Bail is the money that you will deposit with the tribunal to insure that you will make an appearance before court. Typically, the surety amount is set according to a written schedule in each California County.

A tribunal will consider a number of factors before it decides the amount of the bail in your case. First of all, the judge may consider the seriousness of the offense that you are charged with. If you have any prior failures to appear in court on your record, you might find that this also impacts the amount of surety that is set in your case. For instance, if you have failed to appear in tribunal for a traffic ticket, that might result in an increase in the surety amount. If you have any previous criminal conviction on your record, that might affect the bail that is set. Besides, the court will also consider the likelihood that you will actually appear in court.

In some cases, you may be able to forfeit bail instead of appearing in court. For example, in the case of certain traffic citations, you may be allowed to forfeit bail. However, it is important to speak with a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, and ensure that there is no new warrant issued for your failure to appear in court.

Remember, that bail forfeiture is not applicable to misdemeanor and felony offenses. In such cases, you are absolutely required to appear in court. Speak to a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney for advice to ensure that you take the right steps after your arrest.