Cook County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Cook County bail and bond: the Adel jail and the County Farm Road courts
If someone is arrested in Cook County, they are normally booked into the Cook County Jail in Adel, which shares County Farm Road with the sheriff's office. Look the name up on Cook County Inmate Search to see if the person is in custody and what the bond is. For anything the search cannot say, call 229-896-7471. The next step is usually a bond hearing in Magistrate Court, and you can read more about posting bond from the jail's guide.
Did Cook County book my family member?
Enter the name at Cook County Inmate Search and read the charge and bond lines. A fresh arrest can take a while to show, so try again later. The sheriff's office and jail share the number 229-896-7471, which is the one to dial when the search shows nothing.
Where in Adel is the jail?
Sheriff runs the county jail from 1000 County Farm Road, Adel, GA 31620, the address the county gives for the Sheriff's Office. The county lists no separate jail street number, so confirm the entrance with the desk before you drive. The jail takes local arrests for misdemeanors and felonies.
Where does the bond hearing happen?
Cook County Magistrate Court sits at 1000 County Farm Road, Adel, GA 31620, and holds bond hearings to set the amount. It issues most criminal warrants as well. Call 229-896-3151 for the hearing time, since its website lists no office hours. Chief Magistrate Judge leads the court.
How fast must a judge see someone arrested on a warrant?
O.C.G.A. 17-4-26 gives officers 72 hours to bring a person arrested on a warrant before a judge. Call the Magistrate Court at 229-896-3151 if more than three days have passed with no hearing, and ask a lawyer to press the issue.
Can the magistrate grant bond on every charge?
No. Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 17-6-1, sends a short list of crimes to a superior court judge alone. Murder, rape, armed robbery, trafficking, and aggravated child molestation are on it. A lawyer can petition the superior court, which has to schedule a hearing within ten days. The Clerk of Superior Court, 229-896-7717, can tell you how that court calendars cases.
How do I pay a cash bond in Cook County?
The county posts no bonding window or hours online, so call the jail at 229-896-7471 and ask where cash goes, when, and which kinds of payment count. The Clerk of Superior Court is at 212 N. Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, and answers at 229-896-7717. Ask for a written receipt with the case number.
Do I need a bondsman?
Not if you can pay the full bond in cash, but most families cannot. Ask the jail desk which bonding companies Cook County accepts, then call two of them. Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 17-6-30(a), keeps the fee at or under 15 percent of the bond amount, except that a company may charge $50 for a single bonded charge even if that is higher. On a $1,500 bond, 15 percent is $225. Get the fee, collateral, and missed-court terms in writing before you sign anything.
How about a deed or land?
Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 17-6-12, says the sheriff in the county where the crime happened approves property for the restricted charges. In Cook County that means talking to the sheriff's office at 229-896-7471 about deeds, tax values, and mortgages before you collect papers.
What if the record says no bond?
A charge on the superior-court-only list can show no bond until that judge acts. A probation hold or a warrant from another county will also stop release. Ask the jail which hold is on the record, then ask the Magistrate Court about the next date.
What if Adel police made the arrest?
The Adel Police Department and other city officers may take a person to the county jail. Ask the officer where your relative went and for the report number, then search Cook County Inmate Search. Ask the magistrate's office if the case belongs to the city or the county.
What will the bond be for my charge?
Cook County posts no fixed list of amounts, so the figure comes from the magistrate's order. The booking record shows it. If it is blank, the hearing may not have happened, so call 229-896-3151.
What if the person is under 17?
The Department of Juvenile Justice sends Cook County youth to the Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center, 3275 Harris Road, Waycross, GA 31503, which answers at 912-287-6680. Cases involving children are confidential, so the adult search will not show one. Ask the center where the hearing will be.
Who is the free lawyer if we cannot hire one?
Ask the judge for a court-appointed lawyer at the first appearance and bring proof of income. Cook County is in the Alapaha Circuit, whose Public Defender office is at 105 North Parrish Avenue in Adel and is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The number is 229-896-2858.
When does the money come back, and what are the scams?
Ask the clerk how and when a cash bond is returned, and keep each receipt. Money added to a commissary or phone account is a deposit, not a bond. Never pay with gift cards or app transfers. If a caller says to hurry, call the jail yourself at 229-896-7471.
What happens with a federal arrest?
Federal cases from Cook County belong to the Middle District of Georgia, Valdosta Division. The courthouse is 401 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601, and the clerk answers at (229) 242-3616. 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.
Cook County bail contacts
- Jail
- Cook County Jail, County Farm Road, Adel, GA 31620; 229-896-7471
- Bond guide
- Cook County jail bail and bond instructions
- Sheriff's office
- 1000 County Farm Road, Adel, GA 31620; 229-896-7471
- Custody lookup
- Cook County Inmate Search
- Magistrate Court
- 1000 County Farm Road, Adel, GA 31620; 229-896-3151
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 212 N. Hutchinson Avenue, Adel, GA 31620; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 229-896-7717
- Public defender
- Alapaha Circuit Public Defender, 105 North Parrish Avenue, Adel, GA 31620; 229-896-2858
- Youth detention
- Waycross Regional Youth Detention Center, 3275 Harris Road, Waycross, GA 31503; 912-287-6680
Cook County costs, hours, and phone lines can change, and the judge may set a different bond. Ask the jail or the clerk before you pay. This guide is general information and is not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Cook County Jail
The Cook County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook County Jail, or the courthouse in Cook County where the offense took place.
Call 229-896-7471 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Cook County inmate locator.
Cook County Jail
Address:
3335 County Farm Road
Adel, GA 31620
Phone:
229-896-7471
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Cook County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cook County?
Who can set bail in Cook County?
When is bail set in Cook County Georgia?
Does Cook County have bail?
Yes, Cook County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook 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, Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook County have bail?
Yes, Cook County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Cook 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 Cook County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Cook County Jail for more information about the jails in Cook County.
What options are there to pay bail in Cook 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 Cook County Jail for more information about posting bail in Cook 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 Cook 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 Cook 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.