Athens-Clarke County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Clarke County bail and bond: the Athens jail and what to ask first
Clarke County and the city of Athens run as one government, so an arrest in Athens is an arrest in Clarke County. Adults are booked into the Athens-Clarke County Jail at 3015 Lexington Road. Use Clarke County Inmate Search to check booking, charges, and the bail amount before you call anyone. The jail phone is 706-613-3270. Be careful with the name Clarke County Correctional Institution, because that is a different place for sentenced prisoners.
1. Is he at the Lexington Road jail or somewhere else in Athens?
Look him up on Clarke County Inmate Search. The jail on Lexington Road, Athens, GA 30605, books adults arrested in town. The Clarke County Correctional Institution on County Farm Road is a separate facility that holds people already sentenced, so a new arrest is not likely to be sent there.
If you see nothing after a few hours, call 706-613-3270 and give the full name and birth date.
2. Who can answer a question about a bond tonight?
The jail phone, 706-613-3270, is the best first call. A listing says staff answer inmate questions around the clock, so ask which hours apply to bond questions. The sheriff's office line is 706-613-3250.
3. Where do I pay the bond in Athens?
Ask the jail desk before you leave home. Cash, a cashier's check, or a money order is the usual way to pay. Some Georgia jails also take a card through a kiosk or a website, and a listing says one such site covers Athens-Clarke, so ask the jail if it is real.
Do not pay a website unless the jail confirms it. Keep your receipt.
4. What is the bond for a typical charge in Athens-Clarke?
No bond schedule for Clarke County is posted online, so this page names no dollar figures. The bond on Clarke County Inmate Search is the number to use, and a judge may change it. The court may not use a schedule as its only method of setting bail.
5. Which judge decides the bond, and how fast?
Athens-Clarke holds first appearance hearings every day of the year. On weekdays they usually start at 8:30 a.m. at the Clarke County Courthouse. On weekends and county holidays the judge holds them at the jail. Times can shift, so call the jail at 706-613-3270 for holiday and weekend hearing times.
The legal clock is 72 hours after an arrest on a warrant (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) and 48 hours with no warrant, per the Judicial Council of Georgia. At the hearing, the judge looks at bail and any release conditions.
6. Which charges can only a superior court judge give bail on?
O.C.G.A. 17-6-1 puts the most serious offenses in this group, including murder, rape, armed robbery, and certain drug sales. The accused can petition the superior court, and the court must set a hearing within ten days. A lawyer is the best person to file it.
7. How do bail bondsmen work for Athens cases?
Bonding companies post the bond for a fee. Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 17-6-30, lets an agent charge up to 15 percent of the bond's face amount, with a $50 minimum for each bonded charge. A $3,000 bond could therefore cost up to $450. Ask the jail or the court clerk for a list of approved companies, and ask each agent to put the fee, the collateral, and the missed-court terms in writing. Never pay a stranger who finds you through a text message.
8. Can a house or land in Georgia be used?
Possibly. Georgia law has the sheriff of the county where the offense happened approve the property, and the Judicial Council's guidance for judges says equity worth double the bail is the usual measure. Athens-Clarke's own rules are not printed where we looked, so call the jail at 706-613-3270 or the sheriff's office at 706-613-3250 before you gather deeds and tax papers. Missed court can cost the family the property.
9. Why does his record say no bond?
A hold from a probation officer, a warrant from another county, or a charge that needs a superior court judge can leave the bond line empty or high. Paying on one charge does not free a person who has another hold. Ask the desk to list every hold.
10. Do deposits to the jail account get him out?
No. Deposits to a jail account pay for calls, messages, and store items only. They are not bond money.
11. Where is a teenager arrested in Athens held?
Georgia's Department of Juvenile Justice sends Clarke County youth to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. The department's main number is 404-508-6500. A teen's record does not show on the adult list.
12. Is there a free lawyer for Athens cases?
The Western Circuit Public Defender serves Clarke and Oconee counties from 440 College Avenue, Suite 220, Athens, GA 30601. The phone is 706-369-6440. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the judge for one at the first hearing.
13. What if she misses her court date?
The judge can order her arrest and the bond can be forfeited. Call her lawyer and the bondsman the same day to ask about resetting the date.
14. When can bond money be reclaimed?
Cash paid as bond generally comes back when the case ends, less any fines or fees the court orders. O.C.G.A. 17-6-4 sends cash that is unclaimed for two years to the county. Ask the jail or clerk what paperwork to bring.
15. What bail scams are common near Athens?
Hang up on any caller or text that asks for gift cards, a crypto transfer, or an instant wire for bond. Look up the jail's number yourself, 706-613-3270, and ask whether the request is real.
16. How do I find an inmate at the Clarke County Prison?
Search the Georgia state inmate search by name or ID number. The Clarke County Prison is state-run, so it will not appear in the county jail search, and no bond is paid there.
What happens with a federal arrest?
Federal cases from Clarke County belong to the Middle District of Georgia, Athens Division. The courthouse is 115 East Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601, and the clerk answers at (706) 227-1094. A federal magistrate judge holds the first hearing and sets any release terms. The U.S. Marshals Service keeps custody before trial, so the person may sit in a local jail that rents beds to the Marshals. After sentencing, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Clarke County contacts
- Jail
- Athens-Clarke County Jail, 3015 Lexington Road, Athens, GA 30605; 706-613-3270; first appearance on weekends and holidays is held here
- Bond guide
- Clarke County jails and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Clarke County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Sheriff, 325 E. Washington Street, Suite 125, Athens, GA 30601; 706-613-3250
- First appearance
- Weekdays about 8:30 a.m. at the Clarke County Courthouse; weekends and county holidays at the jail
- Not the jail
- Clarke County Correctional Institution, 2825 County Farm Road, Athens; sentenced prisoners; 706-613-3400
- Free lawyer
- Western Circuit Public Defender, 440 College Avenue, Suite 220, Athens, GA 30601; 706-369-6440
- Juvenile
- Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501; state Department of Juvenile Justice 404-508-6500
- State inmate search
- Georgia state inmate search (for the Clarke County Prison and other state facilities)
Phone numbers, payment rules, and bond amounts change, and a judge may set something different. Ask the jail before you pay. This page is a plain-language guide and does not replace advice from a lawyer.
Instructions on How to Post Bond Online in Clarke County
Athens-Clarke County Jail uses an online cash bonding company called CashBondOnline.com so you don't have to bond out your inmate at the Athens-Clarke County Jail or at the Clarke 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 Athens-Clarke County Jail, or if it is not listed like that, try Clarke 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.
Athens-Clarke County Jail
Address:
3015 Lexington Rd.
Athens, GA 30605
Phone:
706-613-3270
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Clarke County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clarke County?
Who can set bail in Clarke County?
When is bail set in Clarke County Georgia?
Does Clarke County have bail?
Yes, Clarke County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Athens-Clarke 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, Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke County have bail?
Yes, Clarke County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Clarke 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 Clarke County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Athens-Clarke County Jail for more information about the jails in Clarke County.
What options are there to pay bail in Clarke 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 Athens-Clarke County Jail for more information about posting bail in Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Athens-Clarke 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.