Dooly County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Dooly County bail and bond: sheriff, courts, and your options
Adults arrested in Dooly County are held in the Dooly County Jail, run by Sheriff from the Justice Center in Pinehurst. Use Dooly County Inmate Search to see if the person is in custody and what the bail is. The Sheriff's Office answers at 229-645-0920. Courts and clerks are in Vienna, and a judge there sets the bail.
Is my family member in the Dooly County Jail?
Type the name into Dooly County Inmate Search. It shows custody and the bail line. If a booking is only minutes old, wait and look again. The Sheriff's Office answers at 229-645-0920 all day and night for what the search cannot say.
Sheriff office lists its home as the Dooly County Justice Center, 576 Pinehurst Hawkinsville Road, Pinehurst. The courts sit in the county seat, Vienna.
Why are the jail and the courthouse in two towns?
The Sheriff's Office is in Pinehurst, and the courts are in Vienna. The Clerk of Superior Court is at 104 Second Street, Vienna, and the Magistrate Court is at 104 South Second Street, Room 11. A family often needs both: the sheriff's side for custody and the Vienna side for paperwork. Ask the Sheriff's Office at 229-645-0920 which one handles your payment.
Which judge decides the bond?
Chief Magistrate Judge heads the Dooly County Magistrate Court, which is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The court's number is 229-268-4217. The court's page does not describe bond hearings, so call to learn when the person will be seen.
What does the sheriff's site say about visits, and does that matter for bail?
It matters only for planning. Male inmates can be visited Wednesdays and Sundays, and female inmates Tuesdays and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with check-in by 4:30 p.m. and a valid ID. Posting bail is a separate task, so ask the desk at 229-645-0920 how and when it is done.
How do I pay a bond in Dooly County?
The sheriff's site and county pages describe no bonding window, hours, or accepted payment types. Phone 229-645-0920, ask for the person who takes bonds, and write down the answer. Georgia law treats cash paid as a deposit and requires a receipt (O.C.G.A. 17-6-4).
What amount of bail should I expect?
The county posts no bond schedule, so no dollar figures are given here. A judge decides after weighing the charge and the person's record, and no court may set excessive bail (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). See the figure in Dooly County Inmate Search, then ask the desk to confirm it.
Is a bondsman cheaper than cash?
A bondsman costs less up front. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-30 the company may keep a fee of no more than 15 percent of the bond's face amount, or $50 per bonded charge if that is higher, so $4,000 of bail would carry a fee of at most $600. Refunds are not covered by that law, so the contract rules. Georgia leaves it to the sheriff to approve sureties (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1(j)). Ask the Sheriff's Office at 229-645-0920 who is approved, and read the contract.
Can my house or land cover the bond?
The sheriff can approve property in the county where the offense took place (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). The county does not publish its own requirements, so call 229-645-0920 before you collect deeds and tax papers.
What does held without bond mean?
It can mean no judge has set an amount yet, or that probation, parole, or another county has a hold. For murder, rape, armed robbery, and a few other charges, only a superior court judge can grant bail (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1(a)). A lawyer can petition that court, which must hold a hearing within ten days.
The Clerk of Superior Court can be reached at 229-268-4234.
May a judge release someone on a signature?
Not for the many bail-restricted offenses listed in O.C.G.A. 17-6-12, including DUI, burglary, and family violence. Those need cash, a bondsman, or sheriff-approved property.
How fast does a hearing happen?
With a warrant arrest, Georgia sets a 72-hour limit for the person to be brought before a judicial officer (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26). Call 229-645-0920 or the magistrate court at 229-268-4217 to learn the date.
Who is the free lawyer for Dooly County?
The Cordele Circuit Public Defender serves Dooly County from 716-B 16th Avenue East, Cordele, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The number is 229-276-2768. The circuit page lists no separate Dooly office, so call before you drive. Ask the judge to appoint counsel if you cannot pay.
What if the arrest came from a town officer?
Ask the arresting department for the report number, then check Dooly County Inmate Search. No city posts a holding-cell notice, so the Sheriff's Office at 229-645-0920 can tell you where the person is.
Where are juveniles held?
A child's record is private, so Dooly County Inmate Search will not list one. Georgia's juvenile justice department sends Dooly County youth to the Crisp Regional Youth Detention Center, 130 Haralson Road, Cordele, GA 31015, 229-271-4901. The state main line is 404-508-6500. Ask the court clerk at 229-268-4234 for hearing dates.
What if my relative misses the hearing?
A warrant can issue and the bond can be forfeited. Get the next date from the clerk at 229-268-4234 and call a lawyer the same day.
When do I see my cash again?
After the case ends or the court releases the bond, less fines and costs. Cash that nobody claims for two years can go to the county (O.C.G.A. 17-6-4). A bondsman's fee follows your contract, since state fee law (O.C.G.A. 17-6-30) has no refund rule.
How do I know a bail offer is fake?
No office frees anyone for gift cards or an app transfer to a stranger. Call 229-645-0920 yourself before you pay anyone.
Which federal court covers this county?
If agents such as the FBI, DEA or ATF made the arrest, the case is federal. For Dooly County, that means the Middle District of Georgia, Macon Division, at William A. Bootle Federal Building & US Courthouse, 475 Mulberry Street, Macon, GA 31201 ((478) 752-3497). A federal magistrate judge, not a county judge, rules on bail. People held before trial are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals, who may place them in a county jail. People serving a federal sentence show up on the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Dooly County bail contacts
- Jail
- Dooly County Jail, run by the Sheriff's Office, Dooly County Justice Center, 576 Pinehurst Hawkinsville Road, Pinehurst, GA 31070; 229-645-0920
- Bail guide
- Jail bail guide
- Custody lookup
- Dooly County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Sheriff; mail: PO Box 96, Pinehurst, GA 31070; 229-645-0920
- Magistrate court
- 104 South Second Street, Room 11, Vienna, GA 31092; 229-268-4217; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 104 Second Street, Vienna, GA 31092 (mail: P.O. Box 326); 229-268-4234; call for office hours
- Public defender
- Cordele Circuit, 716-B 16th Avenue East, Cordele, GA 31015; 229-276-2768
- Juvenile
- Crisp Regional Youth Detention Center, 130 Haralson Road, Cordele, GA 31015; 229-271-4901
Hours, fees, and phone numbers can change, and a judge may set a different amount in one case. Ask the Sheriff's Office to repeat the total before you hand over money. This page offers general help only, and it is not legal advice from a lawyer.
How do Bail Bonds work at Dooly County Jail
The Dooly County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly County Jail, or the courthouse in Dooly County where the offense took place.
Call 229-645-0920 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Dooly County inmate locator.
Dooly County Jail
Address:
576 Pinehurst-Hawkinsville Rd.
Pinehurst, GA 31070
Phone:
229-645-0920
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Dooly County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dooly County?
Who can set bail in Dooly County?
When is bail set in Dooly County Georgia?
Does Dooly County have bail?
Yes, Dooly County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly 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, Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly County have bail?
Yes, Dooly County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Dooly 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 Dooly County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Dooly County Jail for more information about the jails in Dooly County.
What options are there to pay bail in Dooly 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 Dooly County Jail for more information about posting bail in Dooly 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 Dooly 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 Dooly 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.