Escambia County Jail

In Escambia, a judge or court magistrate fixes the release terms. On plenty of local warrants the dollar figure is printed right on the paper, so booking staff can tell you soon after the person is processed. Alabama Rule 4.3 allows certain people to leave on preset conditions before any courtroom hearing happens.

For an arrest made with no warrant, a judge has to decide fast, inside 48 hours, whether there was good reason for it. Someone jailed on a warrant who can't meet its terms is normally given a court appearance no more than 72 hours later. Both clocks have exceptions, so the passing of two days does not open the door by itself. To learn the bond status, call the county jail at 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426, 251-809-0741.

Alabama law offers several routes out. Your relative's court order spells out which routes apply:

• Own recognizance or signature bond: your relative signs, swearing to show up for each hearing, and the family owes nothing that day.
• Cash bond: you give the clerk the full figure, and it may be refunded after the case closes.
• Bonding company: a licensed agent backs the full bond, and the family owes that agent a fee for signing.
• Property bond: land in Alabama is pledged instead of money.

Any other rule in the order, such as staying away from a victim, still applies after money is paid. For the statewide rules, read our Alabama bail law guide. For the order itself, call the circuit clerk at the Escambia County Courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305.

Alabama Rule 7.2 gives judges a chart of suggested amounts. It is a guide, not a price tag. A Brewton judge may set more or less, weighing danger to others, past record, local roots and what the family can actually pay. Common rows on the chart:

• City ordinance violation: $300 to $1,000
• Class C misdemeanor: $300 to $1,000
• Class B misdemeanor: $300 to $3,000
• Class A misdemeanor: $300 to $6,000
• DUI: $1,000 to $7,500
• Class D felony: $1,000 to $10,000
• Class C felony: $2,500 to $15,000
• Class B felony: $5,000 to $30,000
• Class A felony: $10,000 to $60,000
• Drug manufacturing or trafficking: $5,000 to $1,500,000
• Capital murder: $50,000 up to no bail at all

State law sets at least $300 for each misdemeanor charge. You can read every row in the Rule 7.2 bail schedule, but the order on your loved one's case is the number that counts.

After the booking paperwork is typed in, Court Street staff can read out the bond. Ring 251-809-0741 with your relative's legal name and birthday; a booking number makes the search quicker. Ask for the amount on every charge, since each charge can carry its own bond.

The circuit clerk keeps the signed court order. If a judge changed the bond at a hearing, the clerk's file will show the new number before the jail screen does. The clerk works at the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ask for the district criminal desk for a misdemeanor or the circuit criminal desk for a felony. Keep notes: who answered, the date, and the figure they gave.

For a state charge, cash bonds are usually paid to the circuit clerk at the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305. The office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. After 4:00 p.m. or on a weekend, ask Court Street staff whether the jail window can accept it and in what form. The jail is at 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426, 251-809-0741.

Never hand bond money to an arresting officer or to someone who meets you in the parking lot. Carry a photo ID plus the booking number, and save each receipt till the last hearing is done. If you want to plan around court days, the clerk shares the 2026 Escambia court calendars online. A town charge is paid to that town's court instead; our answer on town courts lists their numbers.

Each office sets its own payment rules. Before you drive anywhere, ask the circuit clerk at 251-867-0305 whether a card is accepted for bond money and what extra charge comes with it. The clerk is at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427. Alabama also adds a state fee on bonds of 3.5 percent plus $35, so ask for the full total in writing.

Do not send bond money through any app unless the clerk or the jail tells you to. The jail's online services are for phone time, messages and snacks in an inmate's own account. That money goes to the person in custody, not to the court, and it will not post a bond. If you are unsure, call the jail at 251-809-0741 and ask which office receives bond payments.

A judge may accept land in place of cash. Under state law, the owner must live in Alabama and own Alabama property worth at least the bond amount. Each judge can ask for more proof, so call the circuit clerk first and ask what the court expects for this case.

Most of the time you will need:

• The deed showing who owns the land
• The current tax value from the county
• Every owner present to sign, if more than one person is on the deed
• A photo ID for each signer

The land can be lost if the person skips court, so think hard before pledging a family home. The clerk works at the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305.

A bonding company, also called a bail agent or bondsman, promises the court the full bond amount. Your family pays for that promise with a premium, and that premium belongs to the agent for good, win or lose. Expect questions about collateral too, maybe the title to a truck, plus a co-signer who owes the full bond if your relative disappears.

Ask for each of these on paper first:

• The exact premium and any other charges
• What collateral you are pledging and when you get it back
• The agent's rules if your relative skips a hearing

The state bail bonding board can confirm an agent is licensed. Keep copies of every page you sign until the case ends.

