Franklin County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Franklin County bail and bond: one jail in Ozark, courts in two towns
If a police officer or deputy arrested someone in Franklin County, the person is almost always taken to the Franklin County Detention Center, 248 Airport Road in Ozark. One number, 479-667-4127, reaches both the jail desk and the sheriff's office. The jail lists room for 106 men and women. Bond comes from a judge, and the circuit clerk in Ozark, 479-667-3818, holds the felony paperwork. Misdemeanors start in a district court in Ozark or Charleston. To check custody, use Franklin County Inmate Search.
1. Is the detention center the only place my relative could be?
In most cases, yes. Deputies and state troopers take adults to the county jail in Ozark, and the desk can confirm where a town officer's arrest was taken. No match in the search above? Phone 479-667-4127to learn if the person was transferred or is held for an outside county. Fresh arrests can take some time to appear online.
2. What do I say when I call the jail?
Start the call with the person's legal name and birthday. Then ask what the charges are, whether bond is set, and when court is next. Jail desks work around the clock, so 479-667-4127 should be answered. Jot down who you spoke with.
3. How is the amount chosen, and when?
Only a judge can order money bail, and Rule 9.2 says to do so only when nothing milder will bring the person back. Under Rule 8.1 the first appearance must come without unnecessary delay. Staff can tell you the next district or circuit session; people booked near the weekend sometimes wait days for a judge.
4. Where are the courts?
Franklin County has two county seats. The circuit clerk's office is in Ozark at 211 West Commercial, 479-667-3818. District court sits in both towns: the Ozark and Altus departments answer at 479-667-4808, and the Charleston division is in Charleston, 479-965-7455. Ask the jail which building holds the case.
5. What do I bring to post bond?
Make the call to 479-667-4127 before you travel, since no bonding window hours are published. Cash bonds are normally handled at the jail or by the court clerk. Carry photo ID and the full amount in cash. Clerks' offices usually close in the evening and on weekends, so ask where the money goes after hours.
6. Is plastic or a check accepted?
The jail has not published its rules, so nothing is certain. Cash is safest. A cashier's check or money order may work at the clerk's office, but ask whose name goes on it. A link sent to you for paying a bond online should be treated as suspicious until the jail confirms it.
7. What does a licensed bondsman cost?
Code 17-19-301 fixes the bondsman's fee at 10 percent of the bond, with the result raised to a round $5, then adds a $10 state fee and a $15 processing fee. A $4,000 bond runs about $425 that stays with the agent, dismissal or not. Pick your own agent and ask to see the license first.
8. What is the ten percent deposit I keep hearing about?
Under Rule 9.2 a judge may let the family post only 10 percent of the bond in cash and give back 90 percent of that deposit if the person never misses court. This is up to the judge. The person or lawyer has to ask for it at the first appearance.
9. Does the court take a house or acreage?
Sometimes. Code 16-84-103 allows an Arkansas property owner with equity beyond the legal exemptions to serve as surety, and 16-84-105 requires a sworn property list showing value. Collect the deed and a tax statement. The clerk, not the jail, can say whether land outside Franklin County is acceptable.
10. Is the sheriff able to lower the amount?
That decision is the court's. Jail staff carry out the judge's order. A judge alone can change the figure, even one set by a different judge, and the request is made by a lawyer or by the accused at a hearing.
11. Where can someone with no money get a lawyer?
Franklin County is in the Fifth Judicial District, whose public defender office in Russellville answers at 479-967-1767. Johnson and Pope counties share it. The person tells the judge about income at the first appearance and asks for an appointed lawyer, who can then request a lower bond.
12. What if the record says no bond or hold?
Frequently no judge has acted yet, or probation, parole, or a different county has placed a hold. Under Article 2, Section 8 of the state constitution, bail may be refused only for a capital offense when the proof is evident. The jail desk, 479-667-4127, can say which applies.
13. Which police departments are in the county?
The Ozark Police Department is at 200 South 4th Street, 479-667-2233. The Charleston Police Department is at 1418 East Main Street, 479-965-7600. Misdemeanors from Ozark and Charleston are heard by the district court department for that town. Other towns call on the sheriff, 479-667-4127.
14. My daughter was taken in. What happens to her?
A child's arrest is handled by circuit court's juvenile side, and the adult jail is not used. To learn where a detained youth is being held, phone the circuit clerk, 479-667-3818, and ask for the juvenile intake officer and the name of the center in use. No cash bail applies.
15. What are the consequences of a skipped hearing?
A warrant may issue and forfeiture may begin, under Code 16-84-201 for district court or 16-84-207 for circuit court. The two sections allow 120 and 75 days respectively for the surety to produce the person. Phone the clerk that day.
16. Is my money returned, and how do I spot a scam?
A cash deposit with the court is refunded once the case is over, after fines, costs or restitution are taken out, but a bondsman's fee is never refunded. A legitimate office will not take gift cards or payment apps, so if a caller demands one, hang up and dial 479-667-4127.
