Brooks County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Brooks County bail and bond: the Quitman jail and how release works
In Brooks County, adults are booked into the Brooks County Jail, 1003 Holloway Drive, Quitman. Look up your person on Brooks County Inmate Search to see whether they are in custody and what bond was set. The county site gives the jail desk as 229-263-8153 and the sheriff's office, at 1 Screven Street, Suite 3, as 229-263-7558. A name you expect may show up under a different arresting agency, so read the whole record.
How do I check whether my cousin is locked up in Quitman?
Put the last name into Brooks County Inmate Search. A listing shows the charge and any bond. If there is no match, wait a few hours, because new bookings take time to post. After that, call the jail desk at 229-263-8153, the number the county lists for the jail.
Why might the jail also hold people from other agencies?
A third-party listing says the Brooks County Jail houses people for other agencies and nearby counties when needed, but the sheriff's page does not say so. So a person arrested in Brooks County could be sent elsewhere, and a person from somewhere else could be held here. If a name will not show, ask the arresting agency where it took the person. Then ask the jail desk at 229-263-8153.
Which judge sets bond for my relative?
The charge decides this. A magistrate judge handles many first hearings, which Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) requires within 72 hours of arrest. For offenses like murder, rape, and armed robbery, only a superior court judge can grant bail (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). The Brooks County Magistrate Court, 315 Screven Street, 229-263-9989, issues arrest warrants.The county page does not give bond hearing times, so ask the court or the jail desk which judge has been assigned.
The inmate search shows a blank bond. What does that mean?
It usually means the judge has not set one yet. It can also mean the charge is one that only a superior court judge can bail. Look again once the first hearing is over. If the field is still empty, call 229-263-8153 and ask whether a hold from another county or agency is the reason.
What is the safest way to pay a cash bond?
Georgia lets a person satisfy a bond by paying the whole amount in cash to the proper official, who must issue a receipt (O.C.G.A. 17-6-4). The county pages do not name a bonding window. Call 229-263-8153 to confirm the place, the hours, and whether a cashier's check or money order will be accepted. Never hand cash to a stranger.
Do they take a credit card for bond?
No Brooks County page lists card payment for bond. Ask the jail desk at 229-263-8153 what fee applies and whether the machine is for bond or for inmate account deposits only.
Is there a county list of bond amounts?
The county site posts no Brooks County bond schedule, so this page lists no amounts. The one that matters is the figure on Brooks County Inmate Search after a judge acts. If it seems too high, a lawyer can ask for a hearing to change it. The public defender's office can help you find out if you qualify.
Which charges block a plain promise to appear?
O.C.G.A. 17-6-12 lists bail-restricted offenses that include burglary, aggravated assault, DUI, drug offenses, family violence, and many theft and fraud crimes. For those, a judge cannot release a person on an unsecured promise. Release must be by cash, a professional bondsman, or property that the sheriff approves.
How does a bail bondsman fit in?
A bondsman posts the bond for you for a fee. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-6-30) lets a surety charge no more than 15 percent of the bond's face amount, though $50 for each bonded charge is allowed even if that is higher. Ask for the cost and all conditions in writing before you sign. By law the sheriff of the county where the offense happened must approve the surety (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1), so call the sheriff's office at 229-263-7558 and ask who is approved.
Is it possible to pledge farmland?
Maybe. The sheriff of the county where the offense happened must approve any property (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). Brooks County is rural, so many families own land, but no official rule on location or equity is posted. Ask the sheriff at 229-263-7558 four things: does the land have to be inside Brooks County, how much value is needed, who signs, and how long approval takes.
Where are long sentences served?
A third-party listing says people sentenced to less than a year serve time in the Brooks County Jail, while longer sentences go to the Georgia state prison system or federal prison. So a person may be waiting on a case or serving a short term. Ask the jail desk at 229-263-8153 which.
Who is the court-appointed lawyer for Brooks County?
Brooks County is in the Southern Judicial Circuit. The public defender's main office is at 910 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601, phone 229-671-2800. It also covers Colquitt, Echols, Lowndes, and Thomas counties. Ask the judge for an appointed lawyer at the first appearance.
What happens to a teenager who is arrested here?
A detained youth goes to the Judge Thomas Jefferson Loftiss II Regional Youth Detention Center, 101 Oakwood Trace, Thomasville, GA 31792. The state Department of Juvenile Justice runs it, and the number is 229-227-2790. Thomasville is in Thomas County, so a family must travel there. Youth files are confidential.
What if my cousin misses court after getting out?
The judge can issue a warrant and take the bond. Phone a lawyer without waiting. A bondsman who posted the bond should hear from you the same day.
Can money on a jail account free my brother?
No. Money on an inmate account buys calls, messages, and store items. It is not bond. If a caller pushes you to wire money fast, hang up and call the jail yourself at 229-263-8153.
Which federal court covers this county?
If agents such as the FBI, DEA or ATF made the arrest, the case is federal. For Brooks County, that means the Middle District of Georgia, Valdosta Division, at 401 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601 ((229) 242-3616). A federal magistrate judge, not a county judge, rules on bail. People held before trial are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals, who may place them in a county jail. People serving a federal sentence show up on the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Brooks County bail contacts
- Jail
- Brooks County Jail, 1003 Holloway Drive, Quitman, GA 31643; 229-263-8153
- Bond guide
- Bail and bond instructions for the jail
- Custody lookup
- Brooks County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's office
- Sheriff, 1 Screven Street, Suite 3, Quitman; 229-263-7558
- Magistrate court
- 315 Screven Street, Quitman; 229-263-9989
- Clerk of Court
- 1 Screven Street, Suite 6, Quitman; Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 229-263-4747
- Public defender
- Southern Circuit, 910 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601; 229-671-2800
- Youth detention
- Judge Thomas Jefferson Loftiss II RYDC, 101 Oakwood Trace, Thomasville, GA 31792; 229-227-2790
Phone numbers and rules shift over time, and a judge can pick a different amount. Phone the jail desk before you pay or drive. This page gives general information, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Brooks County Jail
The Brooks County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Brooks County.
However if you don't want to use a bail bond agent:
- You can always pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Brooks County, or in some cases the state of Georgia, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Brooks County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Georgia is between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15% or less. So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Brooks County Jail, or the courthouse in Brooks County where the offense took place.
Call 229-263-8153 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Brooks County inmate locator.
Brooks County Jail
Address:
1003 Holloway Drive
Quitman, GA 31643
Phone:
229-263-8153
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Brooks County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Brooks County?
Who can set bail in Brooks County?
When is bail set in Brooks County Georgia?
Does Brooks County have bail?
Yes, Brooks County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks 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, Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks County have bail?
Yes, Brooks County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Brooks 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 Brooks County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Brooks County Jail for more information about the jails in Brooks County.
What options are there to pay bail in Brooks 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 Brooks County Jail for more information about posting bail in Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks 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.