Conway County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Conway County bail and bond: from the Morrilton jail to the Moose Street courthouse
Men and women alike are booked at the Conway County Jail, 30 Southern Valley Drive, Morrilton, a 106-bed lockup operated by county deputies. The jail answers at 501-354-9627 at any hour, and the sheriff's administrative line, 501-354-2411, is staffed weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Court offices are downtown on Moose Street: the circuit clerk at 115 South Moose, 501-354-9617, and the district court at 117 South Moose, Room 304, 501-354-9615. Confirm custody with Conway County Inmate Search.
How do I know the jail really has them?
Use the search above, then call 501-354-9627 giving the exact name on the person's ID and the birth date. A new booking can be missing for an hour or two while booking finishes, and anyone wanted by a different county might be handed over fast. If the jail confirms, get the booking number and note it on every paper you bring.
Where does the dollar figure come from?
The booking file shows the figure after a judge, or the judge-approved schedule, has set it. Many misdemeanors have a figure at booking; felonies and serious misdemeanors wait for the first appearance. Ask 501-354-9627 for the total across all charges, whether each has a figure, and whether a hold is attached. After a court date, the signed order is at the district clerk, 501-354-9615, or the circuit clerk, 501-354-9617.
Jail window or courthouse counter?
Usually the jail on Southern Valley Drive, since release happens there and it never closes. After a case reaches court, that court's clerk may take payment during office hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Phone first and ask which office wants the money for this case; the bail steps for the jail say the same. Bring government photo ID and the booking number.
Will the Morrilton jail take plastic or personal checks?
Exact cash is accepted, as are cashier's checks and money orders made out as the jail directs. Personal checks are not. Whether a card works for a bond depends on whether a kiosk or vendor is in place that day, so ask at 501-354-9627. For a money order, get the exact payee name first. The receipt names who is owed the refund, so keep it.
How fast does the district court take a new case?
Arkansas Rule 8.1 calls for a first appearance without unnecessary delay, which courts read as about two days, stretching to three across a weekend. The district judge handles first appearances. Rule 9.2 tells him to weigh the charge, record, employment, family nearby, and past failures to appear. He can release on a promise, set Rule 9.3 conditions, or require a money bond. Felonies then go to circuit court in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.
What do bondsmen charge in this county?
The statute fixes it: 10 percent, rounded up to the next $5, under Arkansas Code 17-19-301, plus a $10 fee for the state licensing board and a $15 processing fee. A $7,500 bond costs $750 plus $25. The premium is not refunded, and a bonding firm can demand security or a co-signer. Only agents licensed by the Professional Bail Bond Company and Professional Bail Bondsman Licensing Board may write bonds here, so ask to see the license.
Would a farm or house work instead of cash?
Arkansas Code 16-84-103 lets a resident who owns visible property worth the bond, above debts and exemptions, act as surety, once the sheriff signs a property statement and the court looks it over. Whether this county's judge accepts real estate, and whether the land must be here, is decided case by case. Ask the circuit clerk, 501-354-9617, what the judge needs, and carry the deed with this year's tax notice. Allow several days.
Morrilton, Plumerville, Oppelo, or Menifee: which court department?
District court has four departments, all under one district judge. Morrilton is at 117 South Moose Street, Room 304, 501-354-9615. Plumerville's clerk is at 501-354-6400, Oppelo's at 8 Municipal Drive, 501-354-2454, and Menifee's at 501-354-9763, extension 402. The department matches the town whose officer filed the charge. Felonies later move to circuit court.
A Morrilton officer made the arrest. Does the city hold people?
The city does not appear to run a lockup; adults are booked at the county jail. Morrilton Police, 212 North Moose Street, 501-354-0131, can answer questions about the charge or report. Plumerville Police answer at 501-354-6400 and Oppelo Police at 501-354-2454, the same numbers as their court departments. The judge, not the officer, sets the bond.
Will the sheriff cut the amount or waive it?
The sheriff can't. Deputies hold the person and collect money, but the amount belongs to the judge. A reduction comes through a motion, usually from the person's lawyer, and a hearing. Deputies also may not recommend a bondsman. If someone at the jail seems to offer a deal on the amount, ask for the judge's written order.
When is a person not bailable?
Article 2, Section 8 of the Arkansas Constitution makes everyone bailable before conviction except for a capital offense when the proof is evident. Someone charged with a fresh felony while free on a felony bond can also be held. Any parole, probation, out-of-county or federal hold will keep a person locked up after the Conway County bond is paid. Check with the jail for any hold before raising cash.
Who is the Morrilton public defender?
Morrilton hosts the defender office for the Fifteenth District at 501-354-9018 and covers Conway, Logan, Scott, and Yell counties. A judge appoints it after the person completes a financial affidavit at the first appearance. Appointed counsel may seek a smaller bond or conditional release; supply proof of work, a local address, and family ties.
Where does a Conway County teenager go?
Not to Southern Valley Drive. A person under 18 goes to the juvenile division of circuit court, where a judge decides at a detention hearing whether the youth is released to family or placed in a licensed center in another county; Conway County has none of its own. Adult bail rules do not apply. The circuit clerk, 501-354-9617, keeps juvenile records and can point you to the juvenile officer who can name the placement and the hearing date.
Is money put on an inmate's account treated as bail?
It doesn't. Deposits put money on the inmate's account for commissary, and phone time and care packages are bought through separate accounts. None of it reaches the court or shortens the stay. Bond money goes to the jail or clerk and is recorded on a bond receipt. A small deposit does help the person call you and a lawyer.
What if the person fails to show at the Moose Street courthouse?
