Chicot County Temporary Holding Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Chicot County bail and bond: two buildings, one phone call first
Here is the catch with Chicot County: the Chicot County holding facility at 513 Main Street, Lake Village, is described as a place for short stays right after an arrest. People kept longer are reportedly moved to a contracted jail, which has been the Ashley County Detention Center in Hamburg, 870-853-2040. Do not pay anything until you know which building has your person. Start with the sheriff's office at 870-265-8020, and check Chicot County Inmate Search.
Lake Village or Hamburg: where is my person?
Ring the sheriff at 870-265-8020 and ask three things. Is the person in Lake Village? Was the person moved to another county's jail? What is the booking number? If the answer is Hamburg, call 870-853-2040 to confirm. Each place can discuss only its own prisoners, so be sure which one you dialed.
What explains a Chicot prisoner being in another county?
The Lake Village building is described as temporary holding, so a county contract can place longer stays in a neighbor's jail. The deal can change, and it does not move the case. The charge is still heard in Chicot County, with a Lake Village docket and the Chicot circuit clerk.
Do I send the money to Lake Village or somewhere else?
Don't hand money to anybody until the sheriff or circuit clerk says where it goes. Cash bonds are usually taken either at the jail window or by the clerk of court. The circuit clerk's office is at 108 Main Street, Lake Village, 870-265-8010. If the person is in Hamburg, find out whether you pay in Lake Village and the release order travels, or whether Hamburg takes the payment.
What should I carry and ask on arrival?
Carry photo ID along with the booking number and the prisoner's legal name and birthday. Ask about each charge, the dollar figure for each, and whether another agency has a hold. Ask which forms of payment are taken; cash and cashier's checks are the usual answer, and personal checks are not. Leave with a stamped receipt listing the case number.
Which judge sets the figure?
Misdemeanors go to Chicot County District Court, which sits in Lake Village, Dermott, and Eudora. Its number is 870-538-3476. Felonies go to the Tenth Judicial Circuit, shared with Ashley, Bradley, Desha, and Drew counties. A warrant often shows an amount already chosen by the judge who signed it.
How many days until a judge sees an arrested person?
Under Arkansas Rule 8.1 the first hearing must come promptly, which in practice tends to mean two or three days. When the prisoner sits in Hamburg or elsewhere, check with district court on the date and whether it's a video hearing. A weekend arrest usually waits for the next court day.
Who can tell me the bond figure?
The sheriff's office reads it to you from the booking record. A warrant arrest carries whatever number is on the warrant. No outside source can give you a reliable figure ahead of that.
Is a bondsman the better route?
It costs less up front, because Arkansas law (Ark. Code 17-19-101 and following) fixes the premium at 10 percent. On $5,000 that is $500, never refunded. The bondsman may want collateral and a co-signer. With the person in another county, an agent who knows both jails can save you a drive. Check the state license first and get everything in writing.
Does Delta farmland count as security?
A judge may approve real estate. Expect to show a deed and current tax value and to get every owner to sign. Loans on the land shrink its value to the court. Call the clerk, 870-265-8010, about whether land is accepted and if it has to be inside Chicot County.
Why was bond refused?
The Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, Section 8, lets judges refuse bail only in capital cases when the proof is evident. Ark. Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.6 also lets the court hold someone arrested on a fresh felony while out on bond for an earlier one. Most No Bond lines turn out to be holds for probation, parole, or another county's warrant. Ask the sheriff which one it is.
Who can bring a high amount down?
A lawyer asks the judge; jail staff cannot. Under Rule 9.2 the judge reviews the charge, record, job, family ties, and court history, and under Rule 9.3 may release on conditions instead. Gather paycheck stubs, a lease and names of Chicot County people ready to speak for the person.
Who defends someone with no money?
The Tenth District Public Defender office in Monticello serves Chicot, Ashley, Bradley, Desha, and Drew counties at 870-460-6280. Request appointed counsel at the first hearing, where the judge rules on eligibility. That lawyer can move to reduce the bond.
A town police department in Chicot County made the arrest
Three towns run police departments: Dermott 870-538-5269, Eudora 870-355-4412, and Lake Village 870-265-5055. Call that department for the report number and officer's name, and ask if the person is still there or was taken to the sheriff. City cases are heard by the same district judge.
Does Lake Village run its own lockup?
One directory lists a Lake Village city jail on Church Street, but whether it is open, and how long it holds people, is something to confirm with Lake Village Police at 870-265-5055. Call before assuming your person is at the county building on Main Street.
