Montgomery County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Montgomery County bail and bond: one modest jail, one courthouse, and the chance of a ride to another county
The Montgomery County Jailis run by the sheriff's office from 225 Fairgrounds Road in Mount Ida. The number is 870-867-3151. Space is tight, so a prisoner might be kept in a neighboring county instead. The courthouse offices are in a different building at 105 Highway 270 East. To check custody, use Montgomery County Inmate Search.
Do I go to the jail or the courthouse?
They are separate buildings. The sheriff and jail are at 225 Fairgrounds Road, 870-867-3151. The circuit clerk and other county offices are at 105 Highway 270 East. Phone the sheriff first and ask exactly where to stand before you carry money anywhere.
Could my person be somewhere other than Mount Ida?
Yes. Small jails like this one often board prisoners in nearby counties. Search the roster above, then call 870-867-3151 and ask which jail has your person tonight.
Who sets the amount, and who can change it?
A judge. Misdemeanors are set by the district judge, whose clerk is at 225 Fairgrounds Road, 870-867-2221. For felonies, phone the circuit clerk at 870-867-3521. Jail staff can read the figure to you but cannot lower it.
What counter takes a bond payment?
The sheriff has posted no bond window, hours, or counter. Call 870-867-3151, give the name, and ask whether the money goes to the jail, the sheriff's office, or a clerk. Go in person only after you have that answer, and keep the receipt.
Is cash the only choice?
Cash and cashier's checks are the usual picks, and you can ask about a money order. A card may carry a fee or be declined. Money for a commissary account does not count as bail, and a bondsman is paid separately from the court.
What would a bondsman cost on a $3,000 bond?
Three hundred dollars. Arkansas Code 17-19-301 sets the premium at 10 percent, bars extra mileage or phone charges, and allows no refund. A license check through the state board takes one call. In a rural county, ask whether the company will come to Mount Ida at night.
Is there a way to leave a smaller sum with the court?
When a judge permits it, Rule 9.2 allows a deposit of 10 percent with the court, and nine-tenths of that comes back if he obeys every term to the end. Ask the district clerk at 870-867-2221 whether your order includes that.
Can I put up land?
With the judge's approval, yes. The court wants the deed, a tax value, proof of any loan, and every owner's signature. Call the circuit clerk at 870-867-3521 to ask what the judge will take and how long review runs.
When does a judge first see a person who is arrested?
Rule 8.1 calls for it without unnecessary delay, in practice about 48 hours or 72 across a weekend. If your person is in another county's jail, ask 870-867-3151 how the hearing will happen and who drives them to court.
What blocks release even after a bond is posted?
Article 2, Section 8 lets a court refuse bail on a capital charge with strong proof. Under Arkansas Rule of Criminal Procedure 9.6, a fresh felony charged during a felony release can also block bail. So can holds for parole or probation, outside warrants, and federal detainers. Make the desk name each one.
Which judicial district is Montgomery County in?
The Eighteenth Judicial District West, shared with Polk County, which is also the state public defender district that serves it. Felony cases are assigned from there. Ask the circuit clerk at 870-867-3521 for the case number and next date.
If he has no money for a lawyer, who takes the case?
The public defender office for the 18th West district covers Montgomery and Polk counties, and the circuit clerk at 870-867-3521 can say who was appointed. The judge normally appoints a lawyer at the first appearance for people who qualify.
A deputy arrested my son or daughter under 18. What now?
Anyone under 18 is handled by circuit court's juvenile division. If the teen has to stay locked up, it may be at a youth center beyond the county line. Call the circuit clerk at 870-867-3521 for the location and the hearing date. The adult jail search leaves minors out.
Does Mount Ida have its own police or lockup?
Deputies make most arrests here. Ask the sheriff's desk at 870-867-3151 who made the arrest.
He missed his day in court. How bad is that?
A warrant will likely issue, and bail money can be lost. Ring the right clerk at once, district 870-867-2221 or circuit 870-867-3521, and tell the bondsman the same day.
When does court-held cash come back?
After the case, less fines, costs, and restitution. Bring the receipt when you ask the clerk for it. What you paid a bondsman stays with him.
