. If you are a repeat offender or a repeat criminal, you may get higher bail, or you may be denied bail altogether. On the contrary, if you are a first-time offender, you may get a lesser bail, or you may be released from jail on your own recognizance. Therefore, you may be able to find answers by reviewing your criminal history and your friend’s criminal history.
Attitude
The judge will also take a look at your attitude. If you resisted arrest or said certain things that caused the judge to note red flags in your file, then the judge may give you a higher bail or may even deny your bail. For example, if you said to an arresting officer that you would not return to court to stand trial, chances are good that the judge would deny your bail or set it at a very high rate. On the contrary, if you were very compliant and apologetic, the judge would likely believe that you would return to court to stand trial and, therefore, grant you a lesser bail amount or allow you to be released from jail on your own recognizance.