Clay County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Clay County bail and bond: West Point, the sheriff, and getting someone out
Sheriff Eddie Scott’s office runs the Clay County Jail in West Point. The circuit clerk at the courthouse, 205 Court Street, answers court questions at 662-494-3384.
The fastest check is Clay County Inmate Search. It tells you whether the person is booked and what the bond is. The clerk’s line above is for the rest.
1. How do I know if my daughter is in the West Point jail?
Put her full name into Clay County Inmate Search. A fresh arrest can take time to appear. If the search stays empty, ring the circuit clerk at 662-494-3384 and ask whether she was booked or released with a court date.
2. Who runs the Clay County Jail?
Sheriff Eddie Scott’s office runs the Clay County Jail in West Point, and jailers on the sheriff’s staff handle booking and custody. Clay County Inmate Search shows whether a person is in custody.
3. Where is the Clay County courthouse?
The courthouse, where the circuit clerk works, is at 205 Court Street, West Point, MS 39773. The clerk’s mailing address is P.O. Box 364. Call 662-494-3384 before you go.
4. Who sets the bail, and when?
A judge does, at an initial appearance that must happen within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest. A city case can go to a municipal judge, and a county case to a justice court, county or circuit judge. The sheriff can set bail on a misdemeanor if no judge has, and on a felony only in an emergency.
If the deadline passes, state rules call for release on an appearance bond at the minimum amount.
5. How much is bail for common charges in Clay County?
Under Rule 8.2, Mississippi judges start from broad guideline ranges. A manslaughter-type charge is guided at $10,000 to $1,000,000. A non-capital felony with a maximum of up to 10 years is guided at $5,000 to $50,000. Municipal ordinance violations run $100 to $1,000 in the guide. A judge may choose differently. The actual amount appears in Clay County Inmate Search.
6. Where do I pay a bond, and in what form?
A licensed bondsman can post a bond for you. Circuit Clerk Kim Brown Hood, at 662-494-3384, can tell you where and when a Clay County bond is taken.
Keep the receipt with the case number.
7. How much does a bondsman ask for?
State law sets the fee at 10 percent of the bond, with a $100 floor. The percentage is higher for capital charges and for people from out of state. A processing fee may be added, and the money is not returned.
Call the Insurance Department at 601-359-3582 to check any agent’s license. Walk away from a company that offers “no money down” without a written contract.
8. Can the family put cash with the court instead?
In some cases the judge allows a cash deposit bond: 10 percent of the bond or $250, whichever is larger, with a notarized affidavit. The deposit is returned when the bond is cancelled, minus any court costs the judge orders. Ask the circuit clerk if your case is eligible.
9. Can I use a house or land as security?
A person who is not a bondsman may sign as surety by swearing that they own Mississippi property worth the bond after debts. The property does not have to be in Clay County. Expect to sign an affidavit and wait for approval. The clerk’s office can explain the steps.
10. What happens if West Point police made the arrest?
A West Point officer can take the person to a holding cell and then to the county jail. A city charge is handled in municipal court. Ask the department for the report number and the next court date.
11. What does “no bond” mean for a West Point arrest?
It can mean a capital charge, a bond revoked after a new felony, a probation or parole hold, or a warrant from another county. It is not always final. Call the circuit clerk and ask which order caused it.
12. How do we ask for a free lawyer?
At the first appearance, tell the judge the family cannot hire counsel. Mississippi rules call for appointing a lawyer for someone who qualifies. The circuit clerk at 662-494-3384 can tell you who takes appointed cases.
13. Where would a juvenile be held?
Youth court decides. Children’s records are private and will not be in the adult search. The circuit clerk at 662-494-3384 can point you to youth court staff. After intake into detention, a hearing must come within 48 hours, not counting weekends and holidays.
14. What if a Clay County defendant skips court?
Missing court allows forfeiture and a warrant. A surety who brings the person back in time can get relief. Clerk-held cash is released when the bond ends. The bondsman’s fee is kept.
15. What details should I gather before calling West Point?
Collect the person’s full name, birth date, arrest date and the agency that made the arrest. Ask for the booking number, each charge and the bond on each one. If a hold shows, ask which agency placed it. Keep notes of who answered and when.
16. How do I spot a fake Clay County bond call?
Do not pay a stranger who calls demanding a transfer. Dial the circuit clerk at 662-494-3384 yourself to verify.
Clay County bond contacts
- Sheriff
- Eddie Scott, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, West Point, MS
- Jail
- Clay County Jail, West Point, MS
- Bond guide
- Clay County jail bail and bond page
- Custody lookup
- Clay County Inmate Search
- Circuit clerk
- Kim Brown Hood, courthouse at 205 Court Street, West Point, MS 39773 (P.O. Box 364); 662-494-3384
- License check
- Mississippi Insurance Department, 601-359-3582
Judges are free to order any bond amount within the law. Verify with the circuit clerk before you pay. This page explains the basics and is not a lawyer’s opinion.
Clay County Jail
Address:
330 W. Broad Street
West Point, MS 39773
Phone:
662-494-2896
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Clay County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clay County?
Who can set bail in Clay County?
When is bail set in Clay County Mississippi?
Does Clay County have bail?
Yes, Clay County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clay County?
Clay County courts will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Bail is available in several forms including personal recognizance bond, cash bail, property bond, and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Clay County?
For minor, non-violent crimes bail is preset and can be set by the arresting officer. More serious crimes require bail be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Clay County Mississippi?
For minor, non-violent crimes bail is preset and that information will be available during the booking process. More serious crimes require the defendant to appear before a judge. This bail hearing is required to take place within 48 hrs. of arrest, not counting weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County Jail 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, Clay 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.
The following is a general guideline to bail amounts in Mississippi:
- Manslaughter –$10,000 to $1,000,000
- Drug Distribution and Trafficking -$5,000 to $1,000,000.
- All other non-capital felonies- $5,000 to $250,000
- Misdemeanors - $50 to $2000 plus fines or court costs.
- Misdemeanor DUI and DWLs $500 to $2000.
- Municipal Ordinance Violation: $100 to $1000.
What are the different types of bonds in Clay 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 Clay County have bail?
Yes, Clay County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clay County?
Clay County courts will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Bail is available in several forms including personal recognizance bond, cash bail, property bond, and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Clay County?
For minor, non-violent crimes bail is preset and can be set by the arresting officer. More serious crimes require bail be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Mississippi?
For minor, non-violent crimes bail is preset and that information will be available during the booking process. More serious crimes require the defendant to appear before a judge. This bail hearing is required to take place within 48 hrs. of arrest, not counting weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Clay County Mississippi?
Yes, your attorney may request a bail reduction at any time prior to the trial.
In Clay County Mississippi, 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 Mississippi could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Clay County Mississippi?
Yes, Mississippi counties do offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Clay County Jail for more information about the jails in Clay County.
What options are there to pay bail in Clay County Mississippi?
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 Clay County Jail for more information about posting bail in Clay County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Mississippi?
Yes. You will get it back from the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court, less fees or percentages kept by the bail bondsman.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Clay County?
No, Mississippi law does not allow 'no money down' bail or bonds. Unless you are released on personal recognizance you can expect to pay at least 10%.
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 Mississippi?
The Clay County Jail 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.