Bryan County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Bryan County bail and bond: Pembroke, the judge, and the road to release
Sheriff office runs the Bryan County Detention Center, 95 Sgt. Robert W. Crapse Drive, Pembroke. Run the name through Bryan County Inmate Search before anything else. It tells you whether the person is booked, the charges, and whether a judge has set a bond. The county site lists the sheriff's office at 912-653-3800, and the state corrections agency lists that same number for the jail. A jail desk line, 912-653-5245, is also published. Bryan sits beside Chatham, Liberty, Effingham, Bulloch, and Evans counties, so an arrest on the road can also end up in a neighbor's jail.
Where do I look first for someone arrested in Pembroke or Richmond Hill?
Start with Bryan County Inmate Search, because it covers the Bryan County jail booking record. Ask the arresting police department where it took the person, because an arrest by another agency may end up in a different jail. If the name does not appear, call 912-653-5245, or the main number 912-653-3800, and ask if another agency holds the person.
Is it the sheriff or the jail I should call?
Use the main number, 912-653-3800, for the sheriff's office and the jail. It is the one the county site and the state list. The jail desk line, 912-653-5245, comes from a third-party source, so try it second. For a deputy at the south end of the county, the sheriff's Richmond Hill office, 1955 Sgt. Michael W. Larson Drive, is at 912-756-2181. The jail can run out of room, so ask whether your person is housed in another county.
Who sets the bond amount?
A judge does. The county's magistrate court says magistrates can set bail except where another court has sole power. Chief Magistrate Judge court is at 912-653-3860. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) requires a first appearance within 72 hours of arrest. Charges like murder, rape, and armed robbery can be bailed only by a superior court judge (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). Staff at the jail can read the order to you but cannot change it.
The record shows no bond. Should I panic?
No. A blank field often means the first appearance has not happened. It can also mean a hold from another county, probation, or a charge only a superior court judge can bail. Call 912-653-5245 the next morning and ask which of those applies.
How and where do I pay a cash bond?
Georgia lets a person satisfy a bond by depositing the full amount in cash with the proper official, who must issue a receipt (O.C.G.A. 17-6-4). The sheriff's page does not name a bonding window or hours. The Clerk of Superior Court is at 912-653-3872. Call 912-653-5245 before you leave home.
Can I pay the bond with a debit card?
Ask first. No Bryan County page lists cards for bond. Ask the jail desk at 912-653-5245 what fee applies and whether the kiosk is for bond or only for inmate deposits.
Does Bryan County publish a list of bond amounts?
The county site posts no Bryan bond schedule, so we list no dollar amounts. The amount for your case is the one on Bryan County Inmate Search after a judge sets it. A lawyer can ask the judge to lower it at a hearing.
What kind of charge keeps a person from getting a no-money release?
Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-12, a bail-restricted offense list includes burglary, aggravated assault, DUI, drug offenses, family violence, and many theft and fraud charges. A judge cannot release a person charged with one on an unsecured promise. It takes cash, a professional bondsman, or property the sheriff approves.
What does a bondsman do, and what does it cost?
A bondsman posts your bond for a fee. State law (O.C.G.A. 17-6-30) holds that fee to 15 percent of the bond's face amount at most, yet a surety may take $50 per bonded charge even when 15 percent would be less. Ask for the price and every condition in writing. The sheriff of the county where the offense happened has to approve the surety (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). Ask the sheriff's office at 912-653-3800 who is approved in Bryan County.
Can land or a house secure the bond?
Yes, as long as the sheriff in the offense county signs off (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). General web text mentions clear title and equity at least equal to the bond, but that is not a confirmed Bryan rule. Ask the sheriff at 912-653-3800 whether land outside Bryan County counts, how much equity is needed, and who signs.
How long are people kept at the Pembroke jail?
A third-party listing says the jail holds people waiting for trial and those serving less than a year. People with longer sentences go to state prison. A person on the search may therefore be waiting on bond, or serving a short sentence. Ask the jail desk at 912-653-5245.
