Stewart County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Stewart County bail and bond: Lumpkin, Cuthbert, and the immigration center that is not the jail
Lumpkin is the Stewart County seat, but a directory reports that the Stewart County Jail has closed and that people arrested here are booked at the Randolph County Jail in Cuthbert. The Stewart County jails page shows both lockups. Look the person up on Stewart County Inmate Search to see if they are in custody and what the bond is. Then call the Sheriff at 229-838-4311 or the Randolph County Jail at 229-732-2525 to confirm where they are. The state corrections list has an entry for the Randolph jail but none for a Stewart County jail. The big building in Lumpkin run for immigration cases is a different matter, covered below.
Is my son in a jail in Lumpkin or somewhere else?
Use Stewart County Inmate Search first. Stewart County arrests may go to the Randolph County Jail in Cuthbert, which the Georgia Department of Corrections lists at 156 Peachtree Street. Call the Sheriff at 229-838-4311 and ask where he is held tonight.
Who answers the phone for Stewart County prisoners?
Directories give 229-838-4311 for the Stewart County Sheriff and Jail in Lumpkin, and 229-732-2525 for the Randolph County Jail and Sheriff in Cuthbert. Try the Sheriff first, because he knows where Stewart prisoners are placed. If you reach Cuthbert, give the full name and birth date.
What is the Stewart Detention Center on CCA Road?
It is a privately operated immigration detention center in Lumpkin that houses people for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the county's phone list shows it at 229-838-5000. It is not the county jail. The same list shows a separate County Prison, 229-838-4385, for state prisoners, which is not where bonds are posted. It is a state facility, so use the Georgia state inmate search to find someone there. Georgia bail rules and the county clerk do not control it. If a relative may be held there for immigration reasons, a lawyer who handles immigration cases is the right call.
Where do I pay when the Lumpkin jail is closed?
Cash bonds go to a jail bonding window or the clerk of court. Call 229-838-4311 and ask where to pay. Ask whether the Cuthbert desk or a Lumpkin office takes payment, and for which hours.
Which forms of payment are accepted?
The directory lists cash, a cashier's check, and a money order, and mentions cards for a fee. None of that was confirmed for Stewart County. Ask the Sheriff at 229-838-4311 before driving anywhere with money, and get a receipt that names the case.
How do I learn how much the bond is?
Look at the record on Stewart County Inmate Search. If a bond line is empty, the judge may not have acted, or there may be a hold from another agency. No printed Stewart County bond schedule turned up, so no sample dollar amounts are here.
Who hears a first appearance for Stewart County arrests?
In Georgia, a magistrate judge usually handles it, and O.C.G.A. 17-4-26 sets a 72-hour limit. The county's phone list shows Stewart County Magistrate Court at 229-838-0505. Call it for the hearing day. If it cannot help, the county commission office in the Lumpkin courthouse, 229-838-6769, can direct you.
Which crimes need a superior court judge for bail?
Murder, rape, armed robbery, and some other listed offenses are bailable only before a superior court judge (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). The family can ask a lawyer to request that hearing. A magistrate cannot grant it.
What makes a charge bail restricted?
O.C.G.A. 17-6-12 names offenses, including burglary and aggravated assault, for which a judge may not release someone on a promise alone. Cash, a bondsman, or sheriff-approved property is required instead.
What can a bondsman charge?
Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-30, the limit is 15 percent of the bond. A bondsman may collect at least $50 on each charge even if 15 percent is less. Get the final price in writing, and ask the Sheriff at 229-838-4311 which bondsmen sign for Stewart County.
Can I use a house or land in Stewart County?
The law lets the sheriff of the county where the offense occurred approve property (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). Stewart County's checklist, such as how much equity and which papers, is not posted online. A directory hints at about twice the bond. Ask the Sheriff at 229-838-4311.
Do I get cash back when it is over?
Cash given to a court generally returns when the case ends, less fines and costs. The county's list shows a Superior Court office at 229-838-6220, which is the place to ask how refunds work. Money paid to a bondsman stays with the bondsman.
Is adding money to an inmate account a bond?
No. Money for calls or commissary is separate and frees nobody. Hang up on any caller who wants gift cards for a release, and phone 229-838-4311 instead.
Who is appointed to defend people in Stewart County?
The Southwestern Circuit Public Defender, 510 West Lamar Street, Americus, covers Stewart County, along with Lee, Macon, Schley, Sumter, and Webster. Call 229-928-4610 and ask for an application.
Where do Stewart County juveniles go?
The Department of Juvenile Justice lists the Aaron Cohn Regional Youth Detention Center, 7700 Chattsworth Road, Midland, GA 31820, for Stewart County. The state phone is 404-508-6500. A child will not show on the adult search, so call to find out where.
If he misses court after release, what then?
Count on an arrest warrant and a bond forfeiture. Pledged land or a house is at risk. Call a lawyer today.
What if the charge is federal?
A federal charge goes to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, not to a county court. Stewart County cases are heard in the Columbus Division, 120 12th Street, Columbus, GA 31902; the clerk's line is (706) 649-7816. A federal magistrate judge decides on release, often within a day or two of arrest. Deputy U.S. Marshals move people to and from court, and the person may be housed in a county jail under contract. Once sentenced, look the person up with the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Stewart County bond contacts
- Jails
- Stewart County jails page: Stewart County Jail, Lumpkin (reported closed), and Randolph County Jail, 156 Peachtree Street, Cuthbert, GA 39840; 229-732-2525
- Bond guide
- Stewart County bail and bond help
- Sheriff
- Lumpkin, GA 31815; 229-838-4311
- Custody lookup
- Stewart County Inmate Search
- County offices
- Stewart County Commission Office, courthouse, Lumpkin; 229-838-6769
- Courts
- Magistrate Court 229-838-0505; Superior Court 229-838-6220
- Public defender
- Southwestern Circuit, 510 West Lamar Street, Americus, GA 31709; 229-928-4610
- Youth detention
- Aaron Cohn Regional Youth Detention Center, 7700 Chattsworth Road, Midland, GA 31820; state office 404-508-6500
- State inmate search
- Georgia state inmate search (for the Stewart County Prison)
The details on this page are only as current as the day it was written, and some, like where Stewart County prisoners are held, should be double-checked. Phone the Sheriff before you send money. It offers general background and is not legal advice.
Using GTL/gettingout to make bail payments
How to make a bail payment using gettingout.com/Viapath
- gettingout.com/Viapath assists you in using their banking system to make bail payment for your inmate.
- You can call them at 866-516-0115.
- Gettingout, also known as Viapath, limits your 24 hour online deposit to $3,000.00. So if the bail is higher, it may take multiple deposits over the same number of days.
Stewart County Jail
Address:
Stewart County Jail
Lumpkin, GA
Phone:
229-732-2525
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Stewart County
Does Stewart County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stewart County?
Who can set bail in Stewart County?
When is bail set in Stewart County Georgia?
Does Stewart County have bail?
Yes, Stewart County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart 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, Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart County have bail?
Yes, Stewart County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Stewart 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 Stewart County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Stewart County Jail for more information about the jails in Stewart County.
What options are there to pay bail in Stewart 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 Stewart County Jail for more information about posting bail in Stewart 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 Stewart 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 Stewart 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.