Robbery Bail Bonds

Robbery under Penal Code § 211 is taking property from someone’s person or immediate presence, against their will, by force or fear. That last clause is what separates it from theft, and it is why robbery is treated as a violent felony with bail an order of magnitude higher than a shoplifting case.

Scheduled Orange County bail

Figures from the 2026 Orange County uniform bail schedule — illustrative, not a substitute for the schedule. A judge can set more or less at the first appearance. Full walkthrough: the Orange County bail schedule explained.

First degree or second degree, and why it matters so much

First degree robbery covers robbery of a driver or passenger of a vehicle used for transportation, robbery in an inhabited dwelling, and robbery of someone who has just used an ATM. Everything else is second degree. The difference on the schedule is $50,000, and it is decided by facts that have nothing to do with how much was taken.

What being a violent felony changes

• Penal Code § 1270.1 applies. For violent felonies listed in § 667.5(c), a person cannot be released on bail in an amount other than the scheduled figure, or on own recognizance, until a hearing has been held in open court. The scheduled amount can still be posted straight away.
• Reductions get harder. Penal Code § 1275(c) requires the court to find unusual circumstances, stated on the record, before reducing bail below the county schedule for a violent felony under § 667.5(c) or a serious felony under § 1192.7(c). The statute expressly says prior court appearances and the absence of new offences do not by themselves count.
• In Los Angeles County there is no zero-bail route. Serious and violent felonies are excluded from the pre-arraignment release protocols, so money bail applies exactly as before.
• A strike now, and later. Robbery is a strike offence, which is why a prior conviction doubles the bail and why the stakes of the case itself are high.

Multiple counts

In Orange County felony bails do not stack count by count — the highest amount for any one felony offence, plus enhancement, applies. A four-count complaint does not automatically produce four times the bail. That is a genuine relief to families who have seen the charge sheet and assumed the worst.

Where robbery sits among the property charges

These three are commonly confused, and the difference is worth thousands of dollars of bail.

A single incident can produce more than one of these on the same booking sheet. In Orange County that does not multiply the bail — felony bails do not stack count by count, and the highest single felony amount plus enhancement applies.

What to do first

1. Get the section and degree as booked, not the description. First and second degree are $50,000 apart.
2. Ask whether there is a strike prior on the record, because it changes the figure more than anything else.
3. Expect § 1270.1 to apply. Posting the scheduled amount is available immediately; asking a judge for less means waiting for a hearing.
4. Check for warrants and holds — see warrants and the 1275 hold.

Questions we get asked most

How much is bail for robbery in Orange County?

The 2026 schedule sets first degree robbery at $100,000 and second degree at $50,000, before enhancements. A single documented strike prior takes it to $100,000; two take it to $200,000.

Is robbery the same as theft?

No. Robbery requires force or fear and the taking from a person’s immediate presence. Theft without that element is a different charge with much lower bail — see theft and shoplifting.

Can robbery bail be reduced?

Only at a hearing, and the bar is higher: Penal Code § 1275(c) requires the court to find unusual circumstances stated on the record before going below the county schedule for a violent or serious felony.

Does zero bail apply to robbery in Los Angeles County?

No. Serious and violent felonies are excluded from the county’s pre-arraignment release protocols.

Related resources

All bail services · Orange County bail schedule · LA County bail schedule · How bail works in California · Bail reduction hearings · Co-signer responsibilities · Find an inmate