Franklin County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Franklin County bail and bond: the Carnesville detention center and what to ask
Adults arrested in Franklin County are held at the Franklin County Detention Center, 1 James Little Street, Carnesville, which also houses the sheriff's office. Use Franklin County Inmate Search to see whether the person is in custody, the charges, and any bond. To post a bond, call the sheriff at 706-384-2525 first, because the county does not publish its bonding hours or payment types. The Magistrate Court and Clerk of Superior Court handle the paperwork once a case is filed.
How can I tell if someone is in the Carnesville jail?
Put the full name into Franklin County Inmate Search. It is the quickest way to see a booking, the charges, and a bond if one is set. A very new arrest can take time to post. When the name still will not come up, the sheriff's main desk at 706-384-2525 can look it up.
Where do I go to pay a bond?
The sheriff's office and the detention center share one address: 1 James Little Street, Carnesville, GA 30521. The county posts no separate bonding-window hours, so call 706-384-2525 before you go. The sheriff's office handles emergencies around the clock, while the records office keeps weekday hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
What forms of payment will they take?
The county does not list payment types on its jail pages. Ask the desk at 706-384-2525 whether it takes cash, a cashier's check, a money order, or a card, and whether there is a service fee. Do not rely on a website that lists methods without naming a source. Get a receipt that shows the case number.
What will the bond be for this charge?
A judge sets it, so the amount on the record is the one that counts. Franklin County does not post a bond price list for common charges on the pages checked for this guide. Check Franklin County Inmate Search, then ask the jail desk whether the amount is final. Do not accept a number from a third party.
When will the person see a judge?
State law (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) requires that someone arrested on a warrant be brought before a judicial officer within 72 hours. Franklin County Magistrate Court issues warrants and holds hearings. It is in the Justice Center, 7085 Hwy 145, Suite B, 706-384-7473, open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ask the deputy clerk about hearing dates.
Can I get someone out through a bonding company?
Yes. A licensed bondsman pays the bond for a fee. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-30, the most a surety may take is 15 percent of the bond's face amount, but each bonded charge can carry a $50 minimum even when that is higher than 15 percent. The sheriff's website names no approved companies. Ask the jail desk which companies serve this jail, then get the contract in writing and read every line before signing.
Is there a way to use land or a house?
Georgia law allows property approved by the sheriff in the county where the crime happened for some people, including those facing bail restricted charges (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). The Franklin sheriff does not publish its checklist. Phone 706-384-2525 and ask what papers the sheriff needs, who must sign, and how long approval takes. Expect a wait.
What does 'no bond' mean on a record?
It may mean the judge has not acted yet. It can also mean the crime is on Georgia's list where only a superior court judge may grant bail, such as murder or armed robbery (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). A hold from probation or another county also stops release. The jail desk at 706-384-2525 can say which one applies.
Are some charges treated more strictly since 2024?
Yes. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12) lists bail restricted offenses. A person charged with one cannot be freed on a promise alone. The bond has to be secured with cash, a licensed bondsman, or sheriff-approved property in the county where the offense happened. A lawyer can tell you whether your charge is on that list.
Who can lower a bond?
Only a judge. A lawyer normally asks in writing. The Superior Court judges ride a circuit made up of Franklin, Hart, Madison, Elbert, and Oglethorpe counties, so a hearing may follow that travel schedule. The Clerk of Superior Court, 9592 Lavonia Road, Carnesville, 706-384-2514, can tell you where a motion is filed and when the judge sits here.
What if we cannot pay for a lawyer?
Tell the judge at the first hearing that you need an appointed attorney. Franklin County sits in the Northern Judicial Circuit. Its public defender office is at 461 Cook Street, Suite J, Royston, 706-246-9320, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office also serves Elbert, Hart, Madison, and Oglethorpe counties. The clerk of court at 706-384-2514 can say how to apply, and the District Attorney's office at 165 Athens Street, 706-384-3064, can only discuss the prosecution, not give advice.
Do city police take people to a different jail?
The detention center at 1 James Little Street is the county's jail. If a city officer in a town such as Lavonia or Royston made the arrest, the county pages do not say whether that town holds people first. Royston Police are at 684 Franklin Springs Street, 706-245-7232. Ask the arresting department for the report number and for the name of the jail, then run the name on Franklin County Inmate Search.
Where is a teenager taken?
Georgia's Department of Juvenile Justice sends Franklin County youth to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. Call 770-531-4597. Records for minors are private, so a child may not show up in the adult search.
What if the person does not appear?
A judge can order re-arrest and can forfeit the bond. A bonding company, if one was used, may seek the person out. Contact the Magistrate Court or a lawyer right away.
Do I get a refund?
The fee law (O.C.G.A. 17-6-30) says nothing about refunds, so ask the bondsman what the contract says before you sign. Cash given to the court may be returned only at the end of the case and only after any fines or costs. Ask the clerk at 706-384-2514 how that works, and keep every receipt.
How do I avoid paying a scammer?
A real payment is made at the detention center or with a bondsman you can look up. Anyone asking for gift cards, a wire, or an app transfer is not real. The JailATM deposit line for inmate funds is not bail. Verify every number against 706-384-2525.
What if federal agents made the arrest?
Not every arrest stays in county court. A federal charge from Franklin County is filed in the Middle District of Georgia and heard in its Athens Division: 115 East Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601, phone (706) 227-1094. A federal magistrate judge decides whether the person can go home before trial. The U.S. Marshals hold federal detainees, sometimes in a county jail by contract. For someone already sentenced, check the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Key contacts for Franklin County bond questions
- Jail and sheriff
- Franklin County Detention Center, 1 James Little Street, Carnesville, GA 30521; P.O. Box 310; 706-384-2525; Sheriff
- Bond help
- Detention center bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Franklin County Inmate Search
- Magistrate Court
- Franklin County Justice Center, 7085 Hwy 145, Suite B, Carnesville, GA 30521; 706-384-7473; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 9592 Lavonia Road, Carnesville, GA 30521; 706-384-2514
- District Attorney
- 165 Athens Street, Carnesville, GA 30521; 706-384-3064
- Public defender
- Northern Circuit, 461 Cook Street, Suite J, Royston, GA 30662; 706-246-9320
- Juvenile
- Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501; 770-531-4597
Franklin County has not published every bonding rule, so details can differ from what is written here. Call the detention center before you pay anyone. This guide is general information and not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Franklin County Detention Center
The Franklin County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Detention Center, or the courthouse in Franklin County where the offense took place.
Call 706-384-2525 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Franklin County inmate locator.
Franklin County Detention Center
Address:
1 James Little Street
Carnesville, GA 30521
Phone:
706-384-2525
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Franklin County
Does Franklin County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Franklin County?
Who can set bail in Franklin County?
When is bail set in Franklin County Georgia?
Does Franklin County have bail?
Yes, Franklin County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Detention Center until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different.
The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions.
Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County have bail?
Yes, Franklin County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Franklin 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 Franklin County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Franklin County Detention Center for more information about the jails in Franklin County.
What options are there to pay bail in Franklin 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 Franklin County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County Detention Center or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.