Paulding County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Paulding County bail and bond: the Dallas jail and how each bond type works
Adults arrested in Paulding County are held at the Paulding County Jail, 190 Constitution Boulevard, Dallas, run by the Sheriff's Office. Use Paulding County Inmate Search to check custody and see what bail was set. The jail answers at 770-443-3030. The county accepts cash, property, attested property, and bondsman bonds. A judge sets the amount.
1. Is he being held at the new Dallas jail?
Put his name into Paulding County Inmate Search. It shows whether he is booked and what bail is set. Give a fresh arrest a few hours to appear.
The jail's own line, 770-443-3030, handles other questions.
2. Where is the jail, and how big is it?
The Paulding County Jail is on the Watson Government Complex in Dallas, at 190 Constitution Boulevard, GA 30132. The county says it finished construction in 2020 and holds 631 beds. The Sheriff's Office block of the same county page shows 180 Constitution Boulevard, so use the jail address when you drive over.
The Sheriff's Office number is 770-443-3010.
3. What does the county say a bond is?
The Sheriff's Office explains that a bond is a financial guarantee that the person will attend every court date until the case ends. It is not a fine. The person who posts it must still answer the charges before a judge.
Every bond carries a $20.00 fee, according to the county's bonding options page.
4. What is the bond amount for his charge?
Look on Paulding County Inmate Search for the figure. When it is blank, ask the jail at 770-443-3030 whether a judge has set one. The county pages post no bond chart, so no dollar amount is quoted here.
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) allows up to 72 hours after a warrant arrest before the person must see a judicial officer.
5. Where do I pay, and when is it open?
The county has a Visitation and Bonding Center at 90 Constitution Boulevard, Dallas, GA 30132. The county pages list no hours for it, so call 770-443-3030 before you go. Bring a photo ID and the booking details.
Bring a photo ID and the booking details.
6. How does the cash route work?
The County Cash Bond page says cash only: the full bond amount, with no credit cards and no personal or business checks. Picture ID is required. The Sheriff's Office line is 770-443-3010.
The page says cash is returned to the person who posted it at the end of the trial or plea. Save the receipt that shows the case number.
7. What do bondsmen charge in Paulding County?
The county's bondsman page says fees run between 12 and 15 percent, can change without notice, and are not refunded. Georgia's O.C.G.A. 17-6-30 makes 15 percent the legal ceiling, with a $50 minimum per charge.
Approved bondsmen are listed on the lighted sign in the jail's main lobby and in the booking area. The county does not recommend any one of them, so do not ask staff to pick.
8. We own a house in Paulding County. Can it bond him out?
Yes. The county's property bond page asks for a warranty deed, a current tax statement showing fair market value with taxes current, and a current mortgage statement with payments current. Every person named on the deed must come with a photo ID.
The rule is twice the bond in clear, unencumbered equity. A $5,000 bond needs $10,000 in equity. If an owner has died, bring proof such as a death certificate.
9. Our land is in another county. Is that useless?
No. Paulding takes an attested property bond for land owned outside the county. Go to the sheriff's office in the county where the land lies and ask what papers it needs. Staff there draw up the bond and seal it inside an envelope.
Bring the sealed envelope to the Paulding County Jail to finish. A torn or tampered envelope can be refused. A $20.00 fee applies when the jail prepares an attested bond on Paulding property for an inmate held elsewhere.
10. Why was there no bond at the first hearing?
Georgia limits some charges to a superior court judge, and its 2024 law lengthened the list of bail-restricted offenses (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). Release can also be stopped by a probation hold or a warrant from elsewhere.
The Paulding County Magistrate Court issues arrest warrants and decides probable cause. A lawyer can ask the right court about a bond hearing.
The first appearance is a video hearing run by a magistrate judge on Mondays at 11 a.m. and on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. The public can watch in the Magistrate courtroom at the courthouse, or at the Visitation and Bonding Center when the courthouse is closed. It is an initial appearance, not a full bond hearing.
