Most inmates can obtain release from jail prior to trial by posting bail with the court through the jail. The amount of bail for each inmate depends on the number and seriousness of the inmate’s charges.
The local courts have, in most jurisdictions, set a certain dollar amount of bail which must be posted for each offense charged. The list of these bail amounts is called the master bond schedule. When a person is first arrested and booked into jail, his or her total bail is determined from the master bond schedule by adding the individual bail amounts for all charges.
When the inmate later appears in court, a judge may raise or lower the inmate’s total bail amount. This is based on factors relating to the inmate’s likelihood of returning for trial and the inmate’s risk of danger to the community.