Allegan County Juvenile Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Allegan County Bail and Bond at the River Street Jail
Bail and release for people held at the Allegan County Corrections Center, 640 River Street, Allegan, MI 49010, 269-673-0500, are decided by the 57th District Court in the county building at 113 Chestnut Street, Allegan, 269-673-0400. For the next step, try our criminal court page.
1. Is there a bond someone can pay before arraignment?
For lesser charges, yes. MCL 780.581 lets someone picked up with no warrant on a misdemeanor or ordinance violation with a one-year maximum post an interim bond with the arresting officer or the River Street shift supervisor when no magistrate is on hand. That figure must land between 20% of the lowest fine and the full maximum fine. MCL 780.582a removes that option after a domestic violence arrest, and Allegan deputies keep the person until the 57th District Court decides release.
↑ Back to the question list2. Who is held until the judge sees them?
River Street staff may keep someone for arraignment rather than accept an interim bond when the person is under the influence, faces another pending charge, will not or cannot give a verified name, or seems a danger if released.
↑ Back to the question list3. What standard does the 57th District Court use?
For Allegan judges, MCR 6.106 starts with a presumption of personal recognizance or an unsecured bond. A judge in Allegan moves to money bail or conditions such as no contact, GPS or alcohol testing only when the record shows the person might not return or poses a risk to others.
↑ Back to the question list4. What are ten-percent and surety bonds?
With a ten-percent bond, the family pays the 57th District Court one tenth of the figure set. A licensed Allegan bondsman, who under MCL 765.6 may post a bond for a quarter of the bail charges a nonrefundable fee. On $5,000 bail, that means $500 to the court or a $1,250 surety bond.
↑ Back to the question list5. Where can a bond be posted?
During court hours, post bond at the 57th District Court clerk's window in the Chestnut Street building. Outside those hours, the River Street lobby takes bonds for people already eligible. Confirm the person is listed on our inmate search page first.
↑ Back to the question list6. Can Allegan bond be lowered?
Have a defense lawyer to file a bond motion in the 57th District Court, or in the 48th Circuit Court, 269-673-0300, once a felony is bound over. Under MCR 6.004(C), a person jailed 28 days before a misdemeanor trial or 180 days before a felony trial is ordinarily released on personal recognizance; a 57th District or 48th Circuit judge may say no only on clear and convincing evidence that the accused would not show up or would threaten community safety.
↑ Back to the question list7. What happens to a cash deposit afterward?
Allegan cash bond is usually applied first to fines, costs and restitution when the case ends, and any balance is mailed to the depositor listed; jail account deposits work differently, as our money guide explains. Skipping a Chestnut Street hearing puts that deposit at risk of forfeiture.
↑ Back to the question list8. How can I spot a bail scam?
Deputies and court clerks do not phone families demanding gift cards or wire transfers. If a caller says a relative needs bail money, hang up and dial the Sheriff's Office yourself.
↑ Back to the question list9. How does federal detention differ?
For an Allegan defendant, a federal magistrate judge in the Western District decides release under the Bail Reform Act. The court is the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, 110 Michigan Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, 616-456-2381; the BOP inmate locator lists sentenced prisoners.
↑ Back to the question list10. What happens if there is an immigration detainer?
Paying an Allegan bond does not end an ICE hold. River Street may delay the release for ICE, though never past 48 hours (8 CFR 287.7(d)) for an ICE transfer; search the ICE detainee locator afterward.
↑ Back to the question list11. What about a prison sentence?
Bond ends at sentencing. People sent to prison by the 48th Circuit Court go to MDOC intake; find them through OTIS and our Michigan prisons directory.
↑ Back to the question listAllegan County Juvenile Center
Address:
2243 33rd Street
Allegan, MI 49010
Phone:
269-686-4630
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Allegan County
Does Allegan County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Allegan County?
Who can set bail in Allegan County?
When is bail set in Allegan County Michigan?
Does Allegan County have bail?
Yes, Allegan County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Allegan County?
Allegan County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
There are four types of bail available: personal recognizance bond, cash bail, ten-percent bail, and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Allegan County?
Bail is set in accordance with a bail schedule or by a judge.
When is bail set in Allegan County Michigan?
Bail is set at the first court appearance, also known as the arraignment. In most cases this hearing is required to be held within 72 hours of arrest, unless delayed by the defense.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Allegan 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 Allegan 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 Allegan County Juvenile Center 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, Allegan 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 Allegan 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 Allegan County have bail?
Yes, Allegan County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Allegan County?
Allegan County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
There are four types of bail available: personal recognizance bond, cash bail, ten-percent bail, and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Allegan County?
Bail is set in accordance with a bail schedule or by a judge.
When is bail set in Michigan?
Bail is set at the first court appearance, also known as the arraignment. In most cases this hearing is required to be held within 72 hours of arrest, unless delayed by the defense.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Allegan County Michigan?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the bond officer know. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Allegan County Michigan, 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 Michigan could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Allegan County Michigan?
Yes, Michigan does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Allegan County Juvenile Center for more information about the jails in Allegan County.
What options are there to pay bail in Allegan County Michigan?
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 Allegan County Juvenile Center for more information about posting bail in Allegan County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Michigan?
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 Allegan 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 Michigan?
The Allegan County Juvenile Center 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.