L.A. County to keep emergency $0 bail in place after statewide order expires

Presiding Judge Kevin C. Brazile announced today that the Court’s Executive Committee approved a temporary zero emergency bail schedule ($0 Bail Schedule) for most Misdemeanors and lower-level Felonies. The $0 Bail schedule, which takes effect at 5 p.m. on June 20, 2020, includes an exception for individuals previously released on $0 bail and are re-arrested for separate offenses during the pendency of the State of Emergency declared by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Bail for those individuals re-arrested during the state of emergency shall be set pursuant to the applicable non-emergency 2020 Infractions & Misdemeanors Bail Schedule, and 2020 Felony Bail Schedule. This exception does not apply to those whose subsequent separate offense occurs after the original offense is resolved. Today’s action comes as the Judicial Council’s Zero Emergency Bail Schedule is set to expire on June 20, 2020.

The Judicial Council adopted the Emergency Bail Schedule to curb the spread of COVID-19 in jails and surrounding communities. On June 10, the Judicial Council voted to rescind its Emergency Bail Schedule. Justice Marsha Slough, a Judicial Council member and chair of the Executive and Planning Committee, urged local courts to continue the use of the emergency COVID-19 bail schedules “where necessary to protect the health of the community, the courts, and the incarcerated.”

On March 26, 2020, and prior to the April 6 enactment of the Judicial Council’s Emergency Bail Schedule, the Los Angeles County Superior Court had adopted its own temporary $0 Bail Schedule. The current version of the Court’s temporary $0 Bail Schedule largely mirrors the prior one. As with the prior version, crimes of violence and higher-level Felonies are excepted. People accused of those offenses will be subject to the County’s regular 2020 bail schedule.

“During this state of emergency, it is necessary to assure persons accused of non- violent Felonies and most Misdemeanors are not held in jail pre-trial,” Presiding Judge Brazile said. “The Court is working with its justice partners to protect the public on all fronts, including slowing the spread of COVID-19 within our jails, courthouses and communities.”

The Court’s temporary $0 Bail Schedule will remain in effect until further notice.