When a loved one is facing a felony, the bail figure can be genuinely shocking, and a family's first reaction is often that release is simply impossible. It usually is not. Felony bail is higher than misdemeanor bail, but the bail bond system exists precisely so that ordinary families can secure a release without producing the full amount in cash.
What makes a charge a felony
Felonies are the more serious category of crime in California, carrying the possibility of a longer sentence and, for that reason, higher bail under the county's bail schedule. The same conduct can sometimes be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the facts, which is part of why two cases that sound similar can carry very different bail amounts.
How a bond makes felony bail affordable
You do not pay the full bail. The premium for a bail bond is 10% of the bail amount, set by California regulation, and we secure the rest. On a high felony bail, even that 10% can be a lot, which is why we offer payment plans, financing, and no-collateral options for those who qualify. A co-signer with steady income or assets often makes a release possible that a family assumed was out of reach.
Where Kern County felony cases go
Felony arrests are booked at the Central Receiving Facility and often held at the Lerdo complex, sometimes in the higher-security facility. Cases generally run through the Justice Building of the Metropolitan Division. We send reminders for every date, because forfeiting a high felony bond is a catastrophe worth preventing.
Call before you assume it is hopeless
Many families never call because they assume they cannot afford it. Do not assume. Tell us the name, the jail, and the bail, and we will lay out an honest, specific plan for what release would actually cost and how it could work.