That turns on the arresting agency and the charge. A warrant from a town is bonded through that town's court, even though the person is sleeping in the county lockup on Court Street. State charges run through the circuit clerk. Ask booking staff which department delivered your relative. Town court numbers:

• Brewton Municipal Court: 251-809-1760
• Atmore Municipal Court: 251-368-3593; Atmore city offices are at 201 East Louisville, Atmore, AL 36502, 251-368-2253
• East Brewton Municipal Court: 615 Forrest Avenue, East Brewton, AL 36426, 251-867-4091
• Flomaton: town office at 2125 Ringold Street, Flomaton, AL 36441, 251-296-2431

If two cases are open, one in a town and one with the state, each bond has to be paid in its own place before release.

One paid bond can leave other reasons for custody, and staff must check for every one of them. These are called holds. Ones families run into most:

• Probation or parole
• Another county's or state's warrant
• A second case in a town court
• A federal detainer
• An immigration request from ICE

Each hold has to be cleared by the office that placed it. Booking and release paperwork can also take hours on a busy night. Before driving to Court Street, call the county jail at 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426, 251-809-0741, and ask whether every hold is cleared. Have the booking number ready so staff pull the right record.

Bail is a right for most, though not for all. With capital murder, a judge may refuse bail outright if the evidence of guilt is strong. Aniah's Law gives the 21st Circuit prosecutor a way to request a hearing that could keep someone jailed without bail for named violent crimes like murder, first-degree kidnapping, rape and robbery.

A change to the state constitution that took effect May 19, 2026 added more charges to that list, among them attempted murder and firing a gun at an occupied house, vehicle or building. The defense can fight the request at the hearing. In this county, those requests come from the 21st Circuit District Attorney, P.O. Box 993, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0239. If the jail screen says no bond, ask a lawyer to explain the order.

Bond reductions come only from the bench. The defense attorney normally asks in writing, by filing what courts call a motion. Under Alabama Rule 7.4, a judge may adjust the dollar figure or the conditions once the DA has had a chance to answer and the defense shows a solid reason.

A request works best when it shows real facts, such as:

• Job, school or caregiving duties
• Years spent living around Brewton, Atmore or Flomaton
• Health needs
• Rides lined up for each court date in Brewton

Anyone still waiting on trial after 90 days in jail gets a fresh look at release terms from the circuit judge. That second look may or may not bring the bond down. For the file, phone the circuit clerk at the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305.

When your relative can't pay a defense attorney, they may request appointed counsel, usually during that first Brewton appearance. They complete a sworn hardship statement listing pay, debts and the people they support. When the judge finds the need is real, a lawyer is assigned. The circuit clerk can explain the form and where it goes.

Bonding out is not proof that someone has money for a lawyer. Under Rule 6.3 the court can revisit the question when finances shift. The clerk is at the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305. Alabama's Office of Indigent Defense Services can be reached at 100 North Union Street, Suite 680, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-242-7059. Get counsel in place before any plea deal or waiver of a hearing.

A skipped date in Brewton is a big deal. The judge may sign a fresh warrant and begin keeping the bond money or pledged land, a step called forfeiture. A bonding company may also send someone to bring the person back.

If a date was missed, act fast:

1. Call the defense lawyer right away.
2. Call the circuit clerk at 251-867-0305 and ask whether a warrant was issued and how to get a new date. The clerk works at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427.
3. Read any forfeiture notice and give it to the lawyer. Rule 7.6 gives a chance to explain before the money is lost.

Showing up on your own, with a lawyer, usually goes better than being picked up later at a traffic stop.

When the case ends, the judge can release the bond. Rule 7.6(e) lets the court order cash security returned once it is no longer needed. In Escambia County, a cash bond is usually paid back minus fines, court costs and any restitution owed. Those costs can be added late in the case, so ask the clerk for a written total before you count on a refund.

A bondsman's premium is gone for good. Hold on to the original receipt, and give the clerk the payer's up-to-date mailing address so the refund check finds them. For refund questions, call the circuit clerk at the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305.

Crooks sometimes phone relatives within hours of a booking, claiming the Brewton jail wants payment at once by gift card, wire or a money app. It is a con. The jail and the court do not ask for bond that way.

When that kind of call comes in:

• Hang up without giving any card or bank numbers.
• Call the jail yourself at 251-809-0741 to check the real bond.
• Report the call to the Sheriff's Office tip line at 251-809-2154.

Both the jail and the Sheriff's Office work out of 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426. Only pay bond at an office you called yourself, using a number you looked up.

