Coosa County Jail

In Rockford, bonds come from a judge or magistrate, and the amount is written in an order or on the warrant. Jail staff only carry out that order. They cannot raise it, lower it or waive it. Alabama's court rules give suggested ranges for each kind of charge, and a judge who stays inside those ranges is less likely to cut the amount later.

Someone arrested without a warrant should have a judge look at the arrest within 48 hours under Rule 4.3. Someone arrested on a warrant who stays locked up because the bond can't be met should get a court appearance within 72 hours. To hear the bond amount staff have on record, phone the jail at 296 School Street, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2211.

Cash bonds are not taken at the jail. They go to the circuit clerk in the county courthouse at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. When the phone menu plays, option 2 reaches the criminal, magistrate and warrant desk.

The clerk takes the full amount only, never part of it. You get a receipt when you pay. Keep it somewhere safe, because it is your proof that the money was posted. Before you drive to Rockford, call to make sure you have the right amount for every charge, so you do not need a second trip.

Alabama adds a $35 fee to each bond. It is paid to the circuit clerk with a money order or a cashier's check. One fee covers all the charges from a single arrest. A separate incident or an older warrant can carry its own fee, so a person with two cases may owe $70.

The fee is still owed when a bonding company posts the bond. The state keeps it, even after the case closes. To learn how many fees apply to your loved one, call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, and give the full name and case number.

Bring cash for the bond itself. The $35 fee is a separate payment, made by money order or cashier's check only. A personal check will be turned away for either one. Cards are accepted only in some cases, so ask before you count on using one.

Get the exact totals by phone first. Then you can buy the money order for the right amount before you leave home. Ask the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, which forms of payment work for your case. Never mail cash, and never hand bond money to a person who says they work for the jail.

Land can stand in for cash when the owners agree to back the bond. The sheriff's guide sets these rules:

• The assessed value must at least equal the bond.
• Liens on the land cannot be more than the land is worth.
• Every person named on the tax assessment must come in and sign.
• If an owner has died, bring a death certificate.
• Use land from one county only, because split bonds are not allowed.
• Land in another county needs approval from that county's sheriff.
• Mobile homes usually do not count.

Property bonds are handled by the Sheriff's Office, PO Box 279, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4922, or by the clerk during business hours.

The sheriff's guide lists some limits. A person who is already on a bond cannot pledge property for someone else. Neither can a person who has bonded more than four people outside the immediate family in one year. Nobody may charge a fee for letting their land be used on a bail bond.

These limits keep land bonds from turning into a side business. If you are not sure whether you qualify, ask before you gather deeds and tax papers. The clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, can check your situation and tell you which papers to bring.

Alabama law gives judges several choices. The written order for each charge spells out which choices apply:

• Release on the person's word to show up for every hearing.
• Cash, handed to the clerk in one full payment.
• A surety bond posted by a licensed bonding company.
• A property bond backed by land in one county.

Every bond carries conditions too, like no contact with the alleged victim. Paying does not erase them. For the statewide rules in plain words, open our Alabama bail laws page. For the order in your case, call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988.

Rule 7.2 lists suggested amounts by charge. A judge in Rockford may set an amount above or below the range based on safety, local ties and past record. Common ranges are:

• City ordinance: $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 trafficking: $5,000 to $1,500,000.

The Rule 7.2 bail chart has the full list.

Yes. Choose a company that holds a current county business license. The company sets its own fee and may want something of value pledged as collateral, like a vehicle title. The sheriff does not control those fees. The fee you pay a company is not money you get back.

Get the price, the refund terms and the rules for a skipped hearing in writing before you sign. A co-signer whose person skips town can be billed for every dollar of the bond. The Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board keeps licensing records. Remember that the $35 state fee is still owed to the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988.

Sometimes. The sheriff's guide says a hearing officer can be reached by video on weekends and holidays for charges that are not motor vehicle violations. Cash bonds are still taken only on weekdays at the clerk's office, so a weekend release can take longer.

