Union County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Union County bail and bond: the Blairsville jail and the bonding window
The Union County Jail, 378 Beasley Street in Blairsville, is run by Sheriff office. Check Union County Inmate Search to see if a person is booked and whether a bond has been set. The jail number is 706-439-6080. The Magistrate Court at the courthouse on Courthouse Street deals with first appearance and bond hearings.
How do I confirm that my husband is at the Blairsville jail?
Put his name in Union County Inmate Search. The result tells you if he is booked, and what bond, if any, is attached.
Nothing yet? Call the jail at 706-439-6080. Say when and where he was arrested and who arrested him.
What is the address of the jail?
The Union County Jail is at 378 Beasley Street, Blairsville, GA 30512, in the same building as the Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's main line is 706-439-6066, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For non-life-threatening issues after hours, dispatch is 706-439-6038.
Where is the bonding window, and can I use it at night?
The sheriff's jail page mentions a bonding window and says money orders may be brought to it at any time. That sentence is about money orders for inmate accounts, so ask 706-439-6080 whether a bond can be posted at night.
Take photo ID, the person's full name, and the exact bond figure.
What can I pay with?
The sheriff's page says cash will not be accepted for inmate account deposits and that money orders are the only form it takes there. For an actual bond, the page lists no payment types.
Call 706-439-6080 and ask how a bond may be paid before you go. Do not assume cash works.
What is the difference between an inmate deposit and a bond?
A deposit puts money on the person's account for phone calls and store items. The sheriff lists a money order, an online deposit with a card, and lobby kiosk options for phone accounts.
Deposits do not release anyone. Bond is paid to the court, a bondsman, or by property.
How do I see what bond has been set?
The bond figure appears in the record on Union County Inmate Search once a judge has acted. A blank line may mean a first appearance has not happened.
Then call 706-439-6080 and ask about each charge and any holds.
Which court sets bond in Union County?
The county Magistrate Court handles bond hearings, first appearance hearings, warrants, and committal hearings, according to the county. It is at 65 Courthouse Street, Suite 10, Blairsville, and its number is 706-439-6008. A chief magistrate leads it, with an associate magistrate.
The office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 17-4-26, requires a first appearance within 72 hours of a warrant arrest.
What does a bonding company charge?
Georgia allows a bonding company to collect up to 15 percent of the bond under O.C.G.A. 17-6-30(a). It may ask for a minimum of $50 per bonded charge.
On a $4,000 bond, 15 percent is $600. The jail cannot recommend a company, so compare a few and read the contract first.
Is a bond chart posted for Union County?
No bond schedule turned up on the sheriff or county pages, so no sample amounts are given here. A judge decides each bond.
The Magistrate Court at 706-439-6008 can tell you whether a chart exists for your charge.
Can we use our mountain land as security?
Possibly. O.C.G.A. 17-6-12 says the sheriff of the county where the offense happened can approve property as security. Phone the sheriff's office at 706-439-6066 for the steps.
Ask about the equity needed, whether land in another county counts, and who has to sign.
The jail will not release my brother. What could be the reason?
Murder, rape, armed robbery, and some other offenses can be bonded only before a superior court judge (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). A parole or probation hold or a warrant from another county can also keep him in.
Ask the jail at 706-439-6080 to name every hold.
What if a town officer, not a deputy, made the arrest?
That department can give you the charge and a report number. Adults are usually taken to the county jail, so look on Union County Inmate Search after a few hours.
Ask whether the person is at a city holding area first.
Who handles court papers and fees?
The Clerk of Superior Court is at 65 Courthouse Street, Blairsville. Her number is 706-439-6022, and the county lists weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bring a case number when you can.
Does Union County have a public defender?
Yes. Union County is in the Enotah Judicial Circuit, and its public defender office is at 65 Courthouse Street, Suite 265, Blairsville. The number is 706-745-8156.
A judge decides who qualifies for a free lawyer.
Where does a minor from Union County go if held?
The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice sends Union County youth to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501. Call the state at 404-508-6500.
Juvenile cases are private and are left out of the adult search.
What happens if a court date is missed?
The court may issue an arrest warrant and keep the bond. Call the magistrate office or the clerk and your lawyer or bondsman the same day.
Is my bond money coming back?
A court generally returns cash bond money after the case ends, less fines and costs. Ask the clerk at 706-439-6022 how to claim it.
What does a bond scam look like?
A caller who asks for gift cards, crypto, or a wire is not from the sheriff or the court. The sheriff's jail page asks for money orders. Hang up and call 706-439-6080.
What if the charge is federal?
A federal charge goes to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, not to a county court. Union County cases are heard in the Gainesville Division, Sidney O. Smith Federal Building & US Courthouse, 121 Spring Street SE, Room 201, Gainesville, GA 30501-3789; the clerk's line is 678-450-2760. 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.
Union County bond contacts
- Jail
- Union County Jail, 378 Beasley Street, Blairsville, GA 30512; 706-439-6080
- Bond guide
- Jail bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Union County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Sheriff's Office; main 706-439-6066; after hours 706-439-6038
- Magistrate Court
- Chief Magistrate, 65 Courthouse Street, Suite 10, Blairsville, GA 30512; 706-439-6008
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 65 Courthouse Street, Blairsville, GA 30512; 706-439-6022
- Public defender
- Enotah Circuit, 65 Courthouse Street, Suite 265, Blairsville, GA 30512; 706-745-8156
- Youth detention
- Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, 450 Crescent Drive, Gainesville, GA 30501; state line 404-508-6500
Policies, fees, and numbers can be updated, and judges can set terms not listed here. Verify with the jail before you pay. The goal here is plain information, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Union County Jail
The Union County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Union 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 Union 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 Union 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 Union County Jail, or the courthouse in Union County where the offense took place.
Call 706-439-6080 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Union County inmate locator.
Union County Jail
Address:
378 Beasley Street
Blairsville, GA 30512
Phone:
706-439-6080
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Union County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Union County?
Who can set bail in Union County?
When is bail set in Union County Georgia?
Does Union County have bail?
Yes, Union County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Union 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 Union 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 Union 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 Union 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 Union 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 Union 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, Union 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 Union 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 Union County have bail?
Yes, Union County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Union 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 Union 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 Union County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Union 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 Union County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Union County Jail for more information about the jails in Union County.
What options are there to pay bail in Union 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 Union County Jail for more information about posting bail in Union 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 Union 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 Union 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.