Cobb County Adult Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Cobb County bail: the County Services Parkway jail in Marietta, the Visitor's Center bond window, pretrial release and refunds
Deputies, county officers, troopers and city police all deliver adults to the Adult Detention Center, 1825 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008, a sheriff's complex of three towers holding up to 3,077 people. Bonds are not paid inside the towers but a few doors up the road at the Visitor's Center, 1877 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008. Both buildings share one desk number, 770-499-4200, so start there.
Whether a booking exists, what it alleges and what figure a magistrate attached all surface in our inmate search. Towers, visiting rooms, phone accounts and envelopes get their own walkthrough on our inmate page. Here the focus stays on getting someone out: who sets the figure in Marietta, which kinds of security the sheriff takes, what surety firms may charge and how a refund works.
First appearances happen at Magistrate Court on Waddell Street, and hearing paths are traced on our court page. Pretrial Services, part of that court, reviews people still locked up after the hearing; its line is 770-528-8950. Readers wanting the statute-level surety ceilings and hearing clocks can open our Georgia bail laws guide.
1. Is the person in the main jail or at work release?
New arrests go to the Adult Detention Center, 1825 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008. The Work Deployment Center on the same parkway takes only people already sentenced, either on supervised county work crews or on a work release placement that lets them leave each day for a job or classes.
Because everyone in work release has finished a case, no bond is posted for them. Its desk, 770-499-4340, handles scheduling and visits there. For someone just picked up, look in our inmate search and call 770-499-4200 if the result is blank or unclear. A person serving state time instead appears in the state offender lookup.
↑ Back to the question list2. Where in Marietta is a bond paid?
Payments go to the sheriff's Visitor's Center, 1877 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008, rather than through the tower doors at 1825. The sheriff's bonding page gives one number for that window, 770-499-4200, and lists no hours.
Phone ahead before heading up the parkway, with a state-issued ID card and the booking number in your pocket. Guard the printed receipt showing payer and case number; refunds flow solely to whoever it names. After money is accepted, staff still clear holds, process paperwork and return property, so the walk out can take hours. The parkway also houses the youth detention center and other county offices, so read the building numbers carefully.
↑ Back to the question list3. Can a check or credit card cover a cash bond?
Not at the facility. The sheriff takes full cash for a cash bond and refuses checks and credit cards at the window, so plan a bank stop first.
One online route exists: the sheriff names Cash Bond Online, 888-726-6301, for any bondable charge up to $2,500, a ceiling that counts surcharges and fees. That method lists the defendant as surety, so any refund goes to the defendant alone, never to the relative who paid. For anything above that ceiling, bring cash to the Visitor's Center or hire a registered surety company. Mixing methods across charges is allowed when several bonds are required.
↑ Back to the question list4. Why is the total higher than the bond figure?
Every instrument written at the Visitor's Center drags along state surcharges and a $20 sheriff's charge that never comes back, win or lose. Several charges can mean several instruments, multiplying both.
Before leaving the house, have the 770-499-4200 desk tally each instrument, surcharge and fee, then jot that grand total on paper. A person with a misdemeanor and a separate probation matter may need two separate payments, even on the same night. Having the full figure avoids a second trip to the ATM. Surety premiums are figured on the face amount plus surcharges, which also raises the total cost.
↑ Back to the question list5. How do surety companies work at the complex?
Any firm writing bonds here must register with the Sheriff's Office, which can suspend it under published rules. The sheriff's bonding page carries the current roster of approved companies.
State statute holds the premium to 15 percent of face value with surcharges folded in; alternatively a firm can bill $50 or more per charge, which may overshoot that percentage. The premium is almost never returned. Complaints about a company go to the sheriff's bonding investigator at 770-499-4623. Read every page of the indemnity paperwork: a cosigning relative may be on the hook for the full face amount should the defendant vanish.
↑ Back to the question list6. Can a house be used as security?
Yes, if the home sits inside the county. Every person on the warranty or quitclaim deed and current tax bill must appear and sign at the facility.
Paperwork list: the deed and that tax bill, this month's mortgage statement, and ID issued by a government. Acreage elsewhere in Georgia qualifies as an out-of-county property bond, prepared by that other county's sheriff and delivered to Marietta sealed; an opened packet is refused. Pledging land is slower than cash or a surety, and a skipped hearing can put the home at risk.