Domestic violence cases are different. The bond can be held for up to 24 hours so a judge can set special rules. Before you drive to Rockford on a Saturday, call the jail at 296 School Street, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2211, and ask how a weekend release would work for this person and this charge.

Any adult can usually pay a cash bond. Bring a photo ID and the inmate's full name. It helps to know the birth date and booking number too. The person paying does not have to be family.

Land bonds are stricter. Every owner of the pledged land must appear in person and sign. A bonding company will tell you who has to co-sign its paperwork. Whoever signs takes on a real duty to help the person get to court. Questions about who may sign go to the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988.

A blank bond can mean a few things. A capital charge can mean jail with no bail at all. Under Aniah's Law, a hearing can end with no bail for some violent charges. The list grew on May 19, 2026, when voters approved Amendment 1. That vote added attempted murder, plus firing shots into a home, building or vehicle while people are in it.

A blank can also mean the judge has not set the bond yet, or another agency has a hold. The written order with the clerk explains which reason applies. Call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, and have a lawyer explain a no-bond order.

The defense lawyer may file papers that ask for a smaller bond or easier release rules. Rule 7.4 lets the judge adjust release terms when there is a good reason, after the prosecutor gets to answer. It helps to show real facts, such as a job, a place to live, health needs and a ride to court.

When someone has waited more than 90 days in jail for trial, the circuit court must review the release terms. A review is not a promise of a lower bond. The court file is kept by the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988.

Short on money for a defense attorney? Say so to the judge and request appointed counsel. A sworn money statement lists income, bills and the people at home. Under Rule 6.3, the court can look again if money problems change. Paying a bond does not by itself mean someone can afford a lawyer.

The clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, can explain the application. Statewide, appointed counsel is overseen by the Office of Indigent Defense Services, 100 North Union Street, Suite 680, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-242-7059.

An appeal bond lets a person stay out of jail while an appeal moves forward after sentencing. It must be filed with the circuit clerk no later than 14 days after sentencing. The judge picks the amount, which can differ from the first bond.

Family members pay it at the clerk's office during weekday hours: 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988. Missing the 14-day window can mean the person starts serving the sentence. Talk with the lawyer right away after sentencing if an appeal is planned, so the bond is ready in time.

Expect a new warrant and the possible loss of the bond money. Rule 7.6 requires notice and a hearing opportunity before the bond is finally forfeited. If land secured the bond, a lien may be placed on it. A co-signer with a bonding company may be asked to pay the full amount.

Act fast. Call the lawyer first. Then call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, to ask how to have the case reset. Turning in early, with a lawyer's help, usually goes better than waiting for an arrest.

When the case closes and the person went to every hearing, the cash bond is returned. Any fines or court costs in the case are taken out first. The $35 state fee is kept. A fee paid to a bonding company is also kept, because that was the price of its service.

Hold on to the original receipt. Tell the clerk right away if the payer moves, so the check is mailed to the correct address. To check on a refund, call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, with the case number and receipt.

Goodwater police can arrest someone for a town offense, and town charges go to Goodwater Municipal Court. A city bond may be owed on its own, apart from any county charge. The town clerk handles bonds and lawyer requests on Goodwater cases.

• Goodwater Municipal Court: PO Box 45, Goodwater, AL 35072, 256-839-6301.
• Goodwater Police Department: PO Box 74, Goodwater, AL 35072, 256-839-6321.

Adults are taken to the county jail in Rockford. Call the jail at 296 School Street, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2211, to learn whether county charges are on file too.

Children are not released on adult bail. The district judge hears youth cases, and juvenile probation decides whether a child goes home or is held. When holding a child is needed, the child is placed in a regional center licensed by the Department of Youth Services, such as the Montgomery County Youth Facility, 1111 Air Base Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36108, 334-261-4100.

Any child kept in detention must have a hearing inside 72 hours. Start with juvenile probation, P.O. Box 115, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2687. A parent or guardian needs to come. Some older teens with serious felonies are charged as adults.

