Henry County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Search for an Inmate in Henry County

Henry County Jail

Address:
166 East Williams St
Abbeville, AL 36310

Phone:

334-585-3293

Alabama Bail Bond Information

Does Henry County have bail?

Yes, Alabama is a bail state, and Henry County allows bail. 

What kind of bonds are accepted in Henry County?

There four types of bonds accepted in Henry County:
1.    Judicial public bail/bond is the release of a defendant without any money but must have some kind of supervision while out on bail. 
2.    Cash bail is payment by the defendant or another person in part or in full of the total bail.  The Henry County Clerk of Court supervises this bond. 
3.    Property bail is when one or more people put up property owned in the state of Alabama to cover the bond.  
4.    Professional surety bail is when the defendant is released on bail by having a professional bond company execute the bond.

Who can set bail in Henry County?  

In Alabama, for violations of motor vehicle laws, a state trooper, sheriff’s office, police officers and constables can arrest and set bail for those violations not to exceed $300.

For non-motor vehicle violations, a bond hearing officer sets bail in Alabama. This officer must be an attorney and can set bail for any court in the state and is available on weekends and holidays via audio-visual technology that allows the public to view the hearing.

When is bail set in Henry County Alabama? 

Bail is set at the time of arrest for lesser offenses and within 48 hours at what is called the initial appearance for more serious offenses. 

Bail and Bond Frequently Asked Questions for Henry County Alabama

What is Bail?

Bail is what the arrested in Henry County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance. 

The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program. 

Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee.  A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane. 

If a judge in Alabama Henry County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.  

Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court. 

If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Henry County Jail until the case is resolved or goes to trial. 

Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses. 

What is the difference between Bail and Bond?

Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different.

The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions.

Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.

The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Henry County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.  

The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.

DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.  

More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.  

Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond.  This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation. 

Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.

On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.  

(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information.  A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)

What are the different types of bonds in Henry County?

Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.

To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.  Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid. Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:

You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail.  The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.

You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front. 

If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you. 

Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.

Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.

You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value. 

A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).  

Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.  

There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back.  This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond. 

You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.  

A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met. 

With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved. 

Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee.  A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.

Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company.  Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.

Does Henry County have bail?

Yes, Alabama is a bail state, and Henry County allows bail. 

What kind of bonds are accepted in Henry County?

There four types of bonds accepted in Henry County:
1.    Judicial public bail/bond is the release of a defendant without any money but must have some kind of supervision while out on bail. 
2.    Cash bail is payment by the defendant or another person in part or in full of the total bail.  The Henry County Clerk of Court supervises this bond. 
3.    Property bail is when one or more people put up property owned in the state of Alabama to cover the bond.  
4.    Professional surety bail is when the defendant is released on bail by having a professional bond company execute the bond.

Who can set bail in Henry County?  

In Alabama, for violations of motor vehicle laws, a state trooper, sheriff’s office, police officers and constables can arrest and set bail for those violations not to exceed $300.

For non-motor vehicle violations, a bond hearing officer sets bail in Alabama. This officer must be an attorney and can set bail for any court in the state and is available on weekends and holidays via audio-visual technology that allows the public to view the hearing.

When is bail set in Henry County Alabama? 

Bail is set at the time of arrest for lesser offenses and within 48 hours at what is called the initial appearance for more serious offenses. 

Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Henry County Alabama? 

It is best to ask your attorney to reduce the bail amount, also called bond reduction. There is a formal motion that must be filed with your judge who will approach the Deputy District Attorney.  If the bail was set within the guidelines or if there are not extenuating circumstances, the bond reduction would likely be declined.  These are the bail guidelines for Alabama.

In Henry County Alabama, who can pay bail for me? 

The courts require that the person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court in order to get their money back. In Alabama, a surety is not responsible for court fees.  A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Alabama can pay bail, although it could be costly. Your attorney is not permitted to post bail. 

Can bail be paid online in Henry County Alabama?  

Yes, Alabama counties allow payment of bail on-line. The Henry County Clerk of Court can be paid on-line.  