11. Where are the courts, and who keeps the files?
The Clerk of Superior Court is at 280 Constitution Boulevard, Room 1023, Dallas, GA 30132, 770-443-7527, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The Juvenile Court is in Room 2106 of the same building, 770-443-7532.
Call the clerk to confirm which court has the case.
12. Will the sheriff shave the number down?
No. Staff follow what a judge ordered. A lawyer must ask the judge for a new hearing.
Take proof of work, family, and a home address to that hearing.
13. Do Dallas or Hiram police hold people?
City officers in Dallas and Hiram may arrest people, who then usually go to the county jail. Whether either city keeps a cell is not posted, so ask the arresting officer which agency has custody.
Check Paulding County Inmate Search after a few hours for a county booking.
14. Who is the free lawyer, and where is the office?
The Paulding Circuit Public Defender is at 1387 Industrial Boulevard North, Suite 103, Dallas, GA 30132, 770-443-3463, open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The Juvenile Court lists the same number.
Ask the judge for an appointed lawyer if you cannot pay.
15. Where does Paulding County send a young person to be held?
Juvenile Court handles delinquency matters in person, at 280 Constitution Boulevard, Room 2106, 770-443-7532. The state's youth detention center that serves Paulding is the Marietta Regional Youth Detention Center, 1575 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008, 770-528-4287.
The state's list also names the Bob Richards center in Rome for Paulding, so ask the court which one holds the child.
16. What if he is a no-show on his court day?
The judge may issue a warrant and forfeit the bond. Call the clerk at 770-443-7527 for a new date and call a lawyer at once.
Any bondsman on the case will want to hear about it too.
17. Is the cash returned later?
Cash bond is returned after the case ends, less fines and costs the court orders. Cash left unclaimed goes to the county after two years plus 90 days (O.C.G.A. 17-6-4).
Keep your receipt for the refund request.
18. How can I tell a scam from the real jail?
The jail never takes gift cards, crypto, or a transfer to a person. A caller who says you must pay in minutes is a scammer.
Hang up and call 770-443-3030 on your own.
Which federal court covers this county?
If agents such as the FBI, DEA or ATF made the arrest, the case is federal. For Paulding County, that means the Northern District of Georgia, Rome Division, at Harold L. Murphy Federal Building & US Courthouse, 600 East First Street, Rome, GA 30161-3149 (706-378-4060). 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.
Key contacts for Paulding County bond questions
- Jail
- Paulding County Jail, 190 Constitution Boulevard, Dallas, GA 30132; 770-443-3030
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Paulding County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 770-443-3010
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 280 Constitution Boulevard, Room 1023, Dallas, GA 30132; 770-443-7527
- Juvenile Court
- 280 Constitution Boulevard, Room 2106, Dallas, GA 30132; 770-443-7532
- Public defender
- Paulding Circuit, 1387 Industrial Boulevard North, Suite 103, Dallas, GA 30132; 770-443-3463
- Youth detention
- Marietta Regional Youth Detention Center, 1575 County Services Parkway, Marietta, GA 30008; 770-528-4287
Fees, hours, and phone numbers change, and a judge may order a different bond. Confirm with the jail or the clerk before paying. This guide is plain-language help and is no substitute for a lawyer.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Paulding County
The Paulding County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding 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 $1,500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Paulding County Jail, or the courthouse in Paulding County where the offense took place.
Call 770-443-3030 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Paulding County inmate locator.
Paulding County Jail
Address:
190 Constitution Boulevard
Dallas, GA 30132
Phone:
770-443-3030
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Paulding County
Does Paulding County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Paulding County?
Who can set bail in Paulding County?
When is bail set in Paulding County Georgia?
Does Paulding County have bail?
Yes, Paulding County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding 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, Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding County have bail?
Yes, Paulding County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Paulding 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 Paulding County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Paulding County Jail for more information about the jails in Paulding County.
What options are there to pay bail in Paulding 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 Paulding County Jail for more information about posting bail in Paulding 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 Paulding 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 Paulding 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.