Dukes County Jail and House of Correction Inmate Bail & Bonds
Dukes County bail on Martha's Vineyard: the Edgartown jail and lockup
One building handles most Island arrests: the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction at 149 Main Street, Edgartown, run by Sheriff Robert Ogden. It is the Island's jail, house of correction and lockup for people waiting for court. Search Dukes County Inmate Search for custody, booking status, release and the bail amount. The jail desk is at 508-627-5173. A bail magistrate or judge sets bail, and no paid bondsman is part of the Massachusetts process.
Is the person at the Edgartown jail on Main Street?
Look the name up on Dukes County Inmate Search. Arrests from all six Island towns are meant to end up at the sheriff's building, so a missing name often means a booking that has only just started. Call 508-627-5173 and give the full name and birth date. Also ask whether a hold from another agency exists.
Why would an Island arrest and a sentence both lead to the same building?
Island police stations lack space for their own cells, so the sheriff serves as the regional lockup. Oak Bluffs voted on June 10, 2026, Edgartown on June 15, and Tisbury, West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah also approved. Being held there before arraignment does not mean a sentence has been given.
Who sets bail at night on the Vineyard?
When the court is closed, police or the jail call a bail magistrate. That could be a clerk-magistrate, an assistant clerk or a bail commissioner. The magistrate picks between a signed promise to appear and cash bail. In domestic abuse cases, release out of court generally waits six hours. Ask the desk who is on call.
Where do I hand over bail money?
During court hours the Edgartown District Court clerk, 81 Main Street, takes cash bail after arraignment; call 508-627-3751. For a night release, the jail desk at 508-627-5173 arranges the magistrate. Neither the sheriff's nor the court's page lists bail hours, so ask before you go. Bring photo ID and the person's full name.
Can I pay by card, app, or check?
Plan on cash. Mass.gov says cash bail is paid in full to the bail magistrate. A 2022 Trial Court order let magistrates accept payment apps such as PayPal, Cash App, Zelle or Venmo when the payer agrees. Whether the Edgartown desk uses that option is worth a question to 508-627-5173.
Is there a magistrate fee, and who pays it?
Ask the desk. State law now says the Trial Court covers fees for bail taken outside regular hours, though older sheriff notices elsewhere still ask for cash. This guide leaves out a dollar amount for that reason. Get a receipt for any money you hand over.
Can someone be paid to post the bail?
No ordinary route exists. General Laws chapter 276, section 61B says a surety cannot be compensated. Relatives and friends can serve unpaid, or a judge can release the person on personal recognizance. Magistrates are told not to take calls from professional bondsmen, so do not trust a caller who promises a quick Island release for a fee.
Can Island land or a house be used?
State law lists money, bank instruments and government bonds as security. It does not give Dukes County rules for real estate. Ask the District Court clerk at 508-627-3751 before you pull out deeds, and ask whether the judge must approve the property.
Which court hears Island cases?
Edgartown District Court, 81 Main Street, handles arraignments. The clerk-magistrate's office is at 508-627-3751 and probation is at 508-627-4291, open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dukes County Superior Court uses the same street address, 508-627-4668, for more serious cases.
Is there a printed bail amount for my charge?
We found no published chart for the Island, so this guide lists none. The law asks the judge to look at the charge, record, ties to the community, job and finances, and to set an amount no higher than needed to assure a return to court. A lawyer can explain what is likely.
Why might the record say held without bail?
The prosecutor can ask for a hearing under section 58A. If the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that no conditions protect the community, the person can be held up to 120 days in District Court or 180 in Superior Court. A person accused of breaking a 209A abuse order is not released unless a judge says so.
Who is the free lawyer for Island defendants?
A judge appoints a lawyer at arraignment when the person qualifies, and the court's lowest counsel fee is $150, which must be paid before bail comes back. CPCS lists no Island office that we could confirm. Call the Public Defender Division main office in Boston at 617-482-6212 or ask the Edgartown clerk who takes appointed cases.
Where is a woman held, or a person with a long sentence?
The state's overview of the sheriff's office does not say where women or long-term prisoners are housed. A directory listing says women are held elsewhere, but that is not confirmed. Ask the desk at 508-627-5173 so you know where to send mail and where to appear.
Will the planned jail rebuild affect a family now?
The sheriff has said the 1873 building runs lean and old, with a first phase of about $8 million planned to replace a modular unit with new holding cells. Construction was expected in the fall of 2026. If you plan to visit or post bail, call 508-627-5173 first in case entrances or procedures changed.
