Bacon County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Bacon County bail and bond: Alma jail, magistrate, and clerk
If someone is arrested in Bacon County, the first stop is the Bacon County Jail in Alma. Before you call anyone, run the name through Bacon County Inmate Search. It shows whether the person is in custody and what bond has been set. The Sheriff's Office answers other questions at 912-632-8515. The Magistrate Court can set bail on some charges, and the Clerk of Superior Court keeps the court file.
How do I check that someone is in the Alma jail?
Use Bacon County Inmate Search and type the person's name. If a fresh arrest has not posted, give it a few hours. Still nothing? Ask the Sheriff's Office at 912-632-8515 if the person was taken somewhere else, such as another county that holds a warrant.
Who runs the jail, and how do I reach them?
Sheriff office runs the jail in Alma, and the jail is open and holding prisoners. The sheriff's number is 912-632-8515. The mailing address is P.O. Box 237, Alma, GA 31510. Ask the office for the jail's walk-in address and which door is open to the public.
Where do the courts sit, and who is who?
Bacon County has a Clerk of Superior Court reachable at 912-632-4915. The courthouse is at 502 West 12th Street, Alma. The Magistrate and Probate Court, led by Judge, answers at 912-632-5961. State Court sits at 515 West 12th Street, 912-632-7777. The county office line is 912-632-5214.
Who sets the bail?
The county's own court page says magistrates may set bail in some criminal cases. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-1, a lower court of inquiry can handle most offenses, while a short list of serious ones can be bailed only by a superior court judge. Call the Magistrate Court at 912-632-5961 to ask which judge has your person's case.
What is the bail on my person's case?
Read it on Bacon County Inmate Search once it has been set. If the line is empty, call the Magistrate Court at 912-632-5961 and ask if a hearing has happened. Do not count on a figure you heard from a friend. Bail can change at a first appearance.
When will my person see a judge?
O.C.G.A. 17-4-26 requires an officer who makes a warrant arrest to bring the person before a judge who can set bail within 72 hours. The first appearance is short. Ask the magistrate's office at 912-632-5961 for the date. Weekends can stretch the wait.
Where do I pay, and what can I pay with?
Pick up the phone first. The jail, the Magistrate Court, and the clerk may each take bond paperwork. Ask the Sheriff's Office at 912-632-8515 where to go and what hours are kept. A cashier's check or money order is common for Georgia bonds; ask whether cash or a card is taken.
Do I have to pay all of it?
A professional bondsman licensed in Georgia can post the bond for a fee. Georgia sets a ceiling: O.C.G.A. 17-6-30 says no more than 15 percent of the bond's face amount, but a bondsman may take $50 per bonded charge if that comes to more. On a $1,000 bond that means up to $150, and on a $200 bond it could mean $50 for each charge. Ask for the cost, any collateral, and what happens if there is a missed court date, all in writing. The Georgia Department of Insurance oversees bondsmen. Georgia rules do not allow a no-money release for some charges, so check with a lawyer.
Can property be used?
Yes, with the sheriff's approval. O.C.G.A. 17-6-12 ties property release to the sheriff of the county where the offense happened. Ask the Sheriff's Office at 912-632-8515 for its paper list. Bring deeds, a tax value, and every owner. Whether land in another county counts is a question for that office.
Why does it say no bond?
Murder, rape, armed robbery and some drug trafficking are listed in O.C.G.A. 17-6-1 as offenses only a superior court judge can bail. A hold from probation or another county also blocks release. SB 63, signed in 2024, grew the list of bail-restricted offenses, which now need secured bail. Call the clerk at 912-632-4915 to find the right judge.
Can the sheriff or jailer change the amount?
No. They follow the judge's order. A lawyer can ask the court for a bond hearing. Bring pay stubs, a lease, and names of family who will help the person get to court.
What if Alma police made the arrest?
The Alma Police Department, led by Chief Andre' Brinson, answers at 912-632-8751. Ask the arresting officer for the report number and the charge. City officers normally bring adults to the county jail, so look on Bacon County Inmate Search, then call the Sheriff's Office at 912-632-8515 if the name is missing. City ordinance cases can go to a different court from state charges.
Who is the lawyer if we cannot pay?
Bacon County is covered by the Waycross Judicial Circuit Public Defender, 300 Carswell Avenue, Waycross, GA 31501, 912-287-4360. Ask the judge to appoint that office at the first hearing.
Where is a juvenile held?
Bacon County youth who are detained go to the Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center, 3275 Harris Road, Waycross, GA 31503. The facility phone is 912-287-6680. A juvenile record is private, so Bacon County Inmate Search will not list a child. Ask the clerk at 912-632-4915 about the hearing.
What if he misses court?
The judge can issue an arrest order and keep the bond. Phone the clerk at 912-632-4915 and your lawyer or bondsman at once. A same-day call is the best chance of a new date without a warrant.
How is a refund handled?
Cash held by the court is returned after the case ends, less fines and fees. The bondsman law has no refund rule for the fee, so ask the company in writing. Hold on to the receipt with the case number, then ask the clerk at 912-632-4915 what form to use.
