Who makes the bail schedule for felonies?

Bail schedules for felonies are established by the judges of the Superior, Municipal, and Justice Courts. These judges take into account various factors, including the nature of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, and the potential risk to the community, to determine appropriate bail amounts. By setting the bail schedule, judges aim to create a standardized process that allows for the fair and consistent application of bail across different cases within their jurisdiction.

The roles of the Sheriff's Department and a committing magistrate, while significant in the context of law enforcement and preliminary hearings, do not include the responsibility for creating the bail schedule itself. The Sheriff's Department may enforce the schedule or facilitate the booking process, but the authority to set bail amounts lies with the judiciary. A committing magistrate may set bail for an individual case, but they do not establish the overarching bail schedule that applies to all felony cases in their court. Therefore, the role of the judges is central to this process, making their involvement critical in defining how bail is structured for felonies.