How Bail Works in Nevada County

Most people learn how bail works on the worst day of their year. This page is written so you can read it once, quickly, and understand what you are being asked to sign.

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Bail is still cash bail in California

California voters rejected Proposition 25 in 2020, which means the commercial bail system remains in place statewide. What changed is how courts are required to apply it. Under the California Supreme Court's 2021 decision in In re Humphrey, a court cannot detain someone solely because they cannot afford the bail amount set. Judges must consider ability to pay and whether less restrictive conditions would protect public safety and ensure the person returns to court.

In practice, that means the number on the bail schedule is a starting point, not always the final word. It also means an arraignment can lower it — or release the person outright.

The bail schedule

Each county's superior court judges adopt a bail schedule annually. It lists a preset amount for most offenses, and it is what booking officers use to set bail before anyone sees a judge. Nevada County maintains its own schedule, and it is not the same as Placer County's or Sierra County's — which matters on the I-80 corridor, where the arresting agency determines which system you are in.
If bail has not been set yet, the person will typically be held until arraignment, where a judge sets it, modifies the schedule amount, or releases the person on their own recognizance.

What a bail bond actually is

A bail bond is a guarantee to the court. We promise the court the full bail amount if the defendant fails to appear. In exchange for taking on that risk, we charge a premium.
The premium is a percentage of the bond's face value, and California bail premium rates are filed with the Department of Insurance. Ten percent is the standard rate. On a $50,000 bond, that is $5,000.
The premium is earned when the bond is posted. It is not a deposit and it is not returned when the case ends, regardless of the outcome. Any agent who is vague about this is being vague on purpose.

Serving Truckee Since 2005

Payment and collateral

We take payment by card, cash, and in most cases we can set up a payment plan for the premium. What is required up front depends on the bond size, the charges, and the strength of the co-signer.
Collateral is security we hold against the bond — real property, a vehicle title, or cash. Not every bond requires it. Bonds with a strong local co-signer and a modest face amount often do not. Larger bonds, or cases with flight risk factors, usually do.
If collateral is posted and the case concludes with all court appearances met, the collateral is released back to you. The premium is not.

What a co-signer is agreeing to

This is the part people sign without reading. Read it.
A co-signer, called an indemnitor, is personally responsible for the full face amount of the bond if the defendant does not appear in court. Not the premium — the full amount. On a $50,000 bond, the co-signer's exposure is $50,000, plus any costs incurred recovering the defendant.
A co-signer is also agreeing to keep the defendant reachable and to notify us if the defendant plans to leave the area or misses an appearance. You are not a jailer, and nobody expects you to be. You are the person we call first.
Being a co-signer is a real financial commitment made on behalf of someone in a crisis. It is reasonable to think about it for an hour before signing. We will tell you honestly if we think a particular bond is a bad idea for you.

The sequence, start to finish

Arrest and booking. The person is fingerprinted, photographed, and entered into the county system. In Truckee this usually happens at the Donner Pass Road substation. Booking takes a few hours.

Bail is set. Either by schedule at booking, or by a judge at arraignment.

You call us. We confirm the facility, the bail amount, and the charges, and we quote you the premium.

Paperwork. The bond application and indemnity agreement. This can be done electronically — you do not need to drive over the summit to sign.

The bond is posted. We deliver it to the facility holding the defendant.

Release. Timing depends on the facility's workload and shift, not on us. A few hours is normal. Overnight happens.

Court appearances. Every one of them. This is the entire obligation. Show up, and the bond does its job.

Exoneration. When the case concludes, the court releases the bond and any collateral comes back.

Questions about a specific bail amount? We will tell you the premium and what a co-signer would be taking on, before you decide anything.