No. Federal cases skip the Alabama bond chart. A federal case started in Brewton or Atmore lands in Alabama's Southern District, with its courthouse at 155 St. Joseph Street, Mobile, AL 36602, 251-690-2371. The steps usually go like this:

1. Agents with a federal agency pick up your relative, now and then right out of the Court Street jail.
2. A magistrate judge in Mobile holds the first hearing.
3. Pretrial services writes a report about work, family and past cases.
4. The government may ask to keep the person locked up.
5. If released, the person gets a list of rules instead of a dollar amount.

While the case is open, the U.S. Marshals Service decides where the person stays: 155 St. Joseph Street, Suite 201, Mobile, AL 36602, 251-499-6620.

No. Paying the local bond does nothing to an immigration detainer. ICE may file Form I-247A with the Brewton jail, which asks for a heads-up before release and asks staff to keep your relative up to two extra days, 48 hours at most, until ICE officers arrive. The local bond still has to be posted first.

This county falls under ICE's New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360. Short stays in Alabama often use the Baldwin County Corrections Center, 200 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, AL 36507, 251-937-0361. Longer cases can move out of state. Once ICE has your relative, search the ICE online locator, typing the A-number and birth country. An immigration lawyer should look at the papers.

Kids under 18 go through juvenile court, which skips the adult bond system. Their names stay off the Brewton jail list, and no adult-style bond is set. Whether the teen sleeps at home again gets settled by a juvenile judge at a detention hearing, and that hearing is due within three days of the pickup, weekend days included.

For your child's location and next court date, call the circuit clerk at 251-867-0305 and ask for the juvenile desk. The clerk's office is in the county courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427. Juvenile probation staff handle intake and can tell you which regional youth detention center has the child. Keep your child's legal name and birthday at hand. Teens 16 or 17 facing some serious charges can be sent straight to adult court.

Once a case ends with a prison sentence, the person moves out of the county jail, often weeks later. Three no-cost tools keep you posted:

• State prison: look up the full name or six-digit AIS number in the ADOC prisoner search.
• Federal prison: people serving federal time appear in the Bureau of Prisons locator. Before sentencing, call the U.S. Marshals at 251-499-6620.
• Alerts: VINELink lets you pick Alabama, search by name or booking number, and sign up for text, call or email alerts when the person moves or is released.

While the person is still in Brewton, the sheriff's roster is the place to check.

The answer depends on who filed the charge and how serious it is:

• Municipal court: charges written by Brewton, Atmore, East Brewton or Flomaton police for something that happened inside town limits.
• District Court: misdemeanors brought by sheriff's deputies, state troopers and drug task force agents, plus early felony hearings.
• Circuit Court: felony trials with a jury, and appeals coming up from town and District Court.
• Juvenile court: cases against anyone under 18.

A defendant convicted by a municipal judge or a District judge has the right to appeal up to Circuit Court and start fresh with a jury. Both state courts work out of the courthouse at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305. The 21st Judicial Circuit covers just this one county, so its judges and prosecutors handle local cases alone.

Circuit Court and District Court meet at the Escambia County Courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427. The circuit clerk's office there is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and answers at 251-867-0305. Mail for the clerk goes to P.O. Box 856, Brewton, AL 36427.

Callers can ask to be transferred to one of these desks:

• District criminal, for misdemeanors before sentencing
• Circuit criminal, for felonies, preliminary hearings and trials
• Circuit criminal post-sentencing, for probation violations, transcripts and appeals
• Traffic, for tickets and fines
• Juvenile, for cases involving children

Hearing times can shift, so phone the clerk the day before. Carry a photo ID, leave pocketknives in the car, and expect screening inside the Belleville Avenue entrance.

Four towns run their own courts for ordinance and traffic cases filed by their police. A person held on Court Street for a town warrant usually has to pay that town's bond or fine to be released on it.

• Brewton Municipal Court: 251-809-1760; Brewton police can be reached at 251-867-3212.
• Atmore Municipal Court: 251-368-3593; Atmore city offices are at 201 East Louisville, Atmore, AL 36502, 251-368-2253.
• East Brewton Municipal Court: 615 Forrest Avenue, East Brewton, AL 36426, 251-867-4091. Its judge hears cases at 9:00 a.m. once a month, on the month's second Tuesday, inside the council chambers at city hall.
• Flomaton: town hall and police share 2125 Ringold Street, Flomaton, AL 36441; the town office is 251-296-2431.