17. Franklin County has courts in two towns. Which one is handling my relative's case?
Franklin County has two county seats, so courts meet north and south of the Arkansas River:
- Franklin County Circuit Court, Northern District (felonies, juvenile cases, appeals): 211 West Commercial Street, Ozark, AR 72949 · circuit clerk 479-667-3818
- Franklin County Circuit Court, Southern District: 607 East Main Street, Charleston, AR 72933 · circuit clerk 479-965-7332
- Franklin County District Court (misdemeanors, traffic, first felony hearings; Ozark and Altus departments): 116 South 2nd Street, Ozark, AR 72949 · 479-667-4808
- District Court, Charleston department: 479-965-7455
The 5th Judicial Circuit's judges come to Franklin County from Russellville and Clarksville, since the circuit also covers Johnson and Pope counties. A felony usually opens in district court before the prosecutor files it in circuit court.
18. What if the Franklin County arrest is for a federal crime?
The Ozark jail can't accept bond on a federal charge, and a bondsman can't write one. Its federal court is Fort Smith, home of a division of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, which meets at the federal building in Fort Smith, 30 South 6th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901, 833-853-0345, about 40 miles west. A federal case usually moves like this:
- Charges arrive through an agent's complaint or a grand jury indictment.
- A magistrate judge in Fort Smith conducts the first court appearance.
- Pretrial Services looks into the person's history and reports to the judge.
- A detention hearing is held within days if the government asks to keep the person jailed.
- Release comes with federal conditions that must be followed.
Federal prisoners are housed wherever the U.S. Marshals choose until the case ends. The Marshals can be reached at U.S. Marshals Service, 30 South 6th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901, 479-289-7470 or 479-424-5000 (call either).
19. Could ICE hold someone at the Ozark jail even after bond is posted?
That is possible. Through a detainer under 8 CFR 287.7, ICE may ask to be told before a release and may ask the jail to keep the person 48 hours longer, weekends and holidays included. State law in Arkansas allows jails to go along with it.
The Franklin County charges stay active after an ICE pickup, and missed court dates still count. Arkansas is part of the ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360, and people detained from western Arkansas often end up at 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
Once the person is moved, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/). The A-number and country of birth give the closest match; name and country of birth are the second choice.
20. The person isn't on the Ozark jail list. Where else can I check?
A missing name may mean a transfer to a different county jail, the state prison system or a federal hold. Check these:
- Franklin County jail: Franklin County Inmate Search. Put in the surname and first name, then open the right booking to read charges and bond.
- VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/). Select Arkansas and enter the name. VINE says whether the person is held and names the facility, helpful after a move out of Ozark. Release notices are free to set up.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/). A register number finds a person fastest; a name with age, race and sex also works. Pretrial federal prisoners can be missing, so ask the Marshals at 479-289-7470 or 479-424-5000 (call either).
- Arkansas Division of Correction: Arkansas Division of Correction Inmate Search (https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/). Searching an ADC number or surname shows the unit, a picture and when parole could come up.
21. Which numbers confirm bond and court dates before I drive to Ozark or Charleston?
Jail and bond procedures change at times, so phone ahead. The jail desk at 479-667-4127 can confirm where the person is and how to post bond. The circuit clerk keeps felony dates at 479-667-3818 (Ozark) and 479-965-7332 (Charleston). District court at 479-667-4808 has misdemeanor and traffic settings.
Franklin County bond contacts
- Jail: Franklin County Detention Center, 248 Airport Road, Ozark, AR 72949; 479-667-4127
- Bond guide: How bond works at this jail
- Sheriff: Franklin County Sheriff's Office; mailing P.O. Box 233, Ozark, AR 72949; 479-667-4127
- Circuit clerk: Circuit clerk's office, 211 West Commercial, Ozark; 479-667-3818
- District court: Ozark and Altus, 116 South 2nd Street, Ozark; 479-667-4808. Charleston division, 479-965-7455
- Ozark police: 200 South 4th Street; 479-667-2233
- Charleston police: 1418 East Main Street; 479-965-7600
- Public defender: Fifth Judicial District, Russellville; 479-967-1767
- Juvenile: Circuit clerk, juvenile intake; 479-667-3818
Franklin County has not published a bonding window or its hours, so phone the Ozark jail desk before you set out with money. Families can use this as general help; it is not legal advice.
Franklin County Detention Center
Address:
248 Airport Rd
Ozark, AR 72949
Phone:
479-667-4127
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Franklin County
Does Franklin County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Franklin County?
Who can set bail in Franklin County?
When is bail set in Franklin County Arkansas?
Does Franklin County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Franklin County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Franklin County?
Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Detention Center 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, Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Franklin County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Franklin County?
Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Arkansas?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction if a judge already set the initial bail.
In Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Clerk of Court and not pay a scammer.
What options are there to pay bail in Franklin 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 Franklin County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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.