What options are there to pay bail in Henry County Alabama? 

Cash payments may not be paid to the arresting officer but can be paid to the clerk of court.  Personal checks are not accepted but a certified check, money order or cashier’s check are accepted.  Payment of bail by credit cards are dependent on the court and the amount.

Will I get all my bond money back in Alabama? 

If you have attended all of the court appearances and met all of the conditions, the person who posted the bail will get the money back. In Alabama, the court fees are not taken out of the bail money for sureties (the person who signed on the bond for the arrested). You will lose the 10% that you paid the bond company. 

Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount.  If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back.

Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.

Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Henry County? 

The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.

A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front. 

If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you. 

Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.  A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.

What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Alabama?  

The Henry County Jail or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company.  You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.  

The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 334-585-3293 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Henry County Jail.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.

Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Henry County

Because Henry County and Alabama can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Henry County Jail at 334-585-3293, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Henry County Jail or the Henry County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.

Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at Henry County Jail

The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.

Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.

To pay a cash bond, go to Henry County Jail or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.

Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to Henry County Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Henry County Sheriff's Office or to the Henry County Court.

To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.

Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at Henry County Jail

In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.

This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.



For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.

A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.

Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at Henry County Jail

If you are a landowner in Henry County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Henry County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.

To find if property located outside of Henry County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.

Click here for additional information on how to post bail at Henry County Jail.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Henry County Jail?

Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.

In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.

Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a Alabama state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

Henry County Justice System Flowchart

When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?

Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, Henry County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.

What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?

The Henry County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.

If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.

Henry County Jail Inmate Mail Policies and Address - What Can You Send, and Where?

For inmates receiving mail in the Henry County Jail there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.

All mail is to be shipped to the Henry County Jail:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Henry County Jail
C/O Inmate Name
101 Court Sq. Suite G
Abbeville Al. 36310


For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.


 

How Do I put Money on an Inmate's Commissary Account in the Henry County Jail to Purchase Phone Cards?

There are FOUR options for putting money on an inmate's books:

Option 1 - Dropping Money at the Henry County Jail
Bring money to the jail in person. 
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use the NCIC self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.

Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
Henry County Jail uses NCIC to process all online deposits to an inmate's account. NCIC charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.



Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.  Mail it to the Henry County Jail address on this page, or to the address below if it is different than the facility address.
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID #
Henry County Jail
C/O Inmate Name
101 Court Sq. Suite G
Abbeville Al. 36310

Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit over the Phone by calling 800-943-2189

For more information about sending an inmate money for phone cards or other commissary sundries, check out our Inmate Money Page.


 

How to Send a Secure Email Message to an Inmate in Henry County

To send a secure email message to an inmate in Henry County Jail follow these steps:

Henry County Jail uses the services of NCIC for you to deposit funds into your {Henry County inmate’s account so that you and they can purchase secure email messaging services from this jail’s e-messaging service.

You can deposit money three different ways:

•    Deposit online at NCIC.com
•    Deposit at the kiosk in the Henry County Jail lobby, if available.
•    Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069 (Note: if you deposit money using a live agent the fee is $5.95).
Email – [email protected]

For all information on how to Text/Email an Inmate in Henry County Jail check out our Secure Messaging Guide for Henry County.


 

How to Rent a Tablet for an Inmate at the Henry County Jail

Henry County Jail offers NCIC tablets to rent to inmates that they can use for video visitation and calls, phone calls, instant messaging, education and entertainment.

They can also be used for commissary ordering.

To find out more bout how much tablets cost to rent, and what programs, entertainment, education and other things it can be used for, check out our Tablet Page.


