Child Abuse Bail in California: What Families Need to Know

Woman calling a bail agent from home

If someone you love was arrested on a child abuse charge in California, bail is possible in most cases, but it works differently here than for a typical theft or drug arrest. The amount comes from the county’s bail schedule or a judge. Release often depends on a criminal protective order too. A bail bond can cover the money side. The court’s conditions are a separate matter, and they are the part that surprises families most.

This guide explains how bail is set for the two main charges, PC 273a and PC 273d. It covers what a bond costs, what a protective order can do to your plans, and what to do in the first hours.

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TL;DR

Child abuse charges in California are usually filed under Penal Code 273a (endangerment) or 273d (cruel or inhuman corporal punishment, or injury causing a traumatic condition). Both can be charged as felonies, so bail amounts and judge review can be significant.
Counties publish bail schedules each year, but a judge can raise, lower or deny bail after weighing public safety, the seriousness of the offense and the chance the person returns to court.
A criminal protective order is often a condition of release. It can keep the defendant out of their own home and away from their own children.
Our bail bond premium is 10% of the bail amount. We also offer payment plan options, including 2% bail bonds, that you can ask about when you call.
If the person arrested is under 18, juvenile court does not use bail the way adult court does.

Which charges count as child abuse in California
How bail is set after a child abuse arrest
The protective order: the condition that catches families off guard
The arraignment: expect to be there in person
What a bail bond costs for a child abuse charge
Step by step: what to do in the first hours
When the person arrested is a teenager
Our perspective: what we see with these cases
How we can help
Support for the child and family
FAQ
Sources

Which charges count as child abuse in California

There is no single “child abuse” statute. Prosecutors choose among several, and the choice drives the bail amount.

PC 273d covers anyone who willfully inflicts cruel or inhuman corporal punishment, or an injury resulting in a traumatic condition, on a child. The statute makes it a felony. It carries 2, 4 or 6 years in state prison or up to a year in county jail, plus a fine of up to $6,000.

PC 273a is child endangerment. The statute reaches someone who, under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm or death, willfully causes or permits a child to suffer, or inflicts unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering. Depending on the circumstances it can be a misdemeanor or a felony. That is why two families in the same county can hear very different bail numbers for what sounds like the same accusation.

Other charges often travel with these, including domestic violence offenses. If the arrest involved a partner as well as a child, read our comparison of domestic battery and corporal injury in California, because stacked charges raise the total.

Which charges count as child abuse in California — overview diagram

How bail is set after a child abuse arrest

Bail is set in two possible ways. First, the jail applies the county’s bail schedule at booking. Second, a judge sets or changes bail at arraignment.

Under Penal Code 1275, a judge setting, reducing or denying bail must consider public protection, the seriousness of the offense, the defendant’s previous record and the likelihood that they will appear in court. In a child abuse case, injury to the child and any weapon involved weigh heavily. For serious or violent felonies, a judge who wants to go below the county schedule must find unusual circumstances and state them on the record.

Courts describe this stage in their own arraignment guide: the judge decides whether the person stays in jail until the case ends or can be released, and may attach conditions. Our own page on how bail is set walks through the same logic in plain terms.

Why the schedule is only a starting point

Schedules are adopted county by county and updated every year. San Diego County’s Superior Court judges adopt a bail schedule under Penal Code 1269b. Los Angeles publishes its own 2026 felony bail schedule, effective January 1, 2026.

The Los Angeles schedule lists 273a(a) and 273d(a) among its entries, and for these child abuse offenses the entries carry special designations rather than a simple flat figure you can read off and budget for. Do not rely on a number you saw on a website. Ask the jail or a bail agent what is actually set for your person today.

Two more things shape the final number:

Multiple counts. Many counties add bail for each charge, a practice known as stacking. San Diego is one example. A single incident charged under both 273a and a related offense can cost far more than either alone.
Enhancements and priors. A prior conviction or an enhancement can move the person off the standard schedule.

The “no bail” myth, and the real limits

Families often hear that nobody gets out on a child abuse charge. That is not accurate as a rule. Most people arrested on these charges can post bail. What changes is that judges examine the case more closely. They may order a hearing, set conditions or, in the most serious cases, deny release. Reforms in recent years have also pushed judges toward individual risk assessment rather than a purely mechanical dollar amount. Our overview of pretrial release in California explains what that means for families deciding what to do first.

The protective order: the condition that catches families off guard

In child abuse and domestic violence cases, the judge will often issue a criminal protective order when deciding release. Practitioners treat it as close to a prerequisite for getting out. These orders frequently include stay-away terms. The defendant may be barred from the family home, from contact with the child, and sometimes from contact with the other parent.

This matters for planning:

Housing. If the defendant lived with the child, they need somewhere else to stay the night they are released. Arrange that before you sign anything.
Communication. Even a text message saying “I’m out” to a protected person can be a violation. Everyone in the family should know what the order says.
Timing. Release can be delayed while the order is processed. Our article on how two court days can delay bail for restraining orders explains the process.
Consequences. A violation can lead to re-arrest and forfeiture of the bond. The cosigner can be on the hook. Our page on bail bond conditions before the court date covers what is expected after release.

Ask the court or the defense attorney to read the order to you in plain language. If you are unsure whether an action is allowed, do not guess. Call the defense attorney or the public defender before acting.

