Louisville Community Correctional Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Jefferson County Bail and Pretrial Release
This page covers bail, bond payment and release after an arrest anywhere in Louisville or Jefferson County. Louisville and Jefferson County run as one metro government, so every arrest in the county ends at the same jail: the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, 400 South Sixth Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-574-8477. Bond is handled around the clock downtown.
1. Where can I learn the bond amount?
Start with the inmate search guide or the jail's roster to make sure the person was booked. The bond is set by a District Court judge, often within hours, after a pretrial officer interviews the person. To ask what was set, call the District Court Clerk's bond line at 502-595-4428 or 502-595-3060. Have the full name and date of birth ready, since a big jail can hold several people with the same name. Once a felony is indicted and moves to the Judicial Center, 700 West Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, bond changes run through the Circuit Criminal clerk at 502-595-3009.
↑ Back to the question list2. Where and when can bond be paid?
Payment is taken in person at the Hall of Justice, 600 West Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, at any hour, every day of the year. You must be at least 18, appear yourself, and carry a valid government photo ID. The office takes cash, a certified check, and credit or debit cards; card payments carry a service charge. Release from the jail on Sixth Street usually follows a few hours after the clerk records the payment.
↑ Back to the question list3. Can the person use their own jail money?
Sometimes. A self-bond lets someone use money already on their jail spending account to post their own bond, at a charge of $70 for each $1,000. It is open only to Kentucky residents with a District Court case. People charged with DUI or domestic violence, and anyone who still owes a booking fee, cannot use it. Ask the accounts line at 502-574-2146 whether the balance is enough.
↑ Back to the question list4. Can I call a bail bondsman?
No. In Louisville, bail is paid to the circuit clerk (502-595-4428) or at Metro Corrections (502-574-8477). State law forbids paying a private company to post bail for profit (KRS 431.510). Families pay the court directly, and that money is returned at the end of the case for a defendant who attended all hearings. That rule helps families, because there is no nonrefundable fee to a bond company.
↑ Back to the question list5. What is the pretrial interview?
Jefferson Pretrial Services (502-595-4451) does it inside Metro Corrections. Soon after booking, a Pretrial Services officer asks questions about work, home and past court record, then gives the judge a risk score (KRS 431.515). People scored low risk are often released on their own promise to return, without paying anything (KRS 431.066). The local Pretrial Services office answers at 502-595-4451.
↑ Back to the question list6. Which bond types are used here?
A Louisville judge may grant recognizance, a signed promise to come back, or set an unsecured bond, where nothing is paid now but money is owed if court is missed. A ten percent deposit means paying a tenth in cash to the clerk (KRS 431.530). A full cash bond requires the whole amount up front, and a property bond pledges Kentucky real estate as security (KRS 431.535).
↑ Back to the question list7. How does a judge decide the amount?
The Jefferson circuit clerk (502-595-4428) can tell you the amount set. State law says bail must not be more than needed to make sure the person returns, and the judge has to think about what the person can pay (KRS 431.525). Someone cited only for a violation usually walks out without bond (KRS 431.062). Many lower felonies follow a state schedule (KRS 431.540), and in domestic violence cases, the victim's safety comes first (KRS 431.064). On many charges, time already spent in jail is credited at $100 a day toward bail.
↑ Back to the question list8. What rules come with release?
A judge may add conditions such as an ankle monitor, drug testing, a curfew, or an order to stay away from a person or place. Breaking a condition can put the person back in jail. A missed hearing leads to an arrest warrant, and the bond can be forfeited 20 days after notice is sent (KRS 431.545). Keep every court notice and update the clerk if you move.
↑ Back to the question list9. How do I get the bond money back?
If every date was kept through the end of the case, cash bail goes back from the clerk to whoever is named on the receipt, minus any fines, costs or fees the judge orders paid from it. A ten percent deposit has a small part kept by law (KRS 431.530). Keep the receipt from the Hall of Justice, because the clerk will ask for it.
↑ Back to the question list10. Who can help with the bond hearing?
People unable to pay for counsel may request the Jefferson County Trial Office of the Department of Public Advocacy, 701 West Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 833-934-5953. Counsel may move to lower the bond or change the conditions. Misdemeanors are prosecuted by the County Attorney, 600 West Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-574-6336. Felonies, once indicted, go to the Commonwealth's Attorney for the 30th Judicial Circuit, 514 West Liberty Street, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-595-2340.
↑ Back to the question list11. What about federal or immigration holds?
Metro Corrections (502-574-8477) can tell you about holds; Louisville marshals: 502-588-8000; ICE: 502-625-6202. A federal charge is handled in the U.S. Courthouse, 601 West Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202, 502-625-3500, and only a federal magistrate judge can set release terms; paying local bail does not end a federal hold. An ICE detainer is separate too: the jail may keep a person up to 48 hours past release so immigration officers can pick them up. See the ICE Online Detainee Locator and our court guide. Someone already serving a state sentence appears in the Kentucky DOC offender search (KOOL) instead of the jail roster.
