Pope County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Pope County bail and bond: the Emergency Lane jail, a district court with five town offices, and a juvenile office on El Paso Avenue
Adults arrested in Pope County are held at the Pope County Detention Center, #3 Emergency Lane, Russellville, run by the sheriff's office. The office number is 479-968-2558, with weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The detention line is 479-968-5599 is also listed. A judge sets the bond. The jail's status can be checked on Pope County Inmate Search.
Who is held at the Pope County jail?
It holds men and women, people serving county sentences, and prisoners waiting for a state prison bed. If it is crowded on a weekend, ask 479-968-5599 whether your person was moved to another county.
The roster does not show a name yet. Why?
A brand-new booking may lag by some hours, and released people vanish from the current list. Wait a bit, then phone.
Who sets the bond for a Pope County arrest?
A judge. Misdemeanors go to Pope County District Court in Russellville, 479-968-1393. Felony files sit with the Fifth Judicial Circuit; reach the circuit clerk at 479-968-7499. A number a deputy gives at booking is temporary until a judge confirms it.
Which town's district court office has my person's ticket?
One district judge covers every office. Russellville, 479-968-1393. Atkins, 479-641-1811. Dover, 479-331-3270. London, 479-293-4115. Pottsville, 479-567-5666. Ask the arresting agency or read the citation.
How quickly does a judge review a Pope County arrest?
Rule 8.1 requires it without unnecessary delay, often about two days, and a holiday weekend can stretch that. If the jail line shows no bond yet, call again after the next business day's first court session.
Is there a window or door for paying the bond?
Call 479-968-5599 and ask which door to use, whether it is open after 4:30 p.m., and which payment forms the desk takes. The sheriff's page links fine payments only, and a fine payment is not a bond.
What should I carry to the counter?
The exact amount in cash, a photo ID, and the booking number. Call ahead about money orders or cashier's checks; a personal check is rarely taken. Whoever pays signs the bond paper and becomes responsible for court dates. Get a printed receipt.
How much would a bondsman cost for a $2,000 bond?
About $225. State law fixes the rate at 10 percent, rounded up to the next $5, under Arkansas Code 17-19-301, and adds $10 and $15 per bond. None is returned. The state board keeps a county list of licensed agents; ask each agent for a license number.
Will a judge take land or a house?
Possibly. Rule 9.2 lets the court accept property as security. For equity, mobile home, or out-of-county land questions, phone the circuit clerk at 479-968-7499 before spending money. Have the deed, a recent tax bill and signatures from all owners ready.
Is a partial deposit possible?
Sometimes. A judge can let someone out on a written pledge to return, or take 10 percent down on an unsecured bond. Rule 9.2 returns 90 percent of that deposit when every court date is kept. Ask the district court clerk at 479-968-1393.
Can the sheriff lower what the judge set?
That is the judge's call. The sheriff's office releases people after payment, but the amount belongs to the judge, who changes it only after a lawyer files a motion. Bring proof of a job, housing, and family in the county.
Why does a Pope County entry say no bond?
Article 2, Section 8 permits denial of bail altogether only in capital cases when the proof is evident or the presumption great. Most such entries are holds for parole, probation, a state prison transfer, or another county's warrant. Paying a bond does not remove a hold.
Does Russellville have its own lockup?
Russellville police take arrests to the county jail, and city misdemeanors are heard in Pope County District Court.
Who represents a Russellville defendant who cannot hire a lawyer?
Public defenders for the Fifth District work in Russellville and also serve Franklin and Johnson counties. A judge assigns them once an income form is filed, and they may seek a bond hearing.
What happens to a juvenile arrest?
Minors are not on the adult list and do not use cash bond. Juvenile probation, 404 North El Paso Avenue, 479-967-1520, handles intake. A judge decides at a detention hearing whether a youth stays locked up, so ask that office where the youth is held.
Does funding a jail account count toward bond?
It does not. That money only buys calls and snacks. Callers who want gift cards or wired money for a release are crooks, so hang up and phone 479-968-5599.
My Pope County relative did not show up for court. What do I do?
Missing a hearing may mean a warrant for the person and a lost bond. Call the circuit clerk, 479-968-7499, or the district clerk, 479-968-1393, for the next date, then get legal help quickly. A bondsman may send an agent, and the co-signer owes the whole bond.
Where are the Emergency Lane jail and the Pope County court offices?
