Butte County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Butte County bail and bond: the Arco jail, courthouse, and steps to take
Butte County is small, with its county seat in Arco. The jail that serves this county is the Butte County Jail, listed at 256 West Grand Avenue, Arco, with room for only a handful of people. Start with the Butte County Inmate Search to see whether someone is held; the jail desk can give the bail set for the charge. Call the jail at 208-527-8553 when you need an answer the search cannot give, including where the person is sleeping tonight. The courthouse, also on West Grand Avenue, is where a judge sets and changes bond.
1. My relative was arrested near Arco. Where do I look first?
Look up the name on the Butte County Inmate Search. If the name is missing, the booking may be minutes old or the person may be at another jail on a contract bed. Call 208-527-8553 and ask the desk to tell you which jail has custody.
Have the arrested person's legal name and date of birth ready for Arco staff before you dial, and ask which agency made the arrest.
2. How big is the jail, and why does that matter for release?
The Butte County Jail in Arco is a small jail with only a handful of beds. With so few beds, a person could be moved to another county's jail, so check before you travel.
Ask the desk whether a transfer is planned and whether any hold exists before you pay.
3. Where do I take the money?
The county pages reviewed for this guide describe no bonding window, so confirm the place by phone. Start with the jail, 208-527-8553, then the court, 208-527-8259.
Never mail a bond. Pay in person or through an approved agent, and get a receipt that carries the case number.
4. Which payment forms are allowed in Idaho?
Under the statewide misdemeanor rule, bail may be posted in cash, with a cashier's check or money order, by personal check where the district judge allows it, through a surety bond, or by property bond.
A small county may take only some of these, so ask which forms apply before you go to a bank.
5. What are typical amounts for lesser charges?
The statewide schedule, last revised in January 2023, sets a first DUI at $500 for an Idaho resident and $2,000 for a nonresident, with a second DUI at $1,000 and $3,000. An obstructing charge and any unlisted misdemeanor are $300. Disturbing the peace is marked "book and release," and stalking has no bond until a court appearance.
These figures guide a judge but do not bind one. Butte posts no public roster, so phone the Arco jail for the amount set on a booking; the Butte County Inmate Search only confirms custody.
6. Why does a felony take longer?
A felony generally waits for a judge to set the amount. Idaho Criminal Rule 5 calls for a first appearance without unreasonable delay and within 24 hours, not counting weekends and holidays.
If your relative is picked up late on a Friday, the first hearing may not happen until Monday.
7. What about domestic battery or a no-contact order?
Under the statewide schedule, a domestic assault or battery arrest, or a no-contact order violation, waits for a judge to set any bond.
At that hearing the judge may allow release with rules about contact. Breaking them can end the release under Idaho Code 19-2919.
8. Is a bondsman the better choice?
A licensed bail agent can post a surety bond for a fee, and Idaho law says no one is required to put up a cash deposit. Any agent you hire should hold an Idaho Department of Insurance license.
Ask whether the agent will come to Arco or file from Idaho Falls, and ask for every fee in writing.
9. May I pledge land or a house?
Yes, with limits. Idaho Code 19-2909 asks for Idaho real estate with equity that covers the bail plus collection costs after any Butte County liens. The judge can refuse, and the owner pays the fees.
Statewide rules also require a magistrate's approval. Call the courthouse at 208-527-8259 to ask what the clerk needs.
10. Where is the courthouse?
Butte County Courthouse, 326 West Grand Avenue, Arco, with mail going to P.O. Box 171. The main number is 208-527-8259.
Court hours are best confirmed by phone, so call first, especially on a Friday afternoon or before a holiday.
11. What happens to the money afterward?
When the case ends and the person has attended every date, the clerk applies cash to fines, costs, fees, and restitution, then refunds the surplus to the person who posted it (Idaho Code 19-2908).
A bondsman's fee is gone for good.
12. What if he or she misses a hearing?
Under Idaho Code 19-2915 the judge issues a bench warrant in Arco and forfeits the bond. The clerk mails notice to the poster, and a forfeiture can be set aside within 180 days if the person is back before the court.
