Summary:
Felony charges are more serious than misdemeanors and often come with harsher penalties like prison time and larger fines. However, many people charged with a felony are still eligible for bail. Felony bail bonds help secure release from custody when posting full bail isn’t feasible, making them a practical solution for many families.
- Felony crimes can lead to state prison time, high fines, and loss of gun rights.
- “Wobblers” may be charged as misdemeanors or felonies depending on case details.
- Bail for felonies is usually higher, making bail bonds a more affordable option.
- Bail bonds require only a 10% premium rather than the full bail amount upfront.
- Not all felony cases are eligible for bail—eligibility depends on the charge and the judge’s decision.
In California, and across all other states and the federal legal system, criminal acts are divided between misdemeanors and felonies. In the big picture, misdemeanors are less serious crimes, while felonies are more serious crimes.
However, there is still a great deal of legal ground covered by the term felony. Some crimes that do not seem to be particularly dangerous or severe are categorized as felonies. And, some crimes, called “wobblers” in legal jargon, can be prosecuted as a felony or misdemeanor based on the judge’s view of the particulars of a case.
The good news is that, in many, although not all, cases, bail bonds are available for people accused of a felony. Remember that being accused of a crime is not the same as being convicted of it, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Bail Hotline is proud to offer bail bonds for felonies. Our team of experienced and professional bail bond agents and support staff offers 24 hour felony bail bonds across California, helping you bring your friend or loved one home.
Need to get a bail bond, for a felony or misdemeanor charge? Find a local Bail Hotline office to start the process.
Now, let’s look at some more important info about felony charges and bail bonds.
Felony Charges and Felony Bail Bonds: The Basics
Key Info About Felony Criminal Charges
There are two major differences between misdemeanors and felonies. The first is that, as we previously mentioned, felony charges are generally tied to more serious or dangerous crimes than misdemeanor charges. That difference isn’t crystal clear, however – some crimes in the felony category may not seem especially violent or harmful.
The second major difference is the type of penalties that people convicted of felony crimes face. Misdemeanor crimes are all punishable with up to one year in county jail. People convicted of misdemeanor crimes are normally not placed in a state prison.
Fines charged by the court for misdemeanors max out at $1,000. Community service or probation may also be required in misdemeanor cases. These penalties may be used instead of jail time, or along with it.
Felony crimes, on the other hand, generally lead to a sentence of one year or longer in a state prison if the person charged is convicted. Fine amounts can be much higher as well, reaching or exceeding $10,000 depending on the particulars of the crime.
Convicted felons lose their gun rights in California. Additionally, they must go through the formal probation process (as opposed to the less-strict summary probation used for misdemeanors) if eligible for that program.
As Shouse California Law Group explains, certain crimes can either be charged as felonies or misdemeanors. These charges are commonly called wobblers, and the nature of the charge (i.e. whether it’s a felony or misdemeanor) is decided by the presiding judge after reviewing the particulars of the case.
What You Need to Know About Felony Bail Bonds
One of the most important things to know about felony bail bonds is that this process is very similar to the misdemeanor bail bond process.
When helping a friend or loved one exit pre-trial custody for a felony charge, you would reach out to a local bail bond office like Bail Hotline. The bail bonding company will coordinate the bond and help your loved one leave custody. You don’t need to do anything else besides provide the necessary info to the bail bondsman and pay the 10% premium.
Bail schedules – the amount of money that the legal system assigns to a given charge – are higher for felonies than misdemeanors. The state sets bail schedules to standardize the bail process and, in a sense, make things more fair in the big picture for people facing criminal charges.
That fact often means that friends and loved ones can’t easily post bail themselves for a felony. Bail paid directly is given back by the court as long as the defendant makes all of their appearances and completes the legal process related to their case, even if convicted.
But, many people can’t afford to have thousands of dollars tied up by the courts for months or, in some cases, years. That’s what makes bail bonds so useful in many cases. As long as friends and loved ones can pay 10% of the total bail amount to the bail bond agent, they don’t have to worry about setting aside the full 100% until the case is resolved.
Similar issues exist for using a property bond – the equity held in real estate, like a home – for a felony bail bond. While there isn’t any cash tied up in the court system, the risk of losing some or all of that equity if court appearances are missed can be very stressful. So, many people turn to bail bond agents instead of using their own assets.
Additionally, not all people charged with felony crimes qualify for bail. Sometimes, judges will decide that the defendant shouldn’t be granted bail. For example, bail bond prices for felony probation violations are variable in part because bail is only provided if the judge can be convinced that it’s a good idea, as Simmrin Law Group explains.
And for some especially serious crimes, like capital crimes, bail is not allowed in general. It’s important to understand that bail isn’t always a guarantee for felony charges, but is also often granted for less-serious felony crimes.
Felony Bail Bond Support You Can Count On
Bail for felony charges is available in many cases. Bail Hotline can help you help your friend or loved one exit pre-trial custody quickly and compassionately with affordable felony bail bonds.
Our team is here to support you with bail bonds for felonies and misdemeanors whenever needed. We offer 24/7 bail bond services that make it easier to bring your loved one home. Find a local Bail Hotline office to get started.
