Who endorses the bail amount?

• A. Defense attorney
• B. Jury foreperson
• C. Magistrate
• D. Sheriff

Answer: (C)

Endorsing the bail amount falls to the magistrate, the judicial officer who handles pretrial release decisions. The magistrate reviews the case and, after weighing factors like the offense’s seriousness, flight risk, and ties to the community, signs the bail order and notes the amount that must be posted. This endorsement authorizes the defendant’s release once the bond is posted or conditions are met. The defense attorney can argue for a different amount or conditions, but they don’t set or sign the bail figure. A jury foreperson has no role in bail decisions, since jurors determine verdicts, not pretrial release. The sheriff manages custody and processes release after bail is posted, but does not set or endorse the bail amount.