Stephens County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Stephens County bail and bond: Toccoa, Scenic Drive, and the clerk on North Alexander Street
Toccoa is the Stephens County seat, and its county jail is the Stephens County Detention Center, listed at 1677 Scenic Drive. Check Stephens County Inmate Search to see whether a person is booked and what the bond is. The Sheriff's Office, at 70 N. Alexander Street, answers at 706-886-2525, and a directory gives 706-886-2514 for the jail itself. The Clerk of Superior Court is on that same street.
Someone from Toccoa was arrested overnight. Where do I look first?
Start with Stephens County Inmate Search. Enter the last name and watch for a booking time and a bond line. If nothing appears, call the detention center on 706-886-2514, which a directory describes as an all-hours information line, and give the full name and birth date.
Where is the Stephens County jail, and where is the Sheriff?
The Georgia Department of Corrections lists the jail at 1677 Scenic Drive, Toccoa, GA 30577. The Sheriff's Office is at a separate address, 70 N. Alexander Street, Suite 205, Toccoa, GA 30577, at 706-886-2525. A jail directory says mail to inmates goes to the Scenic Drive address.
Which number is better for bond questions?
The directory says to call 706-886-2514 for bond amounts and visit times. If the person answering cannot help, the Sheriff's office at 706-886-2525 can point you to the right desk. Keep the person's booking number ready.
Where do I take cash for a bond?
A directory says cash goes to the jail's bonding window or to the clerk of court, and lists cash, a cashier's check, or a money order. It gives no hours. The Clerk of Superior Court is at 70 North Alexander Street, Room 202, and answers at 706-886-9496. Call before you go.
Does the jail take a card at a kiosk?
A directory says some jails do, with a fee, but it does not say this one does. Ask 706-886-2514: Is there a card option for a bond? What is the fee? Who runs it?
What is the usual bond for my charge?
No Stephens County bond schedule turned up in our search, so no dollar figures are printed. A judge sets the amount for each person. A defense lawyer can ask for it to be lowered, and the number appears on Stephens County Inmate Search when it is set.
Which judge sees my husband first?
A magistrate judge handles the first appearance, and O.C.G.A. 17-4-26 requires it within 72 hours of arrest. The Stephens County Magistrate Court is at 70 N. Alexander Street, Suite 107, Toccoa, and its number is 706-886-6205. Its website says the judge considers bail at that hearing, and if the judge cannot set bail, the defendant is told.
Are some crimes outside a magistrate's power to bond?
Yes. Only a superior court judge can grant bail for murder, rape, armed robbery, and certain other crimes (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). A person charged with one may wait longer. A lawyer or the clerk at 706-886-9496 can tell you how a hearing is requested.
What does it mean when a charge is bail restricted?
Georgia lists offenses, in O.C.G.A. 17-6-12, for which a judge may not allow release on a signature only. Among them are burglary and aggravated assault. Release needs cash, a professional bondsman, or property that the sheriff has approved.
What can a bail bondsman collect from me?
Fifteen percent of the bond is the top figure. A $50 minimum applies to each charge, even when 15 percent is smaller (O.C.G.A. 17-6-30). Ask the Sheriff's desk at 706-886-2525 which bondsmen sign in Stephens County, because no list is posted online.
Can I offer a home or acreage?
Georgia lets the sheriff of the county of the offense approve property as security (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). The Stephens County rules for equity, location, and who signs are not posted online. One directory guesses at twice the bond. Call the Sheriff at 706-886-2525 and ask for the checklist.
What happens to the cash at the end?
Cash given to the court generally comes back after the case ends, less fines and costs. Ask the clerk at 706-886-9496 about the steps. A bondsman's charge does not come back through the court.
Does paying into a jail account count as bail?
No. Money for visits, calls, or snacks only goes into an account. It cannot buy release. If a stranger asks for gift cards or an app transfer to free someone, stop and call 706-886-2514.
Who is the free lawyer for Stephens County?
The Mountain Circuit Public Defender, 226 Grant Street, Clarkesville, serves Stephens, Banks, Habersham, and Rabun counties. Call 706-754-6427 and ask to apply.
Where is a juvenile held from Toccoa?
The Department of Juvenile Justice assigns Stephens County to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. You can reach the state at 404-508-6500. Adult searches leave out juveniles, so phone to ask.
What if he does not appear after release?
Expect a warrant, and expect the court to go after the bond money. Pledged property can be pursued. Contact a lawyer and the clerk at 706-886-9496 immediately.
What if federal agents made the arrest?
Not every arrest stays in county court. A federal charge from Stephens County is filed in the Northern District of Georgia and heard in its Gainesville Division: Sidney O. Smith Federal Building & US Courthouse, 121 Spring Street SE, Room 201, Gainesville, GA 30501-3789, phone 678-450-2760. 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.
Stephens County bond contacts
- Jail
- Stephens County Detention Center, 1677 Scenic Drive, Toccoa, GA 30577; 706-886-2514
- Bond guide
- Detention Center bail and bond help
- Sheriff
- Sheriff; 70 N. Alexander Street, Suite 205, Toccoa, GA 30577; 706-886-2525
- Custody lookup
- Stephens County Inmate Search
- Magistrate Court
- 70 N. Alexander Street, Suite 107, Toccoa, GA 30577; 706-886-6205
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 70 North Alexander Street, Room 202, Toccoa, GA 30577; 706-886-9496
- Public defender
- Mountain Circuit, 226 Grant Street, Clarkesville, GA 30523; 706-754-6427
- Youth detention
- Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501; state office 404-508-6500
Anything here can change: the amount, the office hours, the phone number, even the judge. Check each detail with the Sheriff or the clerk first. No part of this page is legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Stephens County Detention Center
The Stephens County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens County Detention Center, or the courthouse in Stephens County where the offense took place.
Call 706-886-2514 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Stephens County inmate locator.
Stephens County Detention Center
Address:
1677 Scenic Drive
Toccoa, GA 30577
Phone:
706-886-2514
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Stephens County
Does Stephens County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stephens County?
Who can set bail in Stephens County?
When is bail set in Stephens County Georgia?
Does Stephens County have bail?
Yes, Stephens County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens 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, Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens County have bail?
Yes, Stephens County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Stephens 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 Stephens County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Stephens County Detention Center for more information about the jails in Stephens County.
What options are there to pay bail in Stephens 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 Stephens County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens 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.