A warrant goes out, a new charge for failing to appear is added, and the bond starts down the road to forfeiture. Arkansas gives the surety a chance to produce the person before the money is finally lost. Call the clerk for the right department the same day, ask about resetting the date, then call a lawyer. A bondsman will search for the person and may bill you.
Does cash bail in Conway County come back?
Cash posted for bail is repaid after the final ruling, provided no court date was skipped, after the court subtracts fines, costs, and restitution. Checks are written to whoever is named on the receipt, so list yourself if you put up the cash. A bondsman's fee is not given back. A check by mail several weeks later is typical.
How do scammers approach families here?
With a call claiming to be a deputy or bondsman, a push to pay with gift cards or a phone app, and a warning not to tell anyone. The jail takes bond in person, and licensed bondsmen charge a fixed 10 percent. Hang up and call 501-354-9627 yourself.
Which Conway County court has the case, and where is each office?
Both state courts sit on Moose Street in downtown Morrilton, and district court also has three small-town departments:
- Conway County Circuit Court (felonies, juvenile division, appeals): Conway County Courthouse, 115 S. Moose Street, Room 206, Morrilton, AR 72110 · 501-354-9617
- District Court, Morrilton Department (misdemeanors, traffic, first felony appearances): 117 S. Moose Street, Room 304, Morrilton, AR 72110 · 501-354-9615
- District Court, Plumerville Department: 501-354-6400
- District Court, Oppelo Department: 8 Municipal Drive, Oppelo · 501-354-2454
- District Court, Menifee Department: 501-354-9763, ext. 402
The department generally follows the town where the arrest happened. Felony cases go up to the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, which Conway shares with Logan, Scott and Yell counties.
What happens if the Conway County arrest is federal?
Federal charges skip the Southern Valley Drive bond window entirely, and no local bondsman can post them. Federally, Morrilton cases are assigned to the Central Division, seated in Little Rock, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, about 50 miles east at the federal courthouse in Little Rock, 500 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-604-5351. Expect roughly these stages:
- A federal agency, such as the FBI, DEA, ATF or Homeland Security Investigations, swears out a complaint, or a grand jury indicts.
- The person makes a first appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in Little Rock.
- Pretrial Services checks job history, ties to the area and prior record.
- A government motion to detain leads to a hearing a few days later.
- Release comes with written terms, for example regular check-ins and a ban on leaving the district.
Before trial, the U.S. Marshals pick which jail holds a federal defendant, and it is often not the Morrilton jail. Contact them at U.S. Marshals Service, 600 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-324-6256.
Once bail is posted in Morrilton, might ICE step in?
That can happen. A detainer under 8 CFR 287.7 asks the Morrilton jail to give ICE notice before release and to hold the person for up to 48 extra hours, counting weekends and holidays. No Arkansas law keeps the jail from going along with the request.
The Conway County case does not pause during ICE custody, and missing a Moose Street court date still means a warrant. The ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360 runs ICE work in Arkansas. Central Arkansas detainees are regularly moved to Louisiana centers such as:
- 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
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/) with the A-number and country of birth, or the person's full name plus birthplace country.
How do I track a Conway County inmate who left the Morrilton jail?
After booking on Southern Valley Drive, a person may be sent to another county, a state prison or federal custody. These searches cover each:
- Conway County jail: Conway County Inmate Search. Enter last name and first name, and pick the entry to see charges, booking date and bond.
- VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/). Set Arkansas and search the name. You'll see if the person is held and where, and you can register for free release calls or texts.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/). Search a register number, or a name plus race, sex and age. People held before a federal trial often won't appear; the Marshals can help at 501-324-6256.
- Arkansas Division of Correction: Arkansas Division of Correction Inmate Search (https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/). Type an ADC number or last name for the prison unit, a photo and the parole date.
Who should I call to check the Conway County bond and court date?
Bond figures and payment options can change, so phone first. The jail at 501-354-9627 answers at all hours and can confirm custody, the total and how to pay. For felony dates, call the circuit clerk at 501-354-9617. For misdemeanor dates, call the Morrilton district clerk at 501-354-9615, or the Plumerville, Oppelo or Menifee department numbers above.
Conway County bond contacts
- Jail: Conway County Jail, 30 Southern Valley Drive, Morrilton, AR 72110; 501-354-9627
- Bond steps: Posting bail at the Conway County Jail
- Sheriff: Conway County Sheriff's Office, 30 Southern Valley Drive; 501-354-2411; weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Circuit clerk: 115 South Moose Street, Room 206, Morrilton; 501-354-9617; weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- District court: 117 South Moose Street, Room 304, 501-354-9615; Plumerville 501-354-6400; Oppelo 501-354-2454; Menifee 501-354-9763 ext. 402
- City police: Morrilton, 212 North Moose Street, 501-354-0131; Plumerville 501-354-6400; Oppelo 501-354-2454
- Public defender: 15th Judicial District office, Morrilton; 501-354-9018
- Juveniles: Juvenile division through the circuit clerk, 501-354-9617
Payment rules, hours, and figures can change. Confirm your own case with Morrilton staff first. This bond guide offers background only and is not legal advice.
Conway County Jail
Address:
30 Southern Valley Drive
Morrilton, AR 72110
Phone:
501-354-9627
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Conway County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Conway County?
Who can set bail in Conway County?
When is bail set in Conway County Arkansas?
Does Conway County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Conway County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Conway County?
Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway 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, Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Conway County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Conway County?
Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway County Arkansas?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction if a judge already set the initial bail.
In Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway County Clerk of Court and not pay a scammer.
What options are there to pay bail in Conway 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 Conway County Jail for more information about posting bail in Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway 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.