What if the arrested person is a minor?
Bail cannot be set on a 12- or 13-year-old. Those 14 to 18 go to a bail official, and generally only a parent or guardian can pay. DYS and DCF do not post bail. The state youth agency's Southeast Region, which covers the Cape and Islands, places detained youth; its coordinator is at 508-828-3838. Ask the Edgartown clerk at 508-627-3751 which court sits.
What happens if he skips court?
The court can issue a warrant and keep cash bail. If every date is kept, the court holds the money until the case closes and then returns it, after any fees still owed. Keep the receipt with the case number.
Dukes County bail contacts
- County jail
- Dukes County Jail and House of Correction, 149 Main Street, Edgartown, MA 02539; mail to PO Box 252; 508-627-5173; Sheriff Robert Ogden
- Bond instructions
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Dukes County Inmate Search
- District court
- Edgartown District Court, 81 Main Street, Edgartown, MA 02539; clerk 508-627-3751; probation 508-627-4291
- Superior Court
- 81 Main Street, Edgartown, MA 02539; 508-627-4668
- Public defense
- CPCS Public Defender Division, Boston, 617-482-6212
- Juvenile
- DYS Southeast Region, 508-828-3838
Details about Island procedures may change, and several hours and fees are best confirmed with the desk before you travel. This summary is for general orientation; talk to a lawyer about a particular case.
Dukes County Jail and House of Correction
Address:
149 Main Street
Edgartown, MA 02539
Phone:
508-627-5173
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Dukes County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dukes County?
Who can set bail in Dukes County?
When is bail set in Dukes County Massachusetts?
Does Dukes County have bail?
Dukes County does not impose bail in a traditional sense. A Bail Commissioner/Bail Magistrate presides over the first appearance in court. If a judge in Massachusetts 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, just a $40 fee. 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 Bail Magistrate determines that bail is necessary to assure that the arrested returns to court, then bail must be paid in cash by the defendant, a friend or family member. If the cash is not paid, the defendant will remain in jail until the bail is changed or the case is finished.
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 detained in a jail or prison until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dukes County?
The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
There are two types of bonds: Personal recognizance or cash.
Who can set bail in Dukes County?
Bail is set by a Massachusetts bail magistrate.
When is bail set in Dukes County Massachusetts?
The bail magistrate will set bail after the defendant is processed, which is usually the same day as the arrest. If the bail magistrate is not available, for example on a weekend, the police may call the bail magistrate for permission to release the defendant until the next court day.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Dukes 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 Dukes 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 Dukes County Jail and House of Correction 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.
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.
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 Dukes County?
If the defendant is not released on their own recognizance, the other option is to pay cash. If the defendant does not show up to court, the full amount of the bail will be kept by the court and the court could send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Does Dukes County have bail?
Dukes County does not impose bail in a traditional sense. A Bail Commissioner/Bail Magistrate presides over the first appearance in court. If a judge in Massachusetts 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, just a $40 fee. 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 Bail Magistrate determines that bail is necessary to assure that the arrested returns to court, then bail must be paid in cash by the defendant, a friend or family member. If the cash is not paid, the defendant will remain in jail until the bail is changed or the case is finished.
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 detained in a jail or prison until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dukes County?
The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
There are two types of bonds: Personal recognizance or cash.
Who can set bail in Dukes County?
Bail is set by a Massachusetts bail magistrate.
When is bail set in Massachusetts?
The bail magistrate will set bail after the defendant is processed, which is usually the same day as the arrest. If the bail magistrate is not available, for example on a weekend, the police may call the bail magistrate for permission to release the defendant until the next court day.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Dukes County Massachusetts?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances for cash bail, let the bond commissioner know, or your attorney can request a change in bail conditions.
In Dukes County Massachusetts, who can pay bail for me?
The defendant, family or friend can pay the cash bail.
Can bail be paid online in Dukes County Massachusetts?
Massachusetts counties do not currently offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: go to the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction for more information about the jails in Dukes County.
What options are there to pay bail in Dukes County Massachusetts?
Cash, bank check, treasurer’s check, cashier’s check or government money order. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Dukes County Jail and House of Correction for more information about posting bail in Dukes County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Massachusetts?
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.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Dukes County?
Yes, you may be released on personal recognizance or your attorney can apply for relief from the Massachusetts Bail Fund.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts does not permit private bail bond companies to operate.
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.