↑ Back to the question list7. What is a driver's license bond?
For a misdemeanor other than DUI, a valid Georgia license can serve as collateral. The person must have spent at least five days in custody and face a bond of $1,000 or less before surcharges.
Missing court afterward can suspend the license, which then complicates work and family errands. Ask the desk at 770-499-4200 whether a given booking fits those terms, since several charges can push the total over the limit. This option suits low-level charges where cash is short. It does nothing for felonies, DUI, or anyone held on a hold from another agency.
↑ Back to the question list8. What does Pretrial Services do?
Pretrial Services, a unit of Magistrate Court at 32 Waddell Street, Marietta, GA 30090, reviews people still in custody after their first appearance. A judge must approve anything it recommends.
Options include supervised release, release on a signature, a lower bond, or a 10 percent cash bond. A cosigner for that 10 percent option must meet terms such as a year of Georgia residence, steady work, no felony record and no pending bond. Supervision conditions ride along with that release, and breaking them can land the defendant back in a tower cell. Pretrial staff take calls at 770-528-8950. Relatives can share employment and address details that support a recommendation.
↑ Back to the question list9. When does a judge first see the arrested person?
Georgia gives officers 48 hours to produce a warrantless arrestee before a judge (section 17-4-62) and 72 hours when a warrant came first (section 17-4-26). Magistrate Court on Waddell Street handles that hearing for most charges.
Its clerks keep weekday business hours, eight in the morning until five. Its Criminal Division, 770-528-8917, can give the hearing time. Relatives can bring pay stubs, a lease or school records that show local ties, which judges weigh beside the charge and history. Any amount set there is entered on the booking record soon after. Counsel may later petition to move that number up or down.
↑ Back to the question list10. Who sets the amount, and can deputies lower it?
Judges set bond; deputies only process it. Section 17-6-1 lets magistrates handle most bonding, yet murder, rape, armed robbery, trafficking, aggravated child molestation and several others belong to Superior Court.
For a listed offense, defense counsel files a motion and the court must hear it within ten days. The Superior Court clerk at 70 Haynes Street, Marietta, GA 30090, 770-528-1300, dockets those filings. Ninety days behind the towers' walls with no indictment triggers a bond right under section 17-7-50. The bench balances community danger, the odds of flight and threats to witnesses. Prosecutors may answer with evidence about the alleged victim.
↑ Back to the question list11. What does no bond or a hold mean?
A charge reserved for Superior Court leaves the record blank until that judge acts. Detainers lodged by probation, the parole board, another county's sheriff or a federal agency keep the doors shut even after the local bond is satisfied.
Ring 770-499-4200 and ask staff to list each detainer, which office lodged it, and its reference number. Contact each of those offices directly, since paying one bond leaves the others untouched. Counsel can sometimes speed another county's pickup. Keep a written list of every hold by the phone; staff refer to them on each call, and having case numbers ready makes those conversations shorter.
↑ Back to the question list12. Is there a price chart for common charges?
No fixed schedule is quoted here, because judges in Marietta set figures case by case. Only the figure a magistrate enters onto the record counts.
A blank field usually means no judge has ruled; 770-499-4200 staff can tell you whether review has happened. Judges must weigh what a defendant can actually afford along with flight and safety worries, per section 17-6-1. Multiple counts carry multiple figures, and one traffic stop on I-75 can stack them fast. Counsel can ask a judge to reduce an amount that the family cannot reach.
↑ Back to the question list13. What if a city officer made the arrest?
Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Austell and Powder Springs each run a police department. Phone whichever department made the stop and request its report number plus the place the arrestee was driven.
Most adults still land at the parkway complex, so check our inmate search next. Ordinance and traffic charges may stay in that city's municipal court, which sets its own fines and dates. The booking entry names the arresting agency and the court. If a city charge and a state charge come from the same incident, each may carry its own bond, so ask which court controls each one.
↑ Back to the question list14. Where are children detained?
The Department of Juvenile Justice runs the Marietta Regional Youth Detention Center, 1575 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008, 770-528-4287. It takes youths from Cherokee, Douglas, Paulding and this county.
Juvenile records stay sealed and off the adult search. A detention hearing follows soon after intake, and parents help by arriving with report cards, current prescriptions and a few trusted adults willing to supervise. Some violent charges move older teenagers into Superior Court, where adult bond rules govern. The state juvenile agency's headquarters answers 404-508-6500. Staff at the center can point parents to the right juvenile judge.