My teenage son was arrested. Who has him?
Anyone under 18 goes through circuit court's juvenile division. Cash bond isn't used, and a detention hearing decides whether the teen stays held. The county holding facility is for adults, so ask the circuit clerk at 870-265-8010 which county-run juvenile detention center takes Chicot youth. County detention is not the same as a state youth-services placement.
What follows a missed court date in Chicot County?
A judge can respond with a warrant and keep whatever bond was posted. A bondsman has a short window to bring the person in, and then the co-signer owes. Phone the clerk, 870-265-8010, right away, and get a lawyer to request another date.
When is cash refunded, and what scams should I watch for?
If the person made every date, the clerk refunds cash after the case closes, made out to the receipt's name, after fines, costs and restitution. None of a bondsman's fee ever returns to you. Requests for gift cards or app payments are a scam. Licensed bondsmen deal with the arrested person, not with cold calls to relatives. Hang up and dial 870-265-8020.
Chicot County has four court offices. Which one is handling my relative?
Felonies are handled by one circuit court in Lake Village, while district court splits into three town departments. Here is each one:
- Chicot County Circuit Court (felonies, juvenile division, district court appeals): 108 Main Street, Lake Village, AR 71653 · circuit clerk 870-265-8010
- District Court, Lake Village Department (misdemeanors, traffic, early felony hearings): 7 N. Court Street, Lake Village, AR 71653 · 870-265-3283
- District Court, Dermott Department: 112 N. Freeman Street, Dermott, AR 71638 · 870-538-3476
- District Court, Eudora Department: 111 N. Archer Street, Eudora, AR 71640 · 870-355-2878
The arrest town usually decides the district court department. Felony judges in the 10th Judicial Circuit also cover Ashley, Bradley, Desha and Drew counties.
How is it different when a Chicot County arrest is a federal case?
Federal charges don't go through Lake Village or the jail in Hamburg, and a local bondsman can't post them. Chicot County belongs to the Delta Division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, whose courthouse is the federal courthouse in Helena, 617 Walnut Street, Helena, AR 72342 (clerk questions go to Little Rock), 501-604-5351. That is a different federal district from Ashley and Bradley counties next door. The case usually moves like this:
- A federal agency such as the FBI, DEA or ATF files a complaint, or a grand jury returns an indictment.
- A U.S. magistrate judge holds the first appearance, sometimes in Little Rock.
- Pretrial Services meets with the person and reports on background, work and record.
- When the prosecutor asks for detention, a separate hearing decides it within a few days.
- A person released has to follow federal conditions, like reporting to an officer.
People held on federal charges stay wherever the U.S. Marshals place them. Contact the Marshals at U.S. Marshals Service, 600 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-324-6256.
Is it possible for ICE to hold someone after their Chicot County bond is paid?
It is possible. ICE can lodge a detainer under 8 CFR 287.7 that asks the holding jail to give notice before release and keep the person for up to 48 more hours, with weekends and holidays counted. Arkansas law doesn't bar jails from honoring one.
The Chicot County charge remains open even after ICE takes over, and those court dates still need to be met. Arkansas is part of the ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360. People ICE holds from the Delta are often sent to Louisiana centers, including:
- LaSalle ICE Processing Center: 830 Pinehill Road, Jena, LA 71342 · 318-992-1600
- Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center: 1133 Hampton Dupre Road, Pine Prairie, LA 70576 · 337-599-2400
Search the ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/) once the person is with ICE. The A-number and country of birth work best, or try the full name with country of birth.
What searches help find a Chicot County prisoner who was moved?
Chicot County prisoners can be in Lake Village, in a contract jail in another county, in a state prison or in federal custody. These searches help sort it out:
- Chicot County jail: Chicot County Inmate Search. Search the last and first name, then click the right result for booking date, charges and bond.
- VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/). Pick Arkansas and search the person's name. VINE reports whether they're in custody and names the facility, which helps when someone was moved to Hamburg. It also offers free release alerts by call or text.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/). Enter a register number, or else a name plus age, race and sex. People waiting on federal trial are often absent, so check with the Marshals at 501-324-6256.
- Arkansas Division of Correction: Arkansas Division of Correction Inmate Search (https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/). An ADC number or surname brings up the unit, a photo and when parole is possible.
What numbers confirm the bond and court date before driving to Lake Village?
Where Chicot prisoners are housed, and how bond is taken, can change, so confirm first. The sheriff at 870-265-8020 can say where the person is and where bond is paid. The circuit clerk at 870-265-8010 has felony dates. Misdemeanor dates come from the department in Lake Village (870-265-3283), Dermott (870-538-3476) or Eudora (870-355-2878).
