Panola County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Panola County bail and bond: one jail, two courthouses
Panola County has two judicial districts, with courthouses in Sardis and in Batesville. Adults arrested here are held at the Panola County Jail. Check Panola County Inmate Search first for the booking and bail amount. The jail and the courthouses answer different questions, and the district that holds the case decides which courthouse you call: 662-563-6200 for the First District in Sardis, 662-563-6210 for the Second District in Batesville.
Did Batesville officers book my uncle into the county jail?
Look him up in Panola County Inmate Search. The record shows the booking, the charge, and the bond once the jail has processed him. The circuit clerk of the district that holds the case gives the court date: 662-563-6200 in Sardis or 662-563-6210 in Batesville.
Why does Panola County have two courthouses?
Panola County is divided into a First District and a Second District. The First District courthouse is at 215 South Pocahontas Street in Sardis, 662-563-6200. The Second District courthouse is at 151 Public Square in Batesville, 662-563-6210. The case paperwork shows which one has it.
Which courthouse has my family member's case?
Read the charge and court date on the paperwork, then call the circuit clerk at the courthouse it names. If the paperwork does not say, call both numbers. Quote the full legal name and birth date. A misrouted call costs only a few minutes; a missed hearing costs far more.
Where is the bond paid in Panola County?
Hand money only to a county office or a licensed bondsman. Call the circuit clerk of the district that holds the case to arrange a court-held bond, and keep a receipt that shows the case number.
What rules apply once someone is released on bond in Panola County?
The defendant must appear at every setting, obey court orders, keep the court told of a new address, and meet with a lawyer as directed. A judge can add check-ins, travel limits, no-contact orders, drug tests, or electronic monitoring. A breach brings a hearing and can end the bond.
What do I need to bring?
Government photo ID, the full legal name and birth date of the person, and the case or booking number. If you are using a bondsman, bring his signed contract and license number.
How much is bond for a common charge here?
Mississippi Rule 8.2(c) sets guide ranges: about $500 to $2,000 for a misdemeanor with a one-year maximum, and about $5,000 to $50,000 for a felony with a maximum up to 10 years. Drug distribution or trafficking guides stretch from about $5,000 to $1,000,000. A judge can go above or below the guide.
What paperwork should a Batesville bondsman give me?
A written contract and a copy of the power of attorney filed with the court. State law caps the fee at 10 percent of the bail, with a $100 minimum and a processing charge of about $50, and the fee is not returned. Check the agent's license with the Mississippi Insurance Department at 601-359-3582. Ask what happens to any collateral.
Could Panola County accept a cash deposit of 10 percent?
Rule 8.1(d) allows a cash deposit bond of 10 percent of the bond or $250, whichever is more. The defendant must qualify and sign a notarized affidavit, and the judge has to agree. Ask the clerk at the courthouse that holds the case.
Does our land in Crenshaw have to be in Panola County?
No. A surety who is not a bondsman swears to owning property in Mississippi worth the bond after debts and exempt property, and lists other bonds. The rule says Mississippi, not Panola County. The clerk checks the deed. Ask your district's clerk how long approval takes.
What can a person do while waiting for the first appearance?
Police must allow a reasonable chance to make a telephone call after an arrest. After an arrest without a warrant, the judge must be seen within 48 hours, and the judge explains the charge, asks about a lawyer, and sets release terms. If the hours pass on a bailable offense, a bond at the lowest amount follows.
Why does the Panola County roster show hold or no bond?
A hold reflects probation, parole, an out-of-county warrant, or a judge who has not ruled. A capital count can keep bail off the table. Bond can be revoked after a new felony on top of a felony bond. In a domestic violence arrest, a judge must see the person before bail, and the wait can reach 24 hours.
Which court handles a city police arrest?
City ordinance charges go to the municipal court of that town. State charges go through the county. The charging paper from the arresting department shows which court has the case.
What court hears a case against a teenager in Panola County?
Youth court. The courthouse of the district that holds the case, 662-563-6200 or 662-563-6210, can tell you where Panola County sends detained children. A detained child must be heard within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays.
How does a Panola County defendant get a lawyer without paying?
Say you cannot pay at the first appearance. Rule 5.2 directs the judge to appoint counsel for someone who cannot pay, and Rules 7.2 and 7.3 govern the appointment. The circuit clerk at the courthouse gives the name and number of the appointed lawyer.
What happens to a Panola bond when an indictment arrives?
A bond set earlier moves automatically to a later indictment on the same or a related charge, unless the judge changes it. So a missed circuit court date means a warrant and a forfeiture on that same bond. Phone a lawyer and the clerk of the right district the same day.
Can the Panola County sheriff cut a bond?
Rarely. Mississippi law lets a sheriff set a misdemeanor bond only when no judge has, and a felony bond only in an emergency. A reduction comes from a judge, on a lawyer's motion. Before that hearing, collect proof of a job, family ties, and a Mississippi address, since the rules list those among the factors a judge weighs.
Does a deposit on the Panola County jail account count toward bail?
No. A deposit on an inmate's account is not bail money. Hang up on anyone who demands gift cards, and call the courthouse clerk yourself at a number you looked up.
Panola County bail contacts
- County jail
- Panola County Jail
- Bond help
- Panola County bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Panola County Inmate Search
- First District courthouse
- 215 South Pocahontas Street, Sardis, MS 38666; 662-563-6200
- Second District courthouse
- 151 Public Square, Batesville, MS 38606; 662-563-6210
- Bail agents
- Mississippi Insurance Department licensing, 601-359-3582
This guide is a plain-language overview of Panola County practice and Mississippi's bail rules. It is not legal advice, and a lawyer who handles the case can answer questions about the charge itself.
Panola County Jail
Address:
300 James Rudd Drive
Batesville, MS 38606
Phone:
662-563-6230
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Panola County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Panola County?
Who can set bail in Panola County?
When is bail set in Panola County Mississippi?
Does Panola County have bail?
Yes, Panola County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Panola County?
Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola 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, Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola County have bail?
Yes, Panola County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Panola County?
Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola County Mississippi?
Yes, your attorney may request a bail reduction at any time prior to the trial.
In Panola 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 Panola County Mississippi?
Yes, Mississippi counties do offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Panola County Jail for more information about the jails in Panola County.
What options are there to pay bail in Panola 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 Panola County Jail for more information about posting bail in Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola 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.