Phone the lawyer at once.
13. Does Butte County have a public defender?
The state's list shows no Butte County office. The State Public Defender uses contract lawyers here. Call the state office in Boise, 208-605-4575 or toll free 888-592-6680, and ask which lawyer takes Butte County cases.
A judge decides who qualifies. Ask the lawyer to request a bond reduction.
14. A teenager has been arrested. Where do they go?
Butte County youth are held at the 3-B Juvenile Detention Center, 605 North Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls, 208-542-2947.
Butte County Probation, 159 North Idaho Street, Arco, 208-527-3166, can tell you the court date. Juvenile cases do not show on the adult search.
15. When can bail be denied?
Idaho's constitution lets a court refuse bail only for capital offenses where the proof is evident or the presumption great. A judge decides after a Butte County plea or verdict, during appeal, or on a probation violation.
A hold from another county or the state's probation and parole office can block release too; ask for every hold.
16. How do I recognize a bail scam?
A real office will not demand gift cards, wire transfers, or app payments. Money sent to a jail's phone or store account does not release anyone.
Hang up and call 208-527-8553 yourself.
17. Can I post bail in Arco on a federal charge?
A federal court takes the Butte County case. A Butte County federal charge falls outside the schedule Arco uses for Idaho bail, so the Arco jail desk takes no money for it. Butte County federal cases go to the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, Eastern Division, 801 E. Sherman St., Pocatello; and from Arco the clerk's line is 208-478-4123.
- The federal magistrate calls the Butte County case first on a case from Arco, in many cases the next court day.
- No printed cash amount exists for a Arco federal arrest. Following 18 U.S.C. 3142, the magistrate can release the Butte defendant on conditions or order detention.
- When detention is requested in a Arco case, the hearing for the Butte County defendant follows quickly, unless a Butte party asks to delay it.
- The U.S. Marshals Service has custody before trial, which can place your loved one in a county jail by contract; call 208-527-8553 and ask if the Arco jail has the arrested person.
- After a federal sentence on a Butte case, the Federal Bureau of Prisons takes over; search the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
18. What happens to a Butte County bond when ICE files a detainer?
Bail can still be posted in Butte County, but ICE may still claim the Butte person at Butte County Jail. The steps typically run like this for a Arco arrest:
- At intake in Arco, Idaho Code 18-9008 has the jail check if someone booked in Arco could be a Butte foreign national and, in Butte County, notify the Department of Homeland Security within 48 hours.
- ICE may file a Form I-247A detainer naming the Butte prisoner.
- A reasonable detainer must be honored in Butte County under Idaho Code 18-9005(4) when the Arco case's own hold has ended, and Butte County must inform your family member of the hold.
- After the Butte County bail is posted, the Butte hold can last up to 48 hours, and Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays count.
- Officers from the ICE Twin Falls office, 212 Deere Street, Twin Falls, ID 83301, 208-737-3820, collect the person from the Butte County jail; ICE often moves Butte detainees to the Elmore County Detention Center at 2255 East 8th North, Mountain Home and then a Butte detainee may go out of state.
- Find the person on the ICE Online Detainee Locator System by Butte A-number, or by the Arco detainee's name and native country.
Get legal advice before posting in Arco, because the bond only covers the Butte County charge.
19. Where do I search for a Butte County prisoner?
- Butte County custody: open Butte County Inmate Search ; you can also call 208-527-8553.
- Custody alerts: VINELink lists Butte custody status and sends release notices.
- Idaho prisons: check the Idaho Department of Correction Resident/Client Search, or see our Idaho state prisons guide.
- Federal inmate: use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
- ICE detainee: the ICE Online Detainee Locator System.
- Court cases and dates: Idaho iCourt case search, or call the Arco court at 208-527-8259.