Brewton and Atmore hold sessions on a regular schedule, while the smaller towns meet less often. For Pollard, Riverview or another small community, phone the circuit clerk at 251-867-0305 to learn which court holds the file.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the only tribe in Alabama with federal recognition, has reservation and trust land around Poarch, northwest of Atmore. The tribe runs its own police department and tribal court there. Tribal court handles cases under the tribe's own code, mostly involving members.

Who gets the case on tribal land turns on who is involved:

• Certain cases with tribal members go to tribal court.
• Serious crimes by Indians, such as murder, rape or a bad assault, are federal cases, because Alabama is not a Public Law 280 state.
• Crimes where nobody involved is Indian stay with the state courts in Brewton.

If you are not sure which system has the case, call the circuit clerk at the courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305, and ask whether a state file exists.

With a warrantless arrest, probable cause must be reviewed by a judge or magistrate, with 48 hours as the limit. For a warrant arrest where the release terms can't be met, the outside limit to see a judge is 72 hours. At that first appearance, the court:

• Tells the person the charges
• Reviews the bond or release terms
• Asks whether they need an appointed lawyer
• Sets the next date

Third-degree domestic violence is handled a bit differently. Under Alabama law, that defendant stays locked up until conditions are set, which can take up to 24 hours. No plea is required at this point, and waiting for counsel is the safer move. To learn the hearing time and courtroom, ring the clerk at 251-867-0305, at the courthouse, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427.

Misdemeanors like shoplifting, disorderly conduct, simple assault or a DUI stopped on I-65 start with an arraignment in a town court or District Court. In those courts, a judge decides the case alone, with no jury. Typical bonds run $300 to $6,000 for a Class A misdemeanor, $1,000 to $7,500 for DUI, and $300 to $1,000 for a city ordinance charge.

The most a judge can give, across Alabama:

• Class A, such as fourth-degree theft: up to 12 months in jail and $6,000
• Class B: up to six months
• Class C: up to three months
• First DUI: a fine of $600 to $2,100
• Second domestic violence conviction: at least 10 days in jail

A guilty verdict in town or District Court can be appealed within 14 days. The case then goes up to Circuit Court on Belleville Avenue, and a jury can try it from scratch.

Felonies such as meth possession, burglary, forgery or stealing a car follow a longer path. Bond for a Class D felony is usually set between $1,000 and $10,000, and for Class C between $2,500 and $15,000.

1. First appearance within 48 or 72 hours, where bond and counsel are covered.
2. A preliminary hearing in District Court in Brewton, if asked for no later than 30 days after arrest.
3. A grand jury of local citizens votes to indict or not.
4. Circuit Court arraignment, where a plea is entered.
5. A plea deal with the District Attorney, or a trial before 12 jurors.

A Class D felony carries 366 days to 5 years, Class C up to 10 years, and Class B from 2 to 20 years. Nonviolent cases are often steered toward probation, community corrections or split sentences. Prior felonies raise the penalty under the Habitual Felony Offender Act. Young adults charged for something done before turning 21 can request youthful offender treatment. If granted, the file is closed to the public, and no sentence can run past three years.

Charges like capital murder, robbery, first-degree assault and kidnapping carry heavy sentences and stricter bail rules. Under Aniah's Law, a Circuit judge in Brewton can refuse bail after a hearing the District Attorney requests, for crimes such as murder, first-degree kidnapping, robbery, burglary and rape. Since an amendment took effect on May 19, 2026, the list also includes attempted murder and gunfire aimed into a car, home or building with someone inside. For capital murder, bail can be denied outright when the proof is strong.

• Class A felony: a minimum of 10 years, up to 99 or life; a firearm pushes the minimum to 20 years.
• First-degree assault: Class B, with 2 to 20 years possible.
• Capital murder conviction: the death penalty, or prison for life without any parole.

A serious case can keep someone at the jail on Court Street for a year or longer, so getting a lawyer early matters.

State charges here are brought by the District Attorney for the 21st Judicial Circuit, which covers only this county. The office takes mail at P.O. Box 993, Brewton, AL 36427 and answers at 251-867-0239. Town cases are usually handled by each town's own prosecutor.

If your relative faces possible jail and has no way to hire counsel, they may request an appointed lawyer, often at the first Brewton hearing. The paperwork runs through the circuit clerk, with a sworn hardship form covering pay, debts and dependents. The judge decides. Under Rule 6.3, the court can look again if money changes, and getting out on bond does not end eligibility. The clerk is at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, 251-867-0305. For statewide questions, contact the Office of Indigent Defense Services, 100 North Union Street, Suite 680, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-242-7059.