↑ Back to the question listLouisville Community Correctional Center
Address:
316 East Chestnut Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone:
502-574-8477
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Jefferson County
Does Jefferson County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Jefferson County?
Who can set bail in Jefferson County?
When is bail set in Jefferson County Kentucky?
Does Jefferson County have bail?
Yes, Section 16 the Kentucky Constitution guarantees the right to bail for all but capital crimes. However, Kentucky does not permit bond companies to operate within the state. Any bonds would be gotten through the Jefferson County court system.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Jefferson County?
Kentucky offers several options when it comes to paying bail including release on own recognizance, cash bail, percentage bond, property bond, surety bond or unsecured bond.
Who can set bail in Jefferson County?
Pretrial officers are mandated to conduct an interview and assessment within 12 hours of arrest on individuals arrested on bailable offenses. If a defendant does not qualify for administrative release, pretrial officers then present the findings to a judge, who makes the decision about pretrial release.
When is bail set in Jefferson County Kentucky?
Bail is set either the day of the arrest or by a judge at the arraignment, which is when the defendant will also enter a plea. In most cases the arraignment will occur the morning following arrest.
What is Bail?
Bail is money paid that is held by the Jefferson County or municipal court to make sure that the arrested does not flee the area before their trial. Bail amounts and other conditions are determined at the arraignment.
The State of Kentucky has banned commercial bail by a bail bond company.
Pretrial officers are mandated to conduct an interview and assessment within 12 hours of arrest on individuals arrested on bailable offenses. If a defendant does not qualify for administrative release, pretrial officers then present the findings to a judge, who makes the decision about pretrial release.
It is always important to have family involvement after being arrested. Not only can they make calls and communicate on your behalf, but family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court, not only for the defendant’s own good, but because they may have signed bond paperwork and responsible to pay if the defendant does not show in court.
(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. There are no bond companies in Kentucky.)
If the pretrial officer and judge 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 Louisville Community Correctional Center until the case is resolved or goes to trial. Bail can also be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest.
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.
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.
What are the different types of bonds in Jefferson County?
Based on a review of information from the pretrial officer, the judge will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
These are the bonds that the Clerk of Court can process in Kentucky:
For minor offenses, the defendant, friend, or family can pay the full amount of bail.
A personal recognizance bond is where the defendant or someone representing the defendant signs paperwork which only requires a signature and promise from the defendant to return to court. If the defendant does not return to court, a warrant for arrest and detention can follow.
An unsecured release requires the defendant’s signature and conditions to be met. If the defendant does not return to court, the bail amount would need to be paid.
Cash percentage bond. If the bond order permits, the defendant pays 10% to the court, which then holds the money until the case is over. 10% of the 10% paid remains with the court and in most cases, there are court fees or fines due in addition, so if the defendant returns to all court hearings, 90% of the money paid to the court will be returned but additional fines and fees might be owed.
Third-party surety release requires another person called a surety to sign with the defendant. The other person would need to put up property or partial money. Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
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 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, although the court generally does not start the process to acquire the deed unless the defendant does not show to a court appearance.
Does Jefferson County Kentucky have bail?
Yes, Section 16 the Kentucky Constitution guarantees the right to bail for all but capital crimes. However, Kentucky does not permit bond companies to operate within the state. Any bonds would be gotten through the Jefferson County court system.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Jefferson County?
Kentucky offers several options when it comes to paying bail including release on own recognizance, cash bail, percentage bond, property bond, surety bond or unsecured bond.
Who can set bail in Jefferson County?
Pretrial officers are mandated to conduct an interview and assessment within 12 hours of arrest on individuals arrested on bailable offenses. If a defendant does not qualify for administrative release, pretrial officers then present the findings to a judge, who makes the decision about pretrial release.
When is bail set in Kentucky?
Bail is set either the day of the arrest or by a judge at the arraignment, which is when the defendant will also enter a plea. In most cases the arraignment will occur the morning following arrest.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Jefferson County Kentucky?
Yes, your attorney can file a request for bail adjustment with the District Court Judge assigned to the case.
In Jefferson County Kentucky, 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.
Can bail be paid online in Jefferson County Kentucky?
Kentucky does not have an online bail payment system; however, you can add funds to an inmate’s spending account which can then be used to post bail. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Louisville Community Correctional Center for contact information about the jails in Jefferson County or the Clerk of Court.
What options are there to pay bail in Jefferson County Kentucky?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted: Go to the Louisville Community Correctional Center for more information about the jails in Jefferson County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Kentucky?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. Not all money is returned due to bond percentages and court fees.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Jefferson 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 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.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Kentucky?
Kentucky does not allow bond companies to operate in the state. The bond is acquired through the courts. A cash bond or a personal recognizance bond does not require money down.