Paying a bond at the Rockford courthouse has no effect on a federal charge, since federal cases follow separate rules. They are heard in Montgomery by the Middle District of Alabama, One Church Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-954-3600. A magistrate judge runs the first hearing. A pretrial services officer looks into work history, family ties and past cases. Release usually comes with supervision rules, not a cash amount.

The U.S. Marshals hold the person while the case runs: 1 Church Street, Suite A-100, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-922-6960. After a federal prison sentence, use the federal inmate locator to find the prison.

No. ICE uses Form I-247A for this. The form asks jail staff for a heads-up and for up to 48 extra hours past normal release, so officers can come and collect the person. Paying the county bond does not remove that request, and it does not pay an immigration bond.

ICE handles Alabama out of its New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360. People held longer are often moved out of state. Search the ICE online locator using the A-number plus the person's birth country. An immigration attorney is the right person to read the detainer.

Scammers watch arrest lists and then reach out to worried families. Be careful when a stranger texts, calls or messages you about a fast release. Real court bonds are paid at the clerk's office in person, not to someone on a payment app. Nobody from the jail will ask for gift cards.

If you get a demand like this, end the call. Look up the jail number on your own and dial it: 296 School Street, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2211, using the number you looked up. The jail can confirm custody and read you the bond that is truly on file. Report any scam attempt to the sheriff.

Longer sentences usually mean a transfer into state prison, run by the Alabama Department of Corrections. Until a prison bed opens, the person sits in the Rockford jail. Then they go to an intake unit for health and security checks before moving to a prison that fits.

Follow each step on the ADOC inmate search, using a name or six-digit AIS number. When the prison is known, see our Alabama prison pages for that site. Until then, call the jail at 296 School Street, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2211.

The court depends on the charge and on who wrote it. Deputies and state troopers make most arrests in this rural county, so most misdemeanors go to District Court in Rockford. A Goodwater police officer's town charge goes to Goodwater Municipal Court. Felony cases climb to Circuit Court when the grand jury hands up an indictment.

Neither District Court nor town court seats a jury. After a conviction at either one, the defendant may appeal and ask Circuit Court for a jury. State court files for both levels are kept by the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988. The charge papers name the court, so read them closely.

The county courthouse is at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136. Felony trials, District Court cases and the juvenile docket are all heard in that building. On weekdays the circuit clerk keeps the counter open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Its phone line, 256-377-4988, plays a menu; press 2 for criminal, magistrate and warrant matters.

Rockford is the county seat and a small town. Parking and the building are easy to find on U.S. 231. Bring the case number, your photo ID and any notice you were mailed. If the person is in custody, deputies bring them over from the jail for the hearing, so family members do not need to arrange that ride.

The 40th Judicial Circuit District Attorney brings state cases here. That circuit covers two counties, Clay and Coosa, and the office is based in Ashland: Post Office Box 688, Ashland, AL 36251, 256-354-3578. That office represents Alabama, so it cannot give advice to the accused or relatives.

The circuit's judge splits time between Ashland and Rockford. Because of that, court weeks here come in set terms instead of every day. A case can sit for a while between terms. Ask the defense lawyer which term the case is set for, and plan rides and time off work around it.

Goodwater is the largest town in the county with its own court. Town ordinance charges and misdemeanors written by Goodwater officers are heard there. The town clerk handles bonds and appointed lawyers for Goodwater cases. Reach the court at PO Box 45, Goodwater, AL 35072, 256-839-6301. Confirm the court date and place with the town clerk.

Arrests in Rockford and Kellyton go to District Court in Rockford. So do arrests in unincorporated places such as Weogufka, Equality and the Lake Martin shoreline. If the ticket does not say Goodwater, the case is most likely a District Court file with the circuit clerk.

