Rush County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Rush County Bail and Bond, La Crosse, Kansas
Bail after an arrest in Rush County is handled at the county jail in La Crosse, which the sheriff runs from 715 Elm St., La Crosse, KS 67548. Phone the sheriff's office at 785-222-2578 for the amount set and posting steps; once the bond is accepted, staff process the release.
Who do I call first after an arrest?
The county sheriff's office, 785-222-2578, fax 785-222-3328. Its deputies page describes it as the sole police agency countywide, so every local arrest, whether in Otis, Bison, McCracken or out on a highway, is booked through this office and its jail. Have the person's full name and date of birth ready, then ask about the charge, whether a judge has set bond, and the hours bond can be posted.
↑ Back to the question listWho sets the bond amount?
Usually the district magistrate judge assigned to the county, at the first appearance. K.S.A. 22-2901 calls for that hearing promptly, without unnecessary delay. The county belongs to the 24th Judicial District, a six-county district listed by the Kansas Judicial Branch; district judges ride the circuit for felony matters.
↑ Back to the question listWhat kinds of bond does Kansas allow?
Under K.S.A. 22-2802 a judge may order:
- release on recognizance, a written promise to appear;
- a cash deposit of the whole amount;
- a surety from an authorized bondsman or qualified individual;
- a property bond pledging Kansas land;
- 10 percent cash, permitted only for certain bonds of $2,500 or less.
Does a bondsman need court approval?
Yes. K.S.A. 22-2809b lets a compensated surety write bonds only after the chief judge of the judicial district has authorized it. The district court clerk at 785-222-2718 keeps that information; staff won't recommend a company. The premium a bondsman charges is the company's fee and is not returned.
↑ Back to the question listWhere and how is bond posted?
At the jail inside the sheriff's office, 715 Elm St.; mail goes to P.O. Box 495, La Crosse, KS 67548. Phone 785-222-2578 before driving over to confirm the amount, the forms of payment accepted, and whether the paperwork is ready. Bond money is separate from an inmate's spending account; for that, see our money guide, commissary page and phone page.
↑ Back to the question listWhat rules apply after release?
Every bond requires the defendant to appear at each hearing and to avoid new offenses. When the charge is a person crime, K.S.A. 22-2802 adds a 72-hour minimum ban on contacting the alleged victim unless the court says otherwise. The magistrate may also order check-ins with court services, an alcohol monitor or travel limits. A violation may bring arrest and revocation.
↑ Back to the question listHow is the amount figured?
The county publishes no bond schedule. The judge looks at the offense, criminal history, ties to the area and any risk to others. State law sets one minimum: at least $50,000 when the charge is manufacturing a controlled substance. For the figure in a specific case, ask the jail at 785-222-2578 or the clerk at 785-222-2718.
↑ Back to the question listCan a bond be lowered?
A defense lawyer can file a motion asking the magistrate to modify bond, often citing a job, family or a long local history. Anyone who can't pay for a lawyer may request appointed counsel when first in court, paid by the State Board of Indigents' Defense Services, 785-296-6631.
↑ Back to the question listIs cash bail returned?
Generally yes, at case end, provided every hearing was attended. Fines, costs or restitution can be deducted, so the person who posted it should keep the receipt. If the defendant misses court, the bond can be forfeited under K.S.A. 22-2807.
↑ Back to the question listWhich court has the case?
- District Court at the courthouse, 715 Elm St., P.O. Box 387, La Crosse, KS 67548; clerk 785-222-2718, fax 785-222-2748 (county court page).
- County Attorney, 111 W. Third St., P.O. Box 780, La Crosse, KS 67548; 785-222-3736. The office prosecutes state charges filed here.
What if the charge is federal?
County officials can't release someone on a federal charge. Detention there is a federal magistrate's call, and the Wichita clerk's office of the U.S. District Court is at 401 N. Market, Room 204, Wichita, KS 67202, 316-315-4200. Find federal prisoners with the BOP locator and Kansas prison inmates with KASPER.
↑ Back to the question listDoes posting bond release an ICE detainer?
No. If ICE lodged a Form I-247A, staff may keep custody for a maximum of 48 hours past the normal release time, per 8 CFR 287.7(d), for an ICE pickup. A transfer to a federal immigration site may follow. Check the ICE locator and our inmate search guide.
↑ Back to the question listRush County Jail
Address:
715 Elm St.
La Crosse, KS 67548
Phone:
785-222-2578
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Rush County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Rush County?
Who can set bail in Rush County?
When is bail set in Rush County Kansas?
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Rush County?
In Rush County, who can pay bail for me?
Can bail be paid online in Rush County?
What options are there to pay bail in Rush County?
Does Rush County have bail?
Yes, Rush County recognized most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Rush County?
Three types of bail are available: own recognizance, cash, or professional surety. A professional surety requires the services of an authorized bail bond agent. The court will determine which bond types will be approved.
Who can set bail in Rush County?
Bail is set by a magistrate judge in the county where the defendant is being charged.
When is bail set in Rush County Kansas?
Bail will be set by a judge at the defendant’s first court appearance, also known as arraignment. This will usually occur on the first court day following arrest, except for holidays or weekends.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Rush County?
Yes, the Bail Reform Act allows your attorney to request a bail reduction hearing if the initial bail is excessive or unreasonably high.
In Rush County, 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 Kansas could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Rush County?
No, Kansas counties do not currently offer online payment for bail.
Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Rush County Jail for more information about the jails in Rush County.
What options are there to pay bail in Rush County?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Rush County Jail for more information about the jails in Rush County.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Rush 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 Rush 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 Rush 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, Rush 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 Rush 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 Rush County Kansas have bail?
Yes, Rush County recognized most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Rush County?
Three types of bail are available: own recognizance, cash, or professional surety. A professional surety requires the services of an authorized bail bond agent. The court will determine which bond types will be approved.
Who can set bail in Rush County?
Bail is set by a magistrate judge in the county where the defendant is being charged.
When is bail set in Kansas? Bail will be set by a judge at the defendant’s first court appearance, also known as arraignment. This will usually occur on the first court day following arrest, except for holidays or weekends.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Rush County Kansas?
Yes, the Bail Reform Act allows your attorney to request a bail reduction hearing if the initial bail is excessive or unreasonably high.
In Rush County Kansas, 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 Kansas could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Rush County Kansas?
No, Kansas counties do not currently offer online payment for bail.
Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Rush County Jail for more information about the jails in Rush County.
What options are there to pay bail in Rush County Kansas?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Rush County Jail for more information about the jails in Rush County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Kansas?
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 Rush 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 Kansas?
The Rush 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.