Someone phoned claiming to be the jail and wants gift cards. What now?
That is a scam. End the call, then reach the sheriff directly at 870-867-3151. No legitimate jail takes release money by gift card, money app, or wire.
Where are the jail and court offices in Montgomery County?
Everything sits in Mount Ida, but the jail and the courthouse are two separate stops:
- Montgomery County Jail and Sheriff's Office: 225 Fairgrounds Road, Mount Ida, AR 71957 · 870-867-3151
- Circuit Clerk: 105 Highway 270 East, #10, Mount Ida, AR 71957 · 870-867-3521
- Montgomery County District Court clerk: 225 Fairgrounds Road, Mount Ida, AR 71957 · 870-867-2221
Misdemeanor paperwork lives out at Fairgrounds Road beside the sheriff, but the felony clerk works in the Highway 270 courthouse.
How do federal charges from Montgomery County play out?
A federal judge decides on release, and county bail rules do not apply. For federal purposes, Montgomery County is in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas's Hot Springs Division, sitting at the federal courthouse in Hot Springs, 100 Reserve Street, Hot Springs, AR 71901, 833-853-0345. The usual early steps are:
- A complaint or a grand jury indictment opens the case.
- The defendant appears first before a magistrate judge.
- A pretrial officer checks home, job and past record.
- The government may request detention until trial.
- Release terms, if any, are set out in a written order.
The U.S. Marshals hold people charged federally: U.S. Marshals Service, 30 South 6th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901, 479-289-7470 or 479-424-5000 (call either).
Will an ICE detainer keep someone in the Mount Ida jail?
It can. Under 8 CFR 287.7, ICE may ask the jail to give a heads-up before a release and then hold him as many as 48 added hours, with weekends and holidays counted. Arkansas jails may comply. The county charge stays open while this plays out.
The ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360 is responsible for Arkansas. People detained from western Arkansas are often moved to centers like:
- 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/) with an A-number, or type the full name and country of birth.
The Montgomery County search came up empty. Where else can I look?
With a small jail, people are sometimes housed elsewhere, released quickly, or held by another agency. Try these:
- Montgomery County Jail: Montgomery County Inmate Search. Enter his name and click the entry to see charges and bail.
- VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/). Choose Arkansas for a statewide check and sign up for free alerts.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/). Register numbers give the quickest match. People not yet tried in federal court may not appear; the Marshals answer 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/). Search state prisoners by ADC number or surname.
Which offices should I phone to confirm bail and hearing dates before driving to Mount Ida?
A short call can spare you a wasted drive into the mountains. The jail at 870-867-3151 confirms custody and bond. For misdemeanor hearings, ring the district court clerk at 870-867-2221. Felony and youth hearing dates are set through the circuit clerk at 870-867-3521.
Montgomery County bond contacts
- County jail: Montgomery County Jail, Sheriff's Office, 225 Fairgrounds Road, Mount Ida, AR 71957; 870-867-3151
- Bond steps: Posting bond at the Mount Ida jail
- Sheriff: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, 225 Fairgrounds Road
- Circuit clerk: 105 Highway 270 East, #10, Mount Ida, AR 71957; 870-867-3521
- District court: P.O. Box 667, Mount Ida; clerk at 225 Fairgrounds Road, 870-867-2221
- Public defender: 18th West district; ask the circuit clerk for the appointed lawyer
- Juvenile: Circuit clerk, juvenile division, 870-867-3521
- Is the bondsman licensed?: The state bail bond board keeps that record
Mount Ida offices sometimes change their rules or numbers, so have the sheriff or a clerk check your details before paying. It is a general guide for families, not legal advice.
Montgomery County Jail
Address:
105 Highway 270 East
Mt. Ida, AR 71957
Phone:
870-867-3151
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Montgomery County
Does Montgomery County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Montgomery County?
Who can set bail in Montgomery County?
When is bail set in Montgomery County Arkansas?
Does Montgomery County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Montgomery County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Montgomery County?
Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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, Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Montgomery County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Montgomery County?
Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Arkansas?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction if a judge already set the initial bail.
In Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Clerk of Court and not pay a scammer.
What options are there to pay bail in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Jail for more information about posting bail in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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.