Hampden County bail and bond: Ludlow, Chicopee, and the Springfield courthouse
Hampden County runs two jails for people arrested here. Men go to the Hampden County Correctional Center, 627 Randall Road, Ludlow. Women go to the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee, according to a September 2026 news report. Sheriff Nick Cocchi oversees both. Search Hampden County Inmate Search to find out where someone is and what the bail is. Sheriff's office line: 413-547-8000. A judge sets bail at arraignment, or a bail magistrate sets it overnight.
Ludlow or Chicopee: where is my family member?
The jail in Ludlow takes men. The regional women's center in Chicopee takes women. Hampden County Inmate Search should show which one holds the person. If the name is missing, the arresting police department may still have the person at its own station. Ask that department for the report number.
Which sheriff's number actually works?
The Massachusetts Sheriffs' Association lists 413-547-8000 for the Ludlow jail. A state contact list shows 413-858-0000 instead. Try the first, and use the second if it does not connect. For the Chicopee center's address and phone, ask the Ludlow desk.
What happens if the arrest is on a weekend?
A September 2026 report says Hampden stopped taking weekend intakes for over a month this summer, except from towns under 5,000 people, and resumed in August with stricter rules. Domestic-violence arrestees must be held through a six-hour cooling-off period. People needing urgent medical care need a hospital visit first. That may mean a longer stay at the local police station.
How is bail handled once the court is closed?
Police call a bail magistrate, who decides between release on a promise and cash bail. Under Trial Court Rule 17, the magistrate answers only the defendant, someone calling for the defendant, the lawyer, or the jail. Magistrates may not answer a professional bondsman. Ask the police or the jail desk to place the call with the magistrate, rather than a stranger.
Where do I pay during court hours in Springfield?
Cash bail is paid at the clerk's office. Springfield District Court is at 50 State Street, clerk 413-748-8600. Superior Court is in the same building, clerk 413-735-6016. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Chicopee, Holyoke, Palmer, and Westfield each have their own District Court, listed below.
My son has no money. Will bail still be set?
Bail can be set, but the judge must weigh his finances. It must be no higher than what reasonably assures he will return. If the sum would probably keep him in jail only because he cannot raise it, the judge has to explain why in writing or on the record.
Can a charity put up the money?
The Massachusetts Bail Fund posts up to $1,000 per person at the Ludlow jail and at the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center. A court-appointed lawyer or community member sends the referral online. The Fund no longer posts for people with active warrants. The referral page lists current dates.
Does a bondsman work in Hampden County?
A paid bondsman is not an ordinary choice in Massachusetts. State law bars paying a surety for acting as one. Families here usually use release on a promise, cash, or an unpaid surety. If someone offers to charge you a fee, ask the clerk first.
Can bail be taken away after the person is out?
Yes. If the person is charged with a new crime while free, section 58 lets the court revoke release and order detention for up to 60 days. Violating other release conditions can bring a hold of up to 90 days under section 58B, according to a state guideline. A new bail hearing follows.
How long can a judge hold someone with no bail?
A section 58A dangerousness order is limited to 120 days in District Court and 180 days in Superior Court, unless there is good cause. A person held by a district judge may petition the Superior Court, which has five business days to hear it. New facts can reopen the question before trial.
Where would a teenager be held?
The state Department of Youth Services (DYS) decides on youth detention, and its Western Region serves Hampden County. Detention calls go to 413-846-5210 or 413-846-5184, numbers from 2014. The regional office is at 280 Tinkham Road, Springfield. Neither DYS nor DCF will pay bail for a child. A parent or guardian must.
Who is the court-appointed lawyer?
The Public Defender Division has a Springfield Trial Office at 101 State Street and a Holyoke office at 100 Front Street, 4th floor, 413-471-3392. No Springfield number was listed, so ask the Springfield District Court clerk at 413-748-8600 to point you to the right office.
What if she does not show up in court?
A default warrant can be issued, and the bail money may be forfeited. A default warrant on unpaid fees can even require paying the amount owed as bail. Speak to her lawyer right away.
When will the cash come back?
The court holds it until the case is over. Ask the clerk how the person who posted it can claim it. The minimum $150 counsel fee for an appointed lawyer must be paid before bail is returned.
Is the "bail help" call real?
Treat any message that demands a rushed transfer as fraud. Phone the Ludlow jail at 413-547-8000 or the court clerk at 413-748-8600 yourself.
Hampden County bail contacts
- Men's jail
- Hampden County Correctional Center, 627 Randall Road, Ludlow, MA 01056; 413-547-8000 (a state list shows 413-858-0000)
- Women's jail
- Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center, Chicopee; ask the Ludlow desk for the address
- Bail guide
- Hampden County jail and bail help
- Custody lookup
- Hampden County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Nick Cocchi, Hampden County Sheriff's Department
- Springfield courts
- 50 State Street, Springfield; District Court 413-748-8600; Superior Court 413-735-6016
- Other District Courts
- Chicopee, 30 Church Street, 413-598-0099; Holyoke, 20 Court Plaza, 413-538-9710; Palmer, 235 Sykes Street, Suite 3, 413-283-8916; Westfield, 224 Elm Street, 413-568-8946
- Public defender
- Springfield Trial Office, 101 State Street; Holyoke, 413-471-3392
- Youth detention
- DYS Western Region, 280 Tinkham Road, Springfield; 413-846-5210 or 413-846-5184
These details were gathered from court and sheriff sources and could be stale. A quick call to the jail or the clerk protects your money. The page offers general guidance only and is no substitute for a lawyer.