How can I tell a bail scam?
In January 2026 the Bacon County Sheriff's Office warned of calls saying an inmate needs money for a watch or ankle monitor before release. The sheriff says the jail never calls to ask for payment for release or monitoring gear. A real office will not take gift cards, crypto, or payment apps either. Do not trust a number texted to you. Dial the Sheriff's Office at 912-632-8515 yourself.
What if federal agents made the arrest?
Not every arrest stays in county court. A federal charge from Bacon County is filed in the Southern District of Georgia and heard in its Waycross Division: 601 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501 (not always fully staffed), phone 912-283-2870. A federal magistrate judge decides whether the person can go home before trial. The U.S. Marshals hold federal detainees, sometimes in a county jail by contract. For someone already sentenced, check the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Key contacts for Bacon County bond questions
- Jail
- Bacon County Jail, Alma, GA; Sheriff's Office, P.O. Box 237, Alma, GA 31510, 912-632-8515
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Bacon County Inmate Search
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 502 West 12th Street, Alma, GA 31510; 912-632-4915
- Magistrate and Probate
- P.O. Box 389, Alma, GA 31510; 912-632-5961
- State Court
- 515 West 12th Street, Alma, GA 31510; 912-632-7777
- County office
- 502 West 12th Street, Suite 200, Alma, GA; 912-632-5214
- Alma police
- Alma Police Department, 502 W. 12th Street, Suite 104; 912-632-8751
- Public defender
- Waycross Circuit, 300 Carswell Avenue, Waycross, GA 31501; 912-287-4360
- Youth detention
- Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center, 3275 Harris Road, Waycross, GA 31503; 912-287-6680
Amounts, hours, payment rules, and phone numbers change. Check with the sheriff or clerk before sending money. Bacon County readers should take this as general help, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Bacon County Jail
Bacon County Jail Bonding Information
Inmates arrested on criminal charges who aren't given a bail must appear before the Magistrate in Bacon County.
They will schedule a hearing if the magistrate set the bond.
The Bacon County Sheriff and Court accepts the following bonds with a $20 fee:
- Cash Bond - Only money orders or certified checks can be used to sign a cash bond.
- Signature Property Bond
- Approved Professional Bonding Company.
Bacon County Jail
Address:
307 South Dixon Street
Alma, GA 31510
Phone:
912-632-5166
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Bacon County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bacon County?
Who can set bail in Bacon County?
When is bail set in Bacon County Georgia?
Does Bacon County have bail?
Yes, Bacon County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bacon County?
Georgia offers several types of pre-trial release including own recognizance, cash bond, property bond & surety. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Bacon County?
In many cases Georgia follows a pre-set bail schedule, so sheriffs & constables are able to accept bail immediately after processing. For those offense where immediate release in not permitted, or when a defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail will be determined by a judge.
When is bail set in Bacon County Georgia?
Georgia uses a pre-set bail schedule, meaning the bail is set based on the offense and thus us know to police at the time of arrest. In cases where bail is not pre-set, or the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, a judge of the superior court will determine bail at a bail hearing. This hearing shall be scheduled with 48 – 72 hours depending on the classification of the crime the defendant is accused.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Bacon 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 Bacon 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.
A bond proceeding is the determination of how much bail is to be paid and usually happens before arraignment. A Bond hearing is a determination by a magistrate to determine an amount a person may pay to be released while the case is pending. Sometimes certain crimes will have preset bonds, that can become payable the moment an arrest is made.
The minimum bond in Georgia is $1,000. If a court seeks a bond lower than that then it must be an OR bond, meaning the accused shall be released on their own recognizance, with no money down. During bond proceedings, the defendant is not required to have an attorney but has the right to an attorney if the defendant want one.
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 Bacon 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, Bacon 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 Bacon 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 Bacon County have bail?
Yes, Bacon County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bacon County?
Georgia offers several types of pre-trial release including own recognizance, cash bond, property bond & surety. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Bacon County?
In many cases Georgia follows a pre-set bail schedule, so sheriffs & constables are able to accept bail immediately after processing. For those offense where immediate release in not permitted, or when a defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail will be determined by a judge.
When is bail set in Georgia?
Georgia uses a pre-set bail schedule, meaning the bail is set based on the offense and thus us know to police at the time of arrest. In cases where bail is not pre-set, or the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, a judge of the superior court will determine bail at a bail hearing. This hearing shall be scheduled with 48 – 72 hours depending on the classification of the crime the defendant is accused.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Bacon County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Bacon County Georgia, 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 Georgia could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Bacon County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Bacon County Jail for more information about the jails in Bacon County.
What options are there to pay bail in Bacon County Georgia?
Cash or security; credit card in some counties. The security may be either cash or property. Bail may be posted at the appropriate county jail or sheriff’s office in which the defendant is charged.
Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Bacon County Jail for more information about posting bail in Bacon County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Georgia?
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. 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 Bacon 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 Georgia?
The Bacon County Jail or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.