Chicot County bond contacts
- County jail: Chicot County holding facility, 513 Main Street, Lake Village, AR 71653; sheriff 870-265-8020
- Longer stays: Ashley County Detention Center, 842 Ashley Road 12 West, Hamburg, AR 71646; 870-853-2040
- Bond guide: Facility bail and bond instructions
- Sheriff: 513 Main Street, Lake Village; 870-265-8020
- Circuit clerk: 108 Main Street, Lake Village, AR 71653; 870-265-8010
- District court: Dermott department; 870-538-3476
- City police: Dermott 870-538-5269; Eudora 870-355-4412; Lake Village 870-265-5055
- Public defender: Tenth District, Monticello; 870-460-6280
- Juvenile: Ask the circuit clerk, 870-265-8010
Where prisoners are kept, what offices charge and when they're open can all change. Get your own case checked by the sheriff or clerk before sending money. Use this as a family guide, not legal advice.
Chicot County Temporary Holding Facility
Address:
513 Main Street
Lake Village, AR
Phone:
870-265-8020
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Chicot County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Chicot County?
Who can set bail in Chicot County?
When is bail set in Chicot County Arkansas?
Does Chicot County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Chicot County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Chicot County?
Chicot County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. The judge in Arkansas considers one of the following bonds:
1. An unsecured bond in an amount set by the judicial officer.
2. An unsecured bond with 10% cash or securities valued at 10% of the bail amount. 90% of the 10% will be returned at the end of the proceedings as long as the conditions have been met.
3. Secured bond by cash or property from the defendant family or a qualified bond agent.
Who can set bail in Chicot County?
A sheriff or police officer is authorized to set bail during the time of the arrest. If held in a city jail, a police officer can accept bail and a sheriff can accept bail in a county jail. In the higher courts, the judge sets bail at the initial appearance.
It is the law in Arkansas that the judicial officer can only set money bail if it is determined that no other conditions will guarantee that the defendant will appear in court.
Who can set bail in Chicot County?
Bail can be sent by the arresting officer at the time of booking and if the offence was a misdemeanor the bail is immediately paid, the date for the initial appearance before a judge will be made.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Chicot 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 Chicot 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 Chicot County Temporary Holding Facility 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, Chicot 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.
What are the different types of bonds in Chicot 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 can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
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.
(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.)
Does Chicot County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Chicot County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Chicot County?
Chicot County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. The judge in Arkansas considers one of the following bonds:
1. An unsecured bond in an amount set by the judicial officer.
2. An unsecured bond with 10% cash or securities valued at 10% of the bail amount. 90% of the 10% will be returned at the end of the proceedings as long as the conditions have been met.
3. Secured bond by cash or property from the defendant family or a qualified bond agent.
Who can set bail in Chicot County?
A sheriff or police officer is authorized to set bail during the time of the arrest. If held in a city jail, a police officer can accept bail and a sheriff can accept bail in a county jail. In the higher courts, the judge sets bail at the initial appearance.
It is the law in Arkansas that the judicial officer can only set money bail if it is determined that no other conditions will guarantee that the defendant will appear in court.
When is bail set in Arkansas?
Bail can be sent by the arresting officer at the time of booking and if the offence was a misdemeanor the bail is immediately paid, the date for the initial appearance before a judge will be made.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Chicot County Arkansas?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction if a judge already set the initial bail.
In Chicot County Arkansas, who can pay bail for me?
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 to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Arkansas could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Chicot County Arkansas?
Almost all counties in Arkansas accept online payments or payment by phone with an associated fee. It is important that you pay the correct officer or Chicot County Clerk of Court and not pay a scammer.
What options are there to pay bail in Chicot County Arkansas?
Cash is accepted in some counties and not others and it is dependent on the amount. Most all jails and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted.
Go to the Chicot County Temporary Holding Facility for more information about posting bail in Chicot County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Arkansas?
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 including an $80 minimal fee imposed by the court.
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 Chicot 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 Arkansas?
All professional bond companies must collect a 10% fee before the defendant is released from jail and there non-refundable are court fees in addition. The court can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies in Chicot County.
If you have an attorney, it is a good idea to ask which has the best reputation or you can read reviews by others who have used them. It would be advisable to find out exactly how much they would charge, including extra costs.
You can call several bond companies and negotiate the best rate and conditions for you, although not all bond companies are obligated to execute a bond for you.