Montgomery County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Montgomery County bail and bond: the Mount Vernon sheriff and where to start
Montgomery County's sheriff works from 208 East Broad Street in Mount Vernon, but the county web pages do not say where prisoners are kept, so this page points to the jail that serves Montgomery County. Look the person up with Montgomery County Inmate Search to see if they are in custody and what the bond is. The sheriff's office answers at 912-583-2521. Ask which jail has the person before you pay any bail.
1. The Mount Vernon sheriff's building is open weekdays. Is my cousin held there?
Look him up on Montgomery County Inmate Search first. That shows whether he is booked and where.
The sheriff's office at 208 East Broad Street, Mount Vernon, answers at 912-583-2521 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. Ask the desk where he is being kept.
2. Does Montgomery County keep its own prisoners?
The county web pages that could be read do not name a jail or say where inmates stay. Ask the sheriff whether a person is held in the county or in Treutlen or Wheeler County.
Ask the sheriff's office at 912-583-2521 which jail has the person, and write down the name and address before you travel.
3. What should I ask when I call the sheriff?
Ask five things: Is he booked? Where is he held? What is the bond? Where do I pay? What can be paid there? Have his full name and birth date ready.
The sheriff's own page lists several numbers: 912-583-2521, 912-583-2321, and the county line 912-583-2363. If one is busy, try another.
4. Can I post bond in Mount Vernon even if he is held in another county?
The pages checked do not say. Some counties let the home sheriff take the bond, and others send you to the jail holding the person.
Ask the sheriff at 912-583-2521. Then ask the host jail to confirm in the same call, so you only make the trip once.
5. Which judge sets the bond, and how fast?
The Magistrate Court, 400 South Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon, says it hears first appearances and bond hearings six days a week. The phone is 912-583-2170.
The court's page also says a magistrate is on call around the clock for warrants. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) sets 72 hours as the outer limit after a warrant arrest.
6. Are there set bond amounts for Montgomery County charges?
None could be read, so this page lists none. A number off the internet may belong to another county.
The court at 912-583-2170 can tell you if a standing figure applies. Check what Montgomery County Inmate Search shows against what you hear.
7. How much can a bondsman take in Georgia?
At most 15 percent of the bond, counting surcharges. The company may keep at least $50 per charge even when 15 percent is less (O.C.G.A. 17-6-30).
It is a misdemeanor to charge more. Compare quotes, and get everything in writing.
8. Is a cash bond possible?
Yes, if the full face amount is paid (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). Ask the jail holding him what forms of payment it takes. A bond receipt should list the case number.
One person can post only so many cash bonds in a year (O.C.G.A. 17-6-15). Family members have an exception beginning in 2026.
9. What papers does the sheriff want for a property pledge?
No checklist from Montgomery County could be read. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-1 and 17-6-12, the sheriff of the county where the offense happened must approve the property.
Call 912-583-2521 and ask for the sheriff's rules, including whether land elsewhere in Georgia counts.
10. My brother's record says no bond. What now?
Georgia reserves some charges for a superior court judge. Murder, rape, armed robbery, certain drug sales, and repeat kidnapping, arson, assault, or burglary charges are among them (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1).
The clerk's office at 912-583-4401 can explain how to ask that judge for bail. A hearing must be set within ten days of the request.
11. Where do I file or find the court papers?
The Montgomery County courthouse is at 400 South Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon. The Clerk of Superior Court is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 912-583-4401.
The county's main line is 912-583-2363, but the clerk, the magistrate, and the probate judge each have their own number.
12. Who represents someone who can't afford a lawyer?
The Oconee Circuit Public Defender Office covers Montgomery County. It is at 5120 Norman Street, Eastman, GA 31023, 478-448-1801. The county site lists a Public Defender page but no local office.
Ask the judge to appoint that office when you first appear.
13. Where are juveniles sent?
The state lists Montgomery County as served by the Cadwell Regional Youth Detention Center, 2839 Railroad Avenue, Cadwell, GA 31009. You can reach the state juvenile agency at 404-508-6500.
Local probate judges handle some matters involving minors, and their office is at 912-583-2681. Juvenile files are private and will not show on the adult search.
14. What if the person doesn't go to the hearing?
The judge can issue a warrant and keep the bond, and pledged land is at risk. Speak to a lawyer the same day, then call the magistrate court at 912-583-2170.
15. How is posted cash claimed, and how do I spot a scam?
Whoever posted cash bail claims it after the case ends, with proof the case is resolved. If nobody claims it, the county mails a notice after two years, and the cash passes to the county 90 days later (O.C.G.A. 17-6-4).
Do not trust anyone who texts for a transfer or gift cards. Call the sheriff at 912-583-2521 yourself.
What if federal agents made the arrest?
Not every arrest stays in county court. A federal charge from Montgomery County is filed in the Southern District of Georgia and heard in its Dublin Division: 100 North Franklin Street, Dublin, GA 31021 (not always fully staffed), phone 478-272-2121. 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.
Montgomery County bail contacts
- Jail
- the jail that serves Montgomery County; ask the sheriff for its address; sheriff's line 912-583-2521
- Bond guide
- Montgomery County jail and bond help
- Custody lookup
- Montgomery County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- 208 East Broad Street, Mount Vernon, GA 30445; 912-583-2521; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Magistrate court
- 400 South Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon, GA 30445; 912-583-2170; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Superior court clerk
- 400 South Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon; 912-583-4401
- Probate court
- 400 South Railroad Avenue, Mount Vernon; 912-583-2681
- Public defender
- Oconee Circuit, 5120 Norman Street, Eastman; 478-448-1801
- Youth detention
- Cadwell Regional Youth Detention Center, 2839 Railroad Avenue, Cadwell; state line 404-508-6500
Sheriffs and courts change hours, fees, and phone numbers, and a judge may set a different bond. Confirm each detail with the sheriff before you pay or travel. This is a plain-language guide and does not give legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Montgomery County Jail
The Montgomery County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Jail, or the courthouse in Montgomery County where the offense took place.
Call 912-583-2521 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Montgomery County inmate locator.
Montgomery County Jail
Address:
208 East Broad Street
Eastman, GA 30445
Phone:
912-583-2521
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Montgomery County
Does Montgomery County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Montgomery County?
Who can set bail in Montgomery County?
When is bail set in Montgomery County Georgia?
Does Montgomery County have bail?
Yes, Montgomery County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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, Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County have bail?
Yes, Montgomery County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Montgomery County Jail for more information about the jails in Montgomery County.
What options are there to pay bail in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County Jail for more information about posting bail in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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.