This first hearing is brief. The judge names the charge, reminds the person that they may stay silent, takes up the lawyer question and goes over release terms. This is not a trial, and nobody is found guilty at this hearing. For a felony charged by complaint, the judge also explains how to ask for a preliminary hearing.

When police arrest without a warrant, Rule 4.3 gives a judge 48 hours to decide if there was good reason to hold the person. People held on a warrant who cannot make bond should be seen within 72 hours. Family can call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, to learn when the hearing is set.

Misdemeanors often seen here include hunting without permission, third-degree theft of services, menacing and DUI. A case usually goes like this:

1. An arraignment date in District Court in Rockford, or a Goodwater court date for town charges.
2. Back-and-forth with the prosecutor, where many cases settle with a reduced charge or a fine.
3. A bench trial before the judge if there is no deal.
4. 14 days after a conviction to appeal for a jury trial in Circuit Court.

At arraignment, a person who could be jailed and has no money for counsel should speak up and request an appointed lawyer. The District Court file is kept by the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988.

State law puts a cap on each misdemeanor class:

• Class A, such as menacing or third-degree theft of services: a year at most behind bars and a $6,000 fine.
• Class B: up to 6 months and $3,000.
• Class C: up to 3 months and $500.
• First DUI: up to a year, a fine of $600 to $2,100, and a 90-day license suspension.

Those are maximums. Plenty of first-time cases wrap up with a fine, probation or a class. Restitution and court costs often come on top. Fines are punishment; a bond is only a promise to come back to court. Ask the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, for the total owed.

A felony defendant stays in the Rockford jail until bond is made. The district judge reviews release terms at the first appearance and can appoint a lawyer. Then the case follows these steps:

1. The defense may request a District Court preliminary hearing; Rule 5.1 allows 30 days from arrest to make that request.
2. A county grand jury during its term. The person can waive indictment to plead sooner.
3. Arraignment in Circuit Court, then a plea or a jury trial in Rockford.

Limited court terms mean a year or longer is common. The clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, tracks each step.

Felony classes set the range a judge can choose from:

• Class B, which includes first-degree theft such as a large timber theft: 2 to 20 years and a fine up to $30,000.
• Class C, which reaches third-degree burglary of a hunting camp and second-degree theft: a prison term from 366 days up to 10 years, and a fine as high as $15,000.
• Class D, for drug possession or small debit-card fraud: 366 days to 5 years and up to $7,500.

Presumptive sentencing standards keep many nonviolent Class C and D offenders out of prison through probation or community corrections. Repeat felons face the longer ranges of the Habitual Felony Offender Act. Youthful offender status is open to people who were under 21 on the day of the offense. Approval seals the record and limits any sentence to three years.

Violent charges usually mean a long wait in the Rockford jail. Aniah's Law, approved in 2022, lets the District Attorney ask for a hearing where the judge can refuse bail in murder, first-degree burglary, first-degree assault and similar listed cases. Under Amendment 1 from the May 19, 2026 ballot, judges here may now use it for attempted murder or for shooting into an occupied home or vehicle.

• Class A, such as murder or first-degree burglary: 10 to 99 years or life, plus a fine up to $60,000. Using a gun adds required time.
• First-degree assault is Class B.
• First-degree sexual abuse is Class C and requires sex-offender registration.
• Capital murder: death, by lethal injection or nitrogen hypoxia, or life without parole.

Jail calls are recorded, so the case should be discussed only with the lawyer.

For a state charge, the person tells the judge they cannot pay for a lawyer and fills out the clerk's hardship affidavit. The court then names a private lawyer paid by the state. In capital cases, the appointed lawyer must be qualified for death-penalty work. Rule 6.3 allows a fresh look when finances shift. Relatives scraping together bond money does not, by that alone, disqualify anyone.

Appointed lawyers are arranged through the circuit clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988. Appointed defense across Alabama is overseen by the Office of Indigent Defense Services, 100 North Union Street, Suite 680, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-242-7059. Goodwater handles lawyer requests on its own cases through the town clerk.