 

Henry County Jail ON-SITE (at the jail) VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE
166 East Williams St
Abbeville, AL 36310
334-585-3293

Schedule Video Visits online with NCIC

  • On-site Visits are free.
  • Visits are 20-30 minutes.
  • Visitation schedule subject to change.
  • Inmates are allowed two visits per week
  • A maximum of 2 guests are allowed per an On-site video session. A 3rd guest is allowed if it is a child and no more than 6 years old.
  • All visits must be made at least 24 hours in advance.
DAY TIME
SUNDAY No video sessions
MONDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
TUESDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
WEDNESDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
THURSDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 12:00PM
SATURDAY No video sessions

Henry County Jail REMOTE (at home) VIDEO VISITATION SCHEDULE

  • All visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
  • Visitation Schedule subject to change.
DAY TIME
SUNDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
MONDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
TUESDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
WEDNESDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
THURSDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM
SATURDAY 9:00 AM - 8:30PM

 

How Do Visit an Inmate in Henry County Jail?

To visit an inmate in Henry County you need to do the following:

Henry County Jail uses the services of NCIC for remote video visitation. In other words, you can visit your inmate in jail by using your home computer, as long as it is equipped with a microphone and camera that supports video.

When available, the jail also provides use of ‘video visit kiosks’ in the Henry County Jail lobby if you do not have a computer at home. These ’on-site’ video visits are FREE.

Costs
NCIC Video Visitation fees are subject to change, but the cost to you is roughly $7.50 ($0.25 per minute) for a 30-minute visit + an additional fee of $2.00 for the connection.
On-site (at the jail) video visits are FREE.

How to set up your Video Visit

  • Register here.  
  • Select Henry County Jail
  • Select your inmate.
  • Choose your date and time.

Your inmate will be notified by the Henry County Jail staff of the date and time for the visit. Be sure to be in front of your computer and connected to NCIC at least 15 minutes before the start of the visit.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]

For all the information you need to know, whether it be 'in person' at-the-jail visitation or remote video visitation with your Henry County inmate, go to our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How to deposit money in an inmate's account in the Henry County Jail

  • To deposit money online go the NCIC website
  • To deposit money over the phone call 800-943-2189
  • To deposit money at the jail use the NCIC Kiosk in the Henry County Jail lobby.
  • Call the jail at 334-585-3293 to confirm lobby hours for depositing inmate funds.

For complete information on depositing money in an inmate's account, check out our Inmate Money page.


 

How Does an Inmate Make Phone Calls in Henry County Jail?

To receive phone calls from an inmate in Henry County follow these instructions:

Henry County Jail uses the services of NCIC for inmate phone calling. It is called a ‘friends & family account”.

In order to receive phone calls from your inmate, you need to do the following:

  • Register here, or by phone 800-943-2189
  • Choose Alabama.
  • Choose Henry County Jail
  • Select your Inmate.
  • Enter the phone number your Inmate will be calling.
  • Fund your Account. ($10-$100 at a time)

NOTE:
1.   You cannot receive any calls to your phone number from your inmate until both you and your phone number are registered.
2.  When you do receive a call, the number you will view on your phone from the incoming call is: 800-943-2189.
3.  When allowed by Henry County Jail, families can also leave secure voicemails for inmates to listen to.

Fees

  • Adding funds to your account - $3.00 
  • Cost of phone call of a Prepaid Collect Account - $0.21 per minute
  • Cost of an interstate (ex. Alabama to a different state) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost of an intrastate (ex. Alabama to Alabama) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost if you set up your account (or fund it) by phone using a live agent, you will be charged a one-time fee of $5.95.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
Full list of participating jails.

For all the information regarding phone calls with Henry County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, fees, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

How Do Inmates in Henry County Jail Get Money to Make Phone Calls?
 

To send money to an inmate in order to make phone calls in Henry County Jail, follow these steps:

1. Register with correctpay online, the money depositing service used by Henry County Jail, or call Customer Service at 855-836-3364. They are open 24/7.

2. Once registered, select Alabama, then Henry County Jail, then the inmate you want to send money to.
3. Choose an amount, then a payment method (any major credit or debit card in your name), and then send.

NOTE: There is a cost to use this service... usually no more than 5%. The link below has all the information you need to know.

For all the information regarding phone calls with Henry County inmates; what phone service they use, calling cards information, the rules, policies, fees, phone calling times, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

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