A few places hold court dates for state cases:

• The clerk shares the 2026 Escambia court calendars on the circuit clerk's website.
• Alacourt Access, the statewide case search, charges $9.99 to search one name.
• The circuit clerk's office, 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, answers at 251-867-0305 on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Town dockets are kept apart from the state calendars, so a city charge means calling that city's court. Brewton's court is 251-809-1760, and Atmore's is 251-368-3593. Calendars can change after they are printed, so call the clerk the afternoon before. If your relative is in custody, the jail at 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426, 251-809-0741, can confirm whether they are still held and will be brought over.

Deputies can tell you whether a county warrant is on file. Call the Sheriff's Office at 251-809-0741; the office is at 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426. For state court records, search Alacourt Access for $9.99 per name, or ask the circuit clerk at 251-867-0305. The clerk works at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427, and the circuit clerk's website lists calendars and contacts.

A town warrant sits with that town's police or court. In Flomaton, the court magistrate handles warrants at 251-296-0061. Walking into Court Street alongside a lawyer, bond money arranged, is far easier than being cuffed during a traffic stop.

A federal charge from Brewton, Atmore or Flomaton is handled by the Southern Division of Alabama's Southern District. Its courthouse is at 155 St. Joseph Street, Mobile, AL 36602, 251-690-2371. Because Poarch tribal land is Indian country, major crimes by tribal members there are tried in federal court too.

• A Mobile magistrate judge presides over the opening hearing.
• Federal court uses no bail chart; release is argued at a Bail Reform Act hearing, typically three to five days after arrest.
• Under the Speedy Trial Act, prosecutors get 30 days to indict, with trial due within 70 more, though allowed delays often push both back.
• Sentencing follows the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines; since federal parole ended, prisoners serve roughly 85 percent before supervised release.
• The Eleventh Circuit, seated in Atlanta, takes the appeals.

The U.S. Marshals Service, 155 St. Joseph Street, Suite 201, Mobile, AL 36602, 251-499-6620, decides where defendants are held, sometimes at the jail on Court Street. When a Mobile judge imposes federal prison time, use the Bureau of Prisons locator.

If ICE thinks a person in the Brewton jail may be in the country unlawfully, it may lodge Form I-247A. Through it, ICE asks Court Street staff for advance notice of release and for a hold lasting up to 48 hours past the usual release moment. The state case keeps going in Brewton, and the detainer stays even if bond is paid.

Important contacts:

• Field office: ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360
• Short-stay jail in Alabama: Baldwin County Corrections Center, 200 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, AL 36507, 251-937-0361
• Search: ICE's online detainee locator; enter the A-number plus birth country

Pleading guilty in Brewton can hurt someone's immigration case, so the defense lawyer must know about the ICE paper before any deal.

A judge sitting as juvenile court hears cases against children in Brewton. Juvenile probation officers handle intake. If a child has to be held, intake staff will say which regional youth detention center has them. Juvenile court owes the family a detention hearing inside 72 hours, Saturdays and Sundays included, and adult bond rules do not apply.

A youth case may end with an informal adjustment, probation, counseling or restitution. The heaviest result is being sent into custody of the Alabama Department of Youth Services. A lawyer is appointed free when the family cannot pay. Adult court takes 16- and 17-year-olds automatically when the charge is capital, a Class A felony or drug trafficking. The same goes for felonies where a deadly weapon was involved, or where someone was killed or seriously injured. Prosecutors can ask to move any child 14 or older after a hearing. For the case, call the clerk at 251-867-0305 and ask for juvenile; the office is at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427.

A short sentence can be served in the county jail, but a longer one usually means state prison. Most people wait at the county jail, 316 Court Street, Brewton, AL 36426, 251-809-0741, until the state has a bed. Next comes a reception center, where staff check custody level, medical and mental health needs and any gang ties. Classification decides which prison gets them. Several state prisons sit near Atmore.

The ADOC inmate lookup shows the assigned prison when you enter a name or AIS number. With the prison name in hand, our pages for each Alabama prison explain visits, mail and calls. A federal sentence uses the Bureau of Prisons locator instead.

Missing a hearing can lead to a new warrant and to losing the bond, which is called forfeiture. A bonding company may also come looking for the person. Under Rule 7.6, the court sends notice before the bond is taken and gives a chance to explain, so pass any notice to the lawyer quickly.

Steps that help:

1. Call the defense lawyer the same day.
2. Call the circuit clerk at 251-867-0305 to ask whether a warrant was signed and how to get a new date. The office is at 314 Belleville Avenue, Brewton, AL 36427.
3. Keep the clerk's phone number and the next date where the person will see them.

Acting fast often makes a real difference. A short call the afternoon before each hearing helps prevent the problem in the first place.