Key contacts for Butte County bond questions
- County jail
- Butte County Jail, 256 West Grand Avenue, Arco, ID 83213; 208-527-8553
- Bond help
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Butte County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Butte County Sheriff's Office, 256 West Grand Avenue, Arco; 208-527-8553
- Courthouse
- 326 West Grand Avenue, Arco, ID 83213; P.O. Box 171; 208-527-8259
- Public defense
- State Public Defender, Boise; 208-605-4575
- County probation
- 159 North Idaho Street, Arco; 208-527-3166
- Youth detention
- 3-B Juvenile Detention Center, 605 North Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls; 208-542-2947
Butte County bond amounts, fees, hours, and Butte County phone numbers may change with little notice. Confirm each with the Butte County jail or court before you pay. We give general information, not legal advice.
Butte County Jail
Address:
256 W. Grand Ave
Arco, ID 83213
Phone:
208-527-8553
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Butte County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Butte County?
Who can set bail in Butte County?
When is bail set in Butte County Idaho?
Does Butte County have bail?
Yes, Butte County recognizes most types of bonds.
Unless the defendant is deemed a flight risk, accused of a capital crime, or had previously failed to appear, bail is considered a right.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Butte County?
Idaho will consider a bail bond, property bail bond or cash deposit which also includes check or money order. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Butte County?
Idaho uses a Bail Bond Schedule which lists the predetermined bail for most nonviolent crimes. For those crimes not listed on the schedule, or when the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail must be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Butte County Idaho?
For most nonviolent crimes bail is set automatically in accordance with a Bail Bond Schedule. For those crimes not listed on the schedule, or when the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, a hearing called first appearance will be scheduled on the first available court date. Bail will be determined at this hearing.
A bond proceeding is the determination of how much bail is to be paid and usually happens at the same time as an initial appearance or arraignment. During bond proceedings, the defendant can have an attorney present but does not have the right to an attorney. A judge or court officer in the {county extended} or magistrate court sets bail.
Judges in Idaho rely on a statewide bail schedule, which sets out a recommended range of bail amounts for different offenses. Judges can still exercise discretion in setting bail above or below the recommended range.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Butte 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 Butte 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.
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 Butte 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, Butte 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
What are the different types of bonds in Butte 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 Butte County have bail?
Yes, Butte County recognizes most types of bonds.
Unless the defendant is deemed a flight risk, accused of a capital crime, or had previously failed to appear, bail is considered a right.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Butte County?
Idaho will consider a bail bond, property bail bond or cash deposit which also includes check or money order. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Butte County?
Idaho uses a Bail Bond Schedule which lists the predetermined bail for most nonviolent crimes. For those crimes not listed on the schedule, or when the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail must be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Idaho?
For most nonviolent crimes bail is set automatically in accordance with a Bail Bond Schedule. For those crimes not listed on the schedule, or when the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, a hearing called first appearance will be scheduled on the first available court date. Bail will be determined at this hearing.
A bond proceeding is the determination of how much bail is to be paid and usually happens at the same time as an initial appearance or arraignment. During bond proceedings, the defendant can have an attorney present but does not have the right to an attorney. A judge or court officer in the {county extended} or magistrate court sets bail.
Judges in Idaho rely on a statewide bail schedule, which sets out a recommended range of bail amounts for different offenses. Judges can still exercise discretion in setting bail above or below the recommended range.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Butte County Idaho?
Yes, a judge may reduce or increase bail upon a showing of good cause. Your attorney or public defender can request a hearing for this purpose.
In Butte County Idaho, who can pay bail for me?
The defendant can post cash bail or 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 Idaho could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Butte County Idaho?
Yes, Idaho does offer online payment of bail. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Butte County Jail for more information about the jails in Butte County.
What options are there to pay bail in Butte County Idaho?
A cash deposit can be made as well as checks or money order. Each area varies with regards to accepting credit cards. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Butte County Jail for more information about posting bail in Butte County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Idaho?
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 Butte County?
Cash bond requires a minimum amount of money be paid prior to the defendant’s release. Even if you use a bail bond agent the state requires a down payment of 15%.
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 Idaho?
The Butte 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 by the state and cannot be negotiated.
Detailed information regarding bail and bond procedures in Idaho.