Who handles my case if we cannot pay for a lawyer?
Bryan County is in the Atlantic Judicial Circuit. The public defender's office is at 201 South Main Street, Suite 2400, Hinesville, GA 31313, phone 912-369-6338. It also serves Evans, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Tattnall counties. Ask for an appointed lawyer when the judge first sees the case.
Where do juveniles go after an arrest in Bryan County?
A young person who must be held goes to the Claxton Regional Youth Detention Center, 3609 Bill Hodges Road, Claxton, GA 30417, phone 912-739-4807. The state's juvenile justice agency runs the building. Claxton is in Evans County, not Wayne County. Youth records are sealed, so a child will not show on the adult lookup.
What if my relative misses the next hearing?
Skipping court can lead to a warrant and a lost bond. Phone a defense lawyer that day. If a bondsman posted the bond, tell the bondsman the same day.
Does depositing money on a jail account help my brother get out?
No. Deposits pay for calls and commissary. They are not bond. Send bond money only to the place the jail desk at 912-653-5245 names, and never to a stranger who asks for a gift card, app transfer, or crypto.
What if federal agents made the arrest?
Not every arrest stays in county court. A federal charge from Bryan County is filed in the Southern District of Georgia and heard in its Savannah Division: 8 Southern Oaks Ct., Savannah, GA 31405 (page says mail to 124 Barnard St), phone 912-650-4020. 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.
Bryan County bail contacts
- Jail
- Bryan County Detention Center, 95 Sgt. Robert W. Crapse Drive, Pembroke, GA 31321; 912-653-5245
- Bond guide
- Bail and bond instructions for the jail
- Custody lookup
- Bryan County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's office
- Sheriff, 95 Sgt. Robert W. Crapse Drive, Pembroke; 912-653-3800
- Richmond Hill office
- 1955 Sgt. Michael W. Larson Drive, Richmond Hill; 912-756-2181
- Magistrate court
- P.O. Box 670, Pembroke, GA 31321; 912-653-3860
- Clerk of Superior Court
- Pembroke; 912-653-3872
- Public defender
- Atlantic Circuit, 201 South Main Street, Suite 2400, Hinesville, GA 31313; 912-369-6338
- Youth detention
- Claxton RYDC, 3609 Bill Hodges Road, Claxton, GA 30417; 912-739-4807
Numbers and procedures change, and a judge can order an amount you did not expect. Call the desk first, then pay or drive. This page is general information and not legal advice.
Instructions on How to Post Bond Online in Bryan County
Bryan County Detention Center uses an online cash bonding company called CashBondOnline.com so you don't have to bond out your inmate at the Bryan County Detention Center or at the Bryan County Courthouse.
Here's how it works:
1. Once you find out that your inmate has been arrested, go here and select Georgia.
2. Next select Bryan County Detention Center, or if it is not listed like that, try Bryan County.
3. Next, input your inmate's name or ID Number and then click 'Find'.
4. If your inmate is elegible for a cash bond, the amount will be noted next to their criminal charges.
- You can only use one credit card, so make sure you have enough available credit on it, and the only acceptable cards are Visa, Mastercard and Discover.
- You will need an email to do this online, but if you don't have an email, call CashBondOnline at 888-726-6301 and you can process the bond over the phone.
- If you want to contact support by email, their address is: info@cashbondonline.com.
Bryan County Detention Center
Address:
95 Sgt. Robert W. Crapse Drive
Pembroke, GA 31321
Phone:
912-653-5245
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Bryan County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bryan County?
Who can set bail in Bryan County?
When is bail set in Bryan County Georgia?
Does Bryan County have bail?
Yes, Bryan County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan 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, Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan County have bail?
Yes, Bryan County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Bryan 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 Bryan County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Bryan County Detention Center for more information about the jails in Bryan County.
What options are there to pay bail in Bryan 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 Bryan County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Bryan 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 Bryan 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 Bryan County Detention Center 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.