↑ Back to the question list15. Who provides a free lawyer?
This circuit runs its own county Circuit Defender's Office instead of a state public defender office. Request counsel from the judge at first appearance; the office answers 770-528-1950.
Applicants fill out a Circuit Defender application and a sworn notice about finances, and the office usually responds within two business days. It never asks for or accepts payment, and any request for money should be reported to that number. Pay stubs or benefit letters speed the screening. Prompt appointment means a lawyer can argue bond sooner. Conflict cases go to outside counsel the office arranges.
↑ Back to the question list16. How is cash bond returned, and how are scams spotted?
Cash comes back once the court's appearance requirements are met. The person named on the receipt must collect it at the clerk's office, and section 17-6-4 lets unclaimed money escheat, so act promptly.
Money on a phone or canteen account is a deposit, never bond. Crooks scrape booking lists and call relatives demanding gift cards, wire transfers or app payments for a release; legitimate money goes only to the Visitor's Center, a court clerk or a surety you chose. Disconnect, then reach the jail through 770-499-4200 as printed here. To report the caller, the county police headquarters on Fairground Street takes complaints at 770-499-3900.
↑ Back to the question list17. What about immigration detainers?
Under section 42-4-14, booking officers on County Services Parkway screen each detainee's immigration standing and notify federal authorities whenever lawful presence goes unproven. A Form I-247A from ICE can follow.
Federal regulation 8 CFR 287.7(d) lets that request extend custody as long as 48 hours beyond the state release moment, with Saturday, Sunday and holidays left out of the count. Posting bond can therefore end in a handoff to agents. Downtown Atlanta's ICE office answers 404-893-1290; moves appear afterward on the ICE locator site. Speak with immigration counsel before paying. That attorney will want any passport, green card and immigration filing receipts.
↑ Back to the question list18. What if federal agents made the arrest?
Cases opened by federal agents in the county head downtown to the Richard B. Russell Federal Building, 75 Ted Turner Drive SW, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-215-1600. Release there turns on the Bail Reform Act, 18 U.S.C. 3142, as read by a federal magistrate.
Commercial bonding companies have no role there; relatives may cosign instead. The Marshals Service holds federal defendants, sometimes in county jails that rent beds. Once a federal sentence is imposed, look up the designated institution on the Bureau of Prisons locator. Any parallel state charges continue in Marietta on their own track, with their own bond, so ask the defense lawyer how the two cases interact.
↑ Back to the question list19. Which law enforcement agencies serve the county?
Most bookings at the Marietta complex begin with one of these agencies; true emergencies always go to 911.
- Sheriff's Office headquarters, which runs the County Services Parkway jail and serves warrants: 185 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30090; 770-499-4611.
- County police department, the patrol force for unincorporated neighborhoods: 545 South Fairground Street, Marietta, GA 30060; 770-499-3900.
- Georgia State Patrol Post 83, covering state roads north of I-285: 3330 Woodhaven Road, Atlanta, GA 30305; 404-624-7272.
- Adult Detention Center intake and custody desk: 1825 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008; 770-499-4200.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Atlanta field office: 180 Ted Turner Drive SW, Suite 522, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-893-1290.
Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Austell and Powder Springs field their own officers, and a city arrest may start in that city's municipal court. Inside I-285, troopers from the Atlanta post handle the interstates. Copies of incident reports must be requested from the arresting department itself, whose name appears on the booking entry.
↑ Back to the question listHow do Bail Bonds work at Cobb County Adult Detention Center
The Cobb County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb County Adult Detention Center, or the courthouse in Cobb County where the offense took place.
Call 770-499-4200 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Cobb County inmate locator.
Cobb County Adult Detention Center
Address:
1825 County Services Parkway
Marietta, GA 30008
Phone:
770-499-4200
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Cobb County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cobb County?
Who can set bail in Cobb County?
When is bail set in Cobb County Georgia?
Does Cobb County have bail?
Yes, Cobb County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb County Adult 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, Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb County have bail?
Yes, Cobb County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Cobb 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 Cobb County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center for more information about the jails in Cobb County.
What options are there to pay bail in Cobb 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 Cobb County Adult Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Cobb 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 Cobb 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 Cobb County Adult 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.