Hancock County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

The Hancock County Jail shares the county complex at 50 State St., Ellsworth, ME 04605. Jail: 207-667-7588.

• Alternative number: Sheriff's Office, 207-667-7575

The jail is licensed by the state for up to 66 inmates.

1. Phone 207-667-7588 to learn whether bail is set and how much it is.
2. Ask which forms of payment the jail and commissioner will take.
3. Go to 50 State Street with the money and a photo ID.
4. Wait while a bail commissioner is called in to sign the release.

Call the jail for more information if anything is unclear.

At the Ellsworth jail, the commissioner's fee is separate. Yes, the commissioner may charge up to $60 under 15 M.R.S. §1023. If the person is eligible and cannot pay that fee, the law still allows release. Funds placed on an inmate account are a different matter; see our money page and commissary page.

Hancock commissioners come to the State Street jail in Ellsworth. Commissioners set bail when court is closed, including overnight. They may not set bail for murder, and they may not change bail that a judge has already ordered. After that, only a judge can revisit it.

Many do. Many people leave the Ellsworth jail without paying. Maine's bail code, 15 M.R.S. §1026, begins with personal recognizance or an unsecured bond. A financial condition is imposed only when needed to secure appearance or safety. When the top charge is Class E, cash is generally not allowed, though domestic violence, sex offenses and certain other charges are excluded from that rule.

Release from Ellsworth always comes with conditions. Expect at least two terms: commit no new crime, and waive extradition. A commissioner or judge often adds others, such as no contact with certain people or no alcohol. Violating those terms is a separate crime (15 M.R.S. §1092).

• Hancock County Superior Court, 50 State St., Suite 2, Ellsworth, ME 04605; 207-667-7176
• Ellsworth District Court, 50 State St., Suite 2, Ellsworth, ME 04605; 207-667-7141

Read our court page for more.

Yes. The Downeast Region Public Defenders, 130 Oak St., Suite 5, Ellsworth, ME 04605; 207-664-2310. Counsel there may also seek a second look at release terms.

When the Hancock case wraps up with no skipped hearings, the State Street clerk arranges repayment. A missed date can lead to forfeiture. The commissioner keeps the fee.

The Ellsworth jail can receive ICE requests. A federal detainer on Form I-247A asks a jail to hold someone up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released, under 8 CFR 287.7(d). Because of 5 M.R.S. §4763 and §4764, the Ellsworth jail may not hold a person only for that reason, and the person gets a copy of the request. The ICE detainee locator shows people in ICE custody.

Hancock arrests on federal charges leave the State Street courts. Federal crimes are heard by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. The Bangor clerk's office is closest: 202 Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401; 207-945-0575.

If the Ellsworth jail at 207-667-7588 does not have the person, try:

• Knox County: Knox County Jail, 327 Park St., Rockland, ME 04841; 207-594-0430
• Penobscot County: Penobscot County Jail, 85 Hammond St., Bangor, ME 04401; 207-947-4585
• Waldo County: Waldo County Jail, 10 Public Safety Way, Belfast, ME 04915; 207-338-1080
• Washington County: Washington County Jail, 83 Court St., Machias, ME 04654; 207-255-3434