St. Joseph County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

St. Joseph County Jail

Address:
401 W. Sample Street
South Bend, IN 46601

Phone:

574-245-6500

Can I pay an Inmate's bail bond online?

St. Joseph County Jail uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPayNow) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.

Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.


To make a payment, you will need the following:

  • Court of Jurisdiction
  • Payment Amount
  • The Pay Location Code (PLC #) if you can get it. Call 574-245-6500 to ask for this.
  • Name of Arrestee/Defendant for whom payment is being made
  • Arrestee/Defendant's Date of Birth
  • Arrestee/Defendant's Booking Number

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 574-245-6500 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at St. Joseph County Jail.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.

Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in St. Joseph County

Because St. Joseph County and Indiana can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the St. Joseph County Jail at 574-245-6500, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the St. Joseph County Jail or the St. Joseph County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.

Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at St. Joseph County Jail

The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.

Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.

To pay a cash bond, go to St. Joseph County Jail or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.

Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to St. Joseph County Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office or to the St. Joseph County Court.

To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.

Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at St. Joseph County Jail

In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.

This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.



For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.

A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.

Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at St. Joseph County Jail

If you are a landowner in St. Joseph County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within St. Joseph County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.

To find if property located outside of St. Joseph County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.

Click here for additional information on how to post bail at St. Joseph County Jail.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at St. Joseph County Jail?

Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.

In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.

Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a Indiana state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

St. Joseph County Justice System Flowchart

When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?

Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, St. Joseph County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.

What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?

The St. Joseph County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.

If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.

Paying an Inmate's Bond Online in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County Jail uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPay Now) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.

Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.

For full information on paying an inmate's bond and getting them released after they have been arrested in St. Joseph County, check out our 
Inmate Bail Page.


Depositing Commissary Money Online for an Inmate in St. Joseph County Jail

If you want to deposit money online for an inmate in St. Joseph County you may also be able to use allpaid.

Register with them online or call them at 888-604-7888 for depositing inmate commissary money assistance 24 hours a day.
For full information about depositing money for an inmate, deposit limits and helpful instructions, visit our Send Money to an Inmate page for St. Joseph County.


 

How to Deposit Money in an Inmate's Commissary Account at St. Joseph County Jail

Inmates are allowed to have an account at the facility in order to purchase commissary items such as snacks, hygeine products, phone cards and stationary. These are the instructions on how to deposit money with them, pick up money they had with them when they were arrested, and how much money they need.


For complete information on inmate money and commissary issues, check out our Inmate Money page.


 

St. Joseph County Jail Inmate Mail Policies and Address - What Can You Send, and Where?

For inmates receiving mail in the St. Joseph County Jail there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.

All mail is to be shipped to the St. Joseph County Jail:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
St. Joseph County Jail
401 W. Sample Street
South Bend, IN 46601


For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.


 

How to Arrange Video Visitation with St. Joseph County Jail Inmates

Follow these instructions to schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL.

  • Register yourself and all visitors.
  • Select St. Joseph County Jail
  • Select your inmate.
  • Schedule your preferred time for the visit.

For all the information you need to know regarding scheduling, cost, rules, tips and guidelines of inmate visits at the St. Joseph County Jail, check out our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the St. Joseph County Jail by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for St. Joseph County Jail, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the St. Joseph County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in St. Joseph County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in St. Joseph County Jail follow these steps:

  • Select Indiana, then select St. Joseph County Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for St. Joseph County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in St. Joseph County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in St. Joseph County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for St. Joseph County.


 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay a St. Joseph County Jail inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a St. Joseph County Jail inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up St. Joseph County Jail or St. Joseph County, input the inmate's name, and then use your credit or debit card to deposit the bond amount. As soon as the payment is processed and the information is sent to the St. Joseph County Jail, the jail will begin the release process. You do not have to be present for all of this to take place. Learn more about how to bail or bond out an inmate in the St. Joseph County Jail, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 574-245-6500.