Tunica County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Tunica County bail and bond: the Detention Center and the two courts that set bond
Is my loved one at the Tunica County Detention Center?
Search the name on Tunica County Inmate Search. If a booking is only a few minutes old, it may take a while to show. The detention center's 24-hour line, 662-363-1411, answers when the search cannot.
A person can be moved inside the system, so do not panic if a status changes.
Where is the Tunica County Detention Center and when can I walk in?
The detention center is at 5126 Old Mhoon Landing Road, Tunica, MS 38676, phone 662-363-1411. The administrative office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone line runs around the clock.
For the place where bond is paid and the hours it is taken, ask the detention center before you bring cash.
What does the Town of Tunica court handle compared with the county?
Town police arrests go to Tunica Municipal Court, at 1196 Edwards Avenue, 662-363-2400. Hearings start at 9:30 a.m., the office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Judge Charles B. Graves Jr. presides. County cases go to the Justice Court at 662-363-2178.
Ask the officer or the paperwork which court the case belongs to. The wrong office cannot take your bond.
Which court should I call about a county arrest in Tunica?
Call the Justice Court at 662-363-2178 for a case that began with a county arrest. The circuit clerk at 662-363-2842 keeps the circuit court files.
Mississippi rules send bond security to "the clerk" without naming one, so ask each office which counter takes the payment for your case.
How long can Tunica County hold a person without a judge?
Rule 5.1 caps it at 48 hours after a warrantless arrest. If the person is bailable and no judge has acted, the person gets an appearance bond at the Rule 8 minimum. The prosecutor may ask the court to look at that again.
If the clock may have run out, call the Justice Court at 662-363-2178.
What is a 10 percent court deposit, and does Tunica accept it?
Rule 8.1(d) sets a cash deposit bond at 10 percent of the bond or $250, whichever is greater. It needs a sworn affidavit and the judge's approval. The bond amount is set first.
Ask the judge handling the case. The circuit clerk, 662-363-2842, can say where deposits are received.
What can a Tunica bail bondsman charge?
The premium is capped at 10 percent of the bond, with a minimum of $100, and a flat $50 processing fee. For capital or out-of-state defendants the cap is 15 percent. The Mississippi Insurance Department handles licensing.
Ask whether a co-signer or collateral is required, and whether anything comes back if the case is dismissed. Usually it does not.
What bond amounts apply to Tunica charges?
Judges set the amount for each case. Rule 8.2(c) gives statewide guidelines of $500 to $2,000 for misdemeanor DUI and driving on a suspended license, and $100 to $1,000 for a municipal ordinance violation.
A judge can set any amount that fits the case, so do not rely on figures a stranger quotes you.
Can I use property in Tunica County to bond someone out?
A surety other than a licensed bail agent may, by sworn statement, offer Mississippi property worth the bond after exempt property and debts. The owner must say he or she is not a lawyer or court officer and list other bonds signed.
The rule does not say the property must lie in Tunica County. Ask the circuit clerk at 662-363-2842 where the papers are recorded.
What are the grounds for no bail in Tunica?
Capital charges may mean no bail at all. A person on a felony bond who is arrested for a new felony with more than five years possible faces revocation with no new bail. Domestic violence arrests wait for a judge, and the judge may add a hold of up to 24 hours. Probation and parole holds also stop release.
A blank bail line may also mean nobody has set it yet. Ask the Justice Court, 662-363-2178.
Can a bond be lowered when the family has no money?
Rule 8.5(b) lets the court modify release conditions for good cause, on its own or when someone applies. A lawyer can ask for the hearing, and the municipal court at 662-363-2400 or the Justice Court at 662-363-2178 can tell you how to get on the calendar.
Who defends a person with no money in Tunica County?
Rule 5.2 tells the judge to name a lawyer at the first hearing for anyone who asks and cannot pay. The circuit clerk, 662-363-2842, can say who was named.
What if the arrested person is under 18?
Children go to Youth Court, not the adult jail docket. Call 662-363-2842 and ask the clerk which court and which facility have the child.
Do not assume a teenager is held at Old Mhoon Landing Road.
What happens in Tunica County if a bonded person skips court?
A missed date lets the court declare the bond forfeited under Mississippi Code 99-5-25. If the person is surrendered, appears, or is found jailed elsewhere on a hold order, a refund can follow within 18 months, minus costs and fees.
Under section 99-5-27, the bail agent can also take the person back into custody.
When does a Tunica County bond deposit come back?
Once the bond is no longer needed, Rule 8.7 says the court cancels it and orders back security held by the clerk. Court fines may be taken from cash first.
The agent does not return his premium.
How do I dodge bail scams around Tunica?
Nobody at the jail or court needs gift cards or app payments. Verify custody on Tunica County Inmate Search. Then use only 662-363-1411 for the detention center and 662-363-2178 for the Justice Court. Hang up on anyone who says to pay within minutes.
Tunica County bail contacts
- County jail
- Tunica County Detention Center, 5126 Old Mhoon Landing Road, Tunica, MS 38676; 662-363-1411
- Custody lookup
- Tunica County Inmate Search
- Justice Court
- 662-363-2178
- Circuit clerk
- Courthouse, 1300 School Street, Tunica; 662-363-2842
- Municipal court
- 1196 Edwards Avenue, Tunica; 662-363-2400; Judge Charles B. Graves Jr.
Hours and numbers change, and each judge sets the terms for a case. Call the office handling it before you pay. Nothing on this page replaces advice from a lawyer.
Tunica County Detention Center
Address:
5126 Old Mhoon Landing Road
Tunica, MS 38676
Phone:
662-363-1411
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Tunica County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Tunica County?
Who can set bail in Tunica County?
When is bail set in Tunica County Mississippi?
Does Tunica County have bail?
Yes, Tunica County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Tunica County?
Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica County Detention 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, Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica County have bail?
Yes, Tunica County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Tunica County?
Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica County Mississippi?
Yes, your attorney may request a bail reduction at any time prior to the trial.
In Tunica 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 Tunica County Mississippi?
Yes, Mississippi counties do offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Tunica County Detention Center for more information about the jails in Tunica County.
What options are there to pay bail in Tunica 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 Tunica County Detention Center for more information about posting bail in Tunica 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 Tunica 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 Tunica County Detention 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.