Smith County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Type his name into Smith County Inmate Search and read the booking line. Brand-new bookings sometimes lag. If you still see nothing, the sheriff's office at 601-782-4531 can check. The center holds both people waiting for trial and people serving sentences, so a long stay does not always mean bail is possible.

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The sheriff's office and the detention center share the Court House Square address. Sheriff Joel Houston heads the office, and Robert Garner is the undersheriff. The county courthouse is at 123 Main Street.

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Visitation is held each Saturday on a rotating schedule for male and female inmates. You need valid ID and must follow the visiting rules. Call 601-782-4531 to ask which group is up this week.

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The sheriff's office at 601-782-4531 handles bond questions for the jail. Ask, "Who takes the bond for this name, and when?" Bring photo ID, the full name, and the amount. Get a receipt showing the case number.

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No. Friends and family can put money on a person's account online or by phone through the sheriff's office. That money pays for store items and calls. It does not release anyone and it is not returned as bail.

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Guidelines in the state court rules: a misdemeanor with a six-month maximum runs $250 to $1,000; with a one-year maximum, $500 to $2,000; a felony with a top sentence under 10 years, $5,000 to $50,000; drug distribution, $5,000 to $1,000,000. The real figure comes from the judge and shows on Smith County Inmate Search.

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A judge. The state Attorney General's office has said a sheriff may set bond for a misdemeanor arrest when no judge has set one, but for a bailable felony only in emergency cases when a judge cannot be reached within the time limit. For most felonies, plan to wait for the judge.

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If the judge allows it, the person leaves 10 percent of the bond or $250, whichever is greater, with the court and signs a sworn affidavit. It is different from a bail agent's fee, which you do not get back.

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State law caps the fee at 10 percent of the bail, with a $100 minimum, plus a $50 processing fee. Ask to see the agent's license, and confirm it with the Mississippi Insurance Department.

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A person who is not a bail agent signs a sworn statement that the Mississippi property is worth the bond after debts and exempt property, and lists other bonds. In-state land counts; out-of-state land does not. The courthouse at 601-782-4334 handles the paperwork questions.

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A person arrested without a warrant is due before a judge within 48 hours. The judge confirms the charge, decides whether there was probable cause, talks about a lawyer, and sets release conditions.

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Donna Watts is the justice court clerk, with P.O. Box 171 in Raleigh, 601-782-4334. Call to set a hearing date on a traffic or low-level criminal charge. Felony cases go to the Thirteenth Circuit District, where terms run in February, April, October, and December.

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A judge may not have seen the person yet. A hold for another county, probation, or parole also stops release. A domestic violence arrest waits for a judge, who may act by phone. Capital murder is the main case where the guideline reaches "no bail allowed."

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Youth court handles them, and the adult search does not list a child. Call 601-782-4334 and ask the court which judge has the case and where the child is held.

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At the first appearance, tell the judge you cannot pay and ask for a lawyer. Under Rule 5.2 the court then appoints one. The courthouse line, 601-782-4334, can say who takes those cases.

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A missed date can cost the bond and bring a warrant. A bail agent may return him to the jail. Cash can be refunded within 18 months when he is surrendered, appears, or is found jailed elsewhere under a hold.

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A bond set on a charging affidavit moves to a later indictment on the same, a related, or a lesser charge, unless the judge changes it for good cause. Smith County grand juries sit in April and October.

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A bail agent may arrest the client and surrender him. If the client is found held on another charge, the agent's written notice of surrender serves as a hold order. Surrendering within the time allowed ends the agent's liability.

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