Pope County books adults in Russellville, and its district court keeps offices in five towns:
- Pope County Detention Center: #3 Emergency Lane, Russellville, AR 72802 · 479-968-5599
- Circuit Clerk, Pope County Courthouse: 100 West Main Street, Russellville, AR 72801 · 479-968-7499
- District Court, Russellville: 1506 East 2nd Street, Suite 2, Russellville, AR 72801 · 479-968-1393
- District Court, Atkins: 305 East Main Street, Atkins, AR 72823 · 479-641-1811
- District Court, Dover: P.O. Box 258, Dover, AR 72837 · 479-331-3270
- District Court, London: 10460 U.S. Highway 64 West, London, AR 72847 · 479-293-4115
- District Court, Pottsville: 173 East Ash Street, Pottsville, AR 72858 · 479-567-5666
- Juvenile Probation: 404 North El Paso Avenue, Russellville, AR 72801 · 479-967-1520
The Dover office lists only a post office box, so call that clerk before you drive over.
A relative was taken on a federal charge near Russellville. What happens?
Federal custody does not run through the county bond desk. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas handles Pope County cases in its Central Division, seated at the federal courthouse in Little Rock, 500 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-604-5351. Expect roughly this:
- Prosecutors file a complaint, or a grand jury votes an indictment.
- A magistrate judge handles the defendant's first court date.
- Pretrial services gathers facts on the defendant's life and record.
- The government states whether it wants the person kept in jail.
- When release is granted, the conditions are put in writing.
The Marshals have charge of federal prisoners: U.S. Marshals Service, 600 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201, 501-324-6256.
Could ICE ask the Emergency Lane jail to keep someone after bail?
Yes. A detainer under 8 CFR 287.7 asks the jail to warn ICE ahead of release and hold the person up to 48 hours longer, weekends and holidays included. Each Arkansas jail may choose whether to go along. The Pope County charge continues on its own.
Arkansas is served by the ICE New Orleans Field Office, 181 James Drive W, St. Rose, LA 70087, 504-318-2360. Detainees ICE picks up in the Arkansas River Valley often go to Louisiana, to sites 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
Searching the ICE Online Detainee Locator System (https://locator.ice.gov/odls/) by A-number is quickest; lacking one, enter a full name and native country.
The Pope County list has no entry for my person. Where else should I look?
The person might have been released, might still be in booking, or might be held elsewhere. Try these searches:
- Pope County Detention Center: Pope County Inmate Search. Search a last name and open the record for the charges and bond.
- VINE: VINELink (https://vinelink.vineapps.com/). Pick Arkansas to search all counties and sign up for alerts.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons: Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator (https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/). Enter a register number for a precise result. Pretrial federal detainees sometimes do not show; contact the Marshals at 501-324-6256.
- Arkansas Division of Correction: Arkansas Division of Correction Inmate Search (https://apps.ark.org/inmate_info/). Look up state inmates by name or ADC number.
Which Russellville offices will read me the bond and tell me the next hearing?
Phone first to avoid a wasted trip. The detention line, 479-968-5599, confirms custody and the bond. The Russellville district clerk, 479-968-1393, can find misdemeanor and ticket dates for any town office, and the circuit clerk, 479-968-7499, has felony dates; juvenile probation at 479-967-1520 knows youth hearings.
The sheriff's office is closed. Who do I call?
Try the detention line, 479-968-5599. Weekday daytime questions go to 479-968-2558. Give the full name and the birth date when you call.
Pope County bond contacts
- County jail: Pope County Detention Center, #3 Emergency Lane, Russellville, AR 72802; sheriff's office 479-968-2558; detention line 479-968-5599
- Bond steps: Bond steps at the Emergency Lane jail
- Sheriff: Pope County Sheriff's Office; administrative office Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Circuit clerk: 100 West Main Street, Russellville, AR 72801; 479-968-7499
- District court: 1506 East 2nd Street, Suite 2, Russellville, AR 72801; 479-968-1393
- Public defender: Russellville office for the Fifth District; the circuit clerk has the lawyer's name
- Juvenile: Juvenile probation, 404 North El Paso Avenue, Russellville; 479-967-1520
- Agent licenses: The state bail bond licensing board confirms them
Offices, prices and numbers shift over time, so get the jail or a clerk to check your case before paying. It helps families but stands in for no lawyer.
Pope County Detention Center
Address:
#3 Emergency Lane
Russellville, AR 72801
Phone:
479-968-5599
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Pope County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pope County?
Who can set bail in Pope County?
When is bail set in Pope County Arkansas?
Does Pope County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Pope County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pope County?
Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope 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, Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope County have bail?
Yes, Arkansas is a bail state and Pope County allows bail.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pope County?
Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope County Arkansas?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction if a judge already set the initial bail.
In Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope County Clerk of Court and not pay a scammer.
What options are there to pay bail in Pope 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 Pope County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope 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.