The arraignment: expect to be there in person

Some California courts let lawyers handle minor arraignments by counter or fax. Child abuse cases are excluded from those shortcuts in many Southern California courts. The San Diego Superior Court’s local rules for 2026 name PC 273a and PC 647.6 among the offenses that are not eligible for informal arraignment options, so a personal appearance by counsel or the defendant is often required to move the case forward.

What that means for you: do not assume a lawyer can “handle it by paper.” Confirm the date, time and courtroom, and plan transportation. Missing a court date is the fastest way to lose a bond.

What a bail bond costs for a child abuse charge

When the bail amount is set, you can pay it in full to the court or use a bond. With a bond, you pay a nonrefundable premium and the bail agent guarantees the rest to the court.

Our published premium is 10% of the bail amount. Take a hypothetical $50,000 bail. A 10% premium would be $5,000. That is an illustration only, not a quote for any real case or a prediction of what a judge will set.

We also offer options for families who cannot pay the full premium at once. These include 2% bail bonds, 1% bail bonds and no collateral bail bonds. Eligibility depends on the case and on the people signing, so ask us what applies to your situation rather than assuming. Our affordable bail bonds page lists the payment approach in more detail.

Where the money comes from matters

In California, a judge can refuse bail if there is reason to believe the funds came from a crime. Under Penal Code 1275.1, when probable cause is shown that the money was feloniously obtained, a bail hold applies. The defendant must then prove at a hearing that the source was legitimate. Keep records of where the premium or collateral came from, such as pay stubs, bank statements or a family loan letter. It also helps to put your payment trail in writing.

Step by step: what to do in the first hours

Find the booking details. You need the full legal name, date of birth and booking number. Our free inmate search can help locate someone in custody in our service area.
Ask what the bail is and whether a hearing is scheduled. If the person has not yet seen a judge, the amount may change at arraignment.
Call a defense attorney. A child abuse charge can lead to a protective order, family court issues and a long case. A lawyer is the person who can speak to the legal strategy. A bail agent is not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice.
Line up housing. Because of stay-away orders, the defendant may not be able to go home.
Contact a bail agent. Have the booking information, the cosigner’s ID and proof of income ready. In Los Angeles, see our Los Angeles County bail bonds page. In San Diego, see San Diego County bail bonds.
Read everything before you sign. You become responsible for the defendant’s appearance. Ask who is liable and what happens if a court date is missed.

If the arrest was at night or over a weekend, you do not have to wait. We answer around the clock, and our page on 24-hour bail bonds explains how that works. You can also begin through online bail bonds if you cannot get to an office.

When the person arrested is a teenager

If the arrested person is under 18, the process is not the same. The California Courts self-help site explains that most cases involving a minor go to juvenile justice court, which is very different from adult criminal court. There is no traditional cash bail. The early hearing focuses on whether the young person can safely go home or must stay in a juvenile facility. The judge’s priorities are family preservation and rehabilitation, not a monetary guarantee.

If your child is 18 or older, adult court rules apply. If you are unsure which court the case is in, ask the court clerk or the defense attorney before you pay for anything.

Our perspective: what we see with these cases

We have been writing bonds in Southern California since 1926, and four generations of our family have worked through the county jail system. Child abuse cases are among the hardest calls we take. Usually everyone on the line is frightened, and often they are not on the same side. A parent may be in custody while the other parent is trying to protect a child. A grandparent may be the one with the money.

We offer three things that matter in these moments. First, you talk to a licensed agent, not a call center, at any hour. Second, we tell you the cost, the timing and whether the person qualifies, before you commit. Third, we say plainly what a bond can and cannot do. A bond does not remove a protective order. It does not change the charge. It does not replace a lawyer.

Our advice to families: do not let urgency push you into signing for something you do not understand. Get the bail amount, ask about the protective order, and plan where the person will stay. Then call us, and we will go through the numbers and the paperwork with you.

— Jake

How we can help

We serve Los Angeles and San Diego counties with bilingual English and Spanish staff, 24 hours a day. You can begin an application online or speak to a licensed agent directly. For a child abuse bail question, contact Armstrong Bail Bonds with the person’s name and booking information, and we will tell you what is possible and what it costs.

Support for the child and family

The criminal case is about the accused. Support for the child is a separate track. The California Victim Compensation Board can help with costs such as counseling, and eligibility covers child abuse, child endangerment and related crimes. Applications generally must be filed within seven years of the crime, or seven years after the victim turns 21, whichever is later. Families should not wait for a trial to end before asking about services.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 911.

FAQ

Can you get bail for a child abuse charge in California?

Usually yes. Most child abuse arrests have a bail amount set by the county schedule or a judge. In the most serious cases a judge can deny release or add strict conditions after reviewing public safety and the facts. The amount at arraignment can differ from the amount at booking.

How much does child abuse bail cost?

It depends on the charge, the county and the person’s history. If you use a bond, our premium is 10% of the bail amount. Because amounts vary and can be stacked across charges, ask for the current figure from the jail or a bail agent before you plan a budget.

Can someone released on bail go home to their family?

Not always. Judges often issue criminal protective orders in child abuse cases. These can bar the defendant from the home and from contact with the child or other family members. Ask for the order’s exact terms and find temporary housing before release.

Is there bail for a juvenile accused of child abuse?

Generally not in the adult sense. Juvenile court focuses on whether the youth can safely return home or must stay in detention. A judge makes that decision at an early hearing, so the question for families is how to prepare for that hearing and find a defense attorney.