Whitfield County Detention Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Whitfield County bail and bond: Dalton detention, magistrate court, and payment steps
People arrested by county deputies in Whitfield County go to the Whitfield County Detention Facility, a 552-bed building that the county says is open every hour of every day. It is run by Sheriff, whose office is at 805 Professional Boulevard in Dalton. Search the name at Whitfield County Inmate Search to see if the person is booked and what bond has been set. The sheriff's main number is 706-278-1233.
1. Has Dalton or a deputy booked my son yet?
Put his name into Whitfield County Inmate Search. The search shows whether he is in custody and any bond line. A brand-new arrest may take hours to show up.
If it still shows nothing, call 706-278-1233, the Sheriff's Office number, with his full name and birth date. Ask whether another agency has him.
2. Where is the detention facility, and who runs it?
The county's website describes a four-story detention facility of about 146,000 square feet with 552 beds.
The county page lists a post office box for mailing to inmates, not a street address for visitors. Call 706-278-1233 to learn where to go for anything in person.
3. Which court sets the bond in Whitfield County?
Most first-appearance and bond questions go to the Magistrate Court, 205 North Selvidge Street, Suite E, Dalton, GA 30720. Its number is 706-278-5052. The court's mailing address is P.O. Box 386, Dalton, GA 30722.
Serious charges that only a superior court judge may bail are handled by that court instead. The Clerk of Superior Court answers at 706-275-7450.
4. How long can police wait before someone sees a judge?
After an arrest on a warrant, Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 17-4-26) requires a first appearance within 72 hours.
The county's court page does not list when hearings meet, so call the Magistrate Court at 706-278-5052 and ask for the next one.
5. What are the limits on what a bondsman may keep?
Think of two numbers. The ceiling is 15 percent of the face amount of the bond. The floor is $50 for each charge that is bonded, even if 15 percent comes to less. Both come from O.C.G.A. 17-6-30(a).
So a $10,000 bond can cost at most $1,500 in fees. Two small charges of $100 each can cost $100 total. If a company quotes you more, call the sheriff's office at 706-278-1233 before you pay.
6. What does the detention facility take as payment?
A listing says cash, a cashier's check, a money order, or a credit card at the detention facility. Treat that as a lead, not a promise, because the county page does not show bond payment rules.
The county's own jail page adds that the facility cannot release anyone by itself, because release is the job of the courts. Call 706-278-1233 and ask where bond is taken after hours, and what the total is for each charge. Get a receipt.
For records questions, the Sheriff's Records Division answers at 706-278-3029.
7. Do any Whitfield County sites list standard bond amounts?
The Magistrate Court page links a Forms and Fees section but shows no bond schedule, so this guide gives no example amounts. A judge decides each case on the charge and the person's record.
Ask the Magistrate Court, 706-278-5052, whether a schedule is used for your charge.
8. Can I use my house as security?
O.C.G.A. 17-6-12 lets property secure release if the sheriff of the county where the crime took place approves it. For a Whitfield County charge, start with the Sheriff's Office at 706-278-1233.
Ask what title documents are needed, how much equity counts, and whether land out of county is accepted. Those answers are not posted on the county's pages.
9. Why does his entry say no bond?
Georgia law (17-6-1) reserves the gravest crimes, among them murder, rape, and armed robbery, for a superior court judge alone to bail. A second list in 17-6-12 blocks release on a simple promise for many charges, such as DUI and burglary.
A parole or probation hold, or a warrant out of another county, can keep a person in too. The detention facility can read you every hold.
10. Dalton police arrested my brother. Where is he?
Adults arrested by Dalton Police or another city agency are generally taken to county booking. Get the report number from the arresting department.
Whether a city station keeps a temporary cell is not confirmed. Look at Whitfield County Inmate Search and then ask 706-278-1233.
11. Does Whitfield County have a public defender?
Whitfield County sits in the Conasauga Judicial Circuit, shared with Murray County. A Murray County court page says people apply at the county office on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so confirm the hours before you go.
The Sheriff's Office page lists a Public Defender's Office at 706-876-1576. Call it with the case number if you cannot pay a private lawyer.
A judge decides who qualifies. Say you need a lawyer at the first appearance.
12. What happens to a minor arrested in the county?
The Whitfield County Juvenile Court, 205 North Selvidge Street, Dalton, handles children's cases and is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its number is 706-278-6558.
The state sends Whitfield County youth to the Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center, 2735 Underwood Road NE, Dalton. Because juvenile files are protected by law, the adult search will not show a child.
13. If he misses court, what do we face?
A judge may sign a warrant and call in the bond. A bonding company can then look to the person who signed for it.
Call the court and the bondsman that day and ask what to do.
14. When does bond cash come back, and which calls are scams?
Ask the clerk when a cash bond is returned, and ask any bonding company in writing about its fee. Save the receipt.
A real jail never wants a gift card or a payment app transfer. If a call feels rushed, hang up and ring 706-278-1233.
What if federal agents made the arrest?
Not every arrest stays in county court. A federal charge from Whitfield County is filed in the Northern District of Georgia and heard in its Rome Division: Harold L. Murphy Federal Building & US Courthouse, 600 East First Street, Rome, GA 30161-3149, phone 706-378-4060. 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.
Whitfield County bond contacts
- Jail
- Whitfield County Detention Facility, 805 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720; 706-278-1233
- Bond guide
- Detention facility bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Whitfield County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- 805 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720; 706-278-1233
- Magistrate Court
- 205 North Selvidge Street, Suite E, Dalton, GA 30720; 706-278-5052
- Clerk of Superior Court
- 706-275-7450
- Juvenile Court
- 205 North Selvidge Street, Dalton, GA 30720; 706-278-6558; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Public defender
- 706-876-1576
- Youth detention
- Elbert Shaw Regional Youth Detention Center, 2735 Underwood Road NE, Dalton, GA 30721; state line 404-508-6500
Rules, costs, and hours move over time, and a court order can differ from what is described here. Contact the Sheriff's Office or the court before paying, and keep your receipts. This is a plain-language overview, not an attorney's advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Whitfield County Detention Facility
The Whitfield County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield County Detention Facility, or the courthouse in Whitfield County where the offense took place.
Call 706-278-1233 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Whitfield County inmate locator.
Whitfield County Detention Facility
Address:
805 Professional Blvd.
Dalton, GA 30720
Phone:
706-278-1233
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Whitfield County
Does Whitfield County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Whitfield County?
Who can set bail in Whitfield County?
When is bail set in Whitfield County Georgia?
Does Whitfield County have bail?
Yes, Whitfield County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield County Detention Facility 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, Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield County have bail?
Yes, Whitfield County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Whitfield 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 Whitfield County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Whitfield County Detention Facility for more information about the jails in Whitfield County.
What options are there to pay bail in Whitfield 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 Whitfield County Detention Facility for more information about posting bail in Whitfield 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 Whitfield 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 Whitfield County Detention Facility 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.
Approved Bonding Companies in Whitfield County, Georgia
A‐1 Bonding
1428 Cleo Way
Dalton Ga. 30720
706 259‐3511
Cohutta Bonding
448 N. Thornton Ave
Dalton Ga. 30720
706 277‐0095
Express Bonding
1510 N. Thornton Ave. #210
Dalton Ga. 30721
706 529‐8560
Huckabee Bonding
1204 N. Thornton Ave
Dalton Ga. 30720
706 226‐5474