Call the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, and ask for the next setting, the hearing type and the courtroom. Two people can share a name, so give the case number and birth date too. Copies of filed papers come from the clerk's counter during weekday hours.

Online, the county clerk's court site lists the office details. Statewide records are on Alacourt Access, where a $9.99 name search includes one case. Read the terms before you pay. Sealed files, such as juvenile or youthful offender cases, can only be reached by asking the court itself.

Sheriff's deputies carry out arrest warrants countywide. The Sheriff's Office answers warrant questions at PO Box 279, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4922. The circuit clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988, can also look up a warrant tied to a missed court date.

The Alacourt Access search shows related state cases, though a case search does not clear a warrant. Plan any surrender with a lawyer for a weekday, when the clerk's window is open for bond the same day. That is usually smoother than an arrest at home or work.

The district judge also hears juvenile cases. Juvenile probation decides whether a child goes home, gets informal handling or faces a petition: P.O. Box 115, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2687. If juvenile staff decide a child must stay in custody, the child goes to a regional center licensed by the Department of Youth Services, like the Montgomery County Youth Facility, 1111 Air Base Blvd., Montgomery, AL 36108, 334-261-4100. Ala. Code §12-15-207 requires a hearing within 72 hours for any child kept in detention.

Outcomes include diversion, probation with school and curfew rules, or, for serious or repeat conduct, a commitment to the Department of Youth Services. Under §12-15-204, teens aged 16 or 17 who face a capital crime, a Class A felony, drug trafficking or some other grave felonies are moved to adult court, and the Rockford jail can then hold them. A transfer hearing under §12-15-203 is possible for youths 14 and older.

Under 28 U.S.C. §81, Coosa belongs to the Middle District of Alabama, Northern Division. Cases are heard at the Frank M. Johnson Jr. U.S. Courthouse, One Church Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-954-3600. Meth distribution rings, felon gun possession and interstate wildlife trafficking are examples of federal cases.

First comes a quick appearance before a magistrate judge. Next, the Bail Reform Act guides the choice between custody and release. Prosecutors get 30 days from the arrest to secure an indictment. Trial often slips past the 70-day goal written into the Speedy Trial Act. Federal inmates get no parole and usually serve about 85% of the term. The U.S. Marshals, 1 Church Street, Suite A-100, Montgomery, AL 36104, 334-922-6960, place pretrial detainees. After sentencing, use the BOP inmate locator.

An immigration detainer is separate from the criminal case. On Form I-247A, ICE asks the Rockford jail to warn it before release and to hold on to the person for 48 more hours at most while officers travel there. The detainer is a request. It does not decide guilt and does not end the state charge.

The ICE office in charge of Alabama is the New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360. Look a person up with the ICE Online Detainee Locator System, by A-number together with country of birth. A defense lawyer should be told about any detainer before a plea, because a conviction can affect immigration status.

Every release order requires the person to come to each hearing, obey the law and keep the court told of any new address. Leaving Alabama needs permission. Other rules can limit contact with certain people or where the person lives. Keep the order with the case papers.

Starting October 1, 2026, amended Rule 7.3 also wants a cell phone number and an email address on file so the court can send notices. People who lack either one, or who are banned from using one by their release terms, are excused. Report changes promptly. Court still goes on even if a reminder text never arrives. Our Alabama bail rules page has more. Confirm each hearing time by calling the clerk at 9709 US Highway 231, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-4988.

The county jail handles short sentences. A longer one usually means a state prison run by the Alabama Department of Corrections. The person stays in Rockford until the state sends for them, then goes to an intake unit for health and security screening before a prison assignment.

Search the ADOC inmate search by typing a name, or the AIS number if you know those six digits. Sealed youthful offender cases stay out of those results. With the prison name in hand, our Alabama prison pages cover mail and visits. Until transport happens, the jail at 296 School Street, Rockford, AL 35136, 256-377-2211, can confirm the person is still held.