Clark County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Getting someone out of the Clark County Jail in Kahoka
Clark County is Missouri's far northeast corner, where the Des Moines River meets the Mississippi and the state lines of Iowa and Illinois are minutes away.
People arrested in Kahoka, Wayland, Alexandria, or along Highway 61 in Clark County, Missouri are usually booked into the county jail in Kahoka.
Inmate search: Clark County Inmate Search.
1. What's the address and phone number for the jail?
You'll find the Clark County Jail at 518 North Lincoln Street, Kahoka, MO 63445. Its phone is 660-727-2911.
For a question about one inmate, the jail line is the better bet.
2. What if the arrest happened in Knox County?
Knox County runs its own jail in Edina, so an arrest there is normally booked in Edina, not Kahoka. Call the Knox jail at 660-397-2186. A Knox case is decided by the Knox court, and its bond comes from there.
3. Finding out who is in custody
Try the Clark County Inmate Search first. A small jail may update it slowly, so if nothing shows up, a call to 660-727-2911 with the person's full name and date of birth is quicker.
4. Questions worth asking right away
- Is the person there, and on which county's case?
- What are the charges?
- Has a judge set a bond yet, and how much?
- Are there holds from any other agency or state?
- What is the booking number?
5. The arrest was hours ago and nobody has set bail
A charge usually has to be filed before bail can be posted, and that can lag behind the arrest. When police made the arrest without a warrant, Missouri limits the hold to 24 hours unless charges are filed in that window.
An arrest made on a warrant is different: the warrant often carries a preset bond, and staff may be able to quote it.
6. Which judges decide bail for Clark County cases?
Clark belongs to the 1st Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Schuyler and Scotland counties. In Kahoka, an associate circuit judge commonly hears new criminal cases and sets the first release conditions.
7. How does a judge decide on conditions?
Missouri's Rule 33.01 is the starting point. Its message is that release should come with no more restriction than it takes to secure a return to court and to guard against danger to others.
Money isn't automatic. If a judge goes that route, the defendant's finances are supposed to factor into the amount.
8. Is a signature bond an option?
Sometimes. Being released on your own recognizance means signing a written promise to show up, with nothing paid up front. Judges tend to grant it for minor offenses and for people with clear roots in the community.
The promise can come with rules, such as no contact with an alleged victim or regular check-ins.
9. Release forms a judge may use
- Own recognizance with a signed promise.
- A full cash bond.
- A partial cash deposit where the court permits one.
- A surety bond from a licensed agent.
- A property bond, at the judge's discretion.
- Supervised release or electronic monitoring.
10. How soon is the bond hearing?
That depends on when court sits in Kahoka; a rural associate court doesn't hold sessions every day, so a weekend arrest may wait into the week. If your relative is still locked up because the bond is too high, a lawyer can file for review under Rule 33.05, which requires the review to be prompt.
11. Bail agents and what they charge
A surety agent posts the full bond in exchange for a premium, which is a share of the bond amount and is kept as the agent's fee. Ask for the exact percentage, any added charges, and the payment schedule before you sign. Kahoka is a long way from the larger towns, so ask whether the agent charges extra for travel.
Agents must hold a Missouri license from DCI, the state's Commerce and Insurance department, and a reputable one will share the number on request.
12. Putting up land or a house
A property bond is possible when the judge agrees to it. The court looks for clear ownership and enough equity to cover the bond, which usually means deeds, a recent valuation, and time. Some agents will also hold a deed or title as collateral, which is a private deal between you and the agent.
13. How and where to pay bond
Most families pay at the jail on North Lincoln once a bond is in place. Call ahead to learn what payment forms are taken at that hour.
On weekdays, the circuit clerk's office at 111 E Court St, Ste. 210, Kahoka, MO 63445 may also accept bond money. Reach the clerk at 660-727-3292.
14. Are cards accepted?
We found no confirmed card option here. Bring cash or a money order unless staff say otherwise, and ask about fees if a card service is offered. If you're driving in from out of state late at night, find out ahead of time whether a money order can be bought nearby, since small towns may have few places open.
15. Do I need to be related to post bail?
Any adult with a valid photo ID can generally post. Whoever pays cash is usually the one the refund goes to, so the name on the receipt matters.
16. Calling the jail about release
After the bond is posted, it's fine to call and ask whether release paperwork is moving. Staff still need to check for other warrants and return belongings. They may not give an exact time, but they can usually tell you whether anything is holding things up.
17. An Iowa or Illinois warrant
Because two state lines are so near, an out-of-state warrant is a real possibility here. A warrant from another state can lead to a hold pending extradition, and the local bond won't resolve it. Ask the jail what agency placed the hold and whether an extradition hearing is expected.
18. Warrants from other Missouri counties
Posting the Clark bond covers only Clark charges. If Lewis, Scotland, or another Missouri county has a warrant, your relative may sit until that county arranges transport or its bond is posted. Get the agency name and call it directly. Transfers between counties aren't instant, so a wait of days is possible in some cases.
19. Holds in general
A hold is a request from somewhere else to keep the person. Probation and parole officers, other jurisdictions, and federal immigration authorities can all place one. Ask about holds before you pay anything, because money posted on the local case won't be much help while a hold remains.
20. City charges
If a local police department wrote the charge under a city ordinance, it may belong to a municipal court with its own bond process. Ask the jail which court the case is in.
21. Paperwork to hang on to
Keep the bond form and the receipt together. The form lists court dates and conditions; the receipt proves payment if a refund is owed.
22. Breaking the rules of release
If a condition is broken, prosecutors can ask to revoke release. The judge may issue a warrant or set a higher bond. Follow every condition to the letter. If a condition seems impossible, such as a check-in time that clashes with a work shift, have the lawyer ask the court to adjust it instead of simply ignoring it.
23. When an agent cancels a bond
A bail agent who believes a client won't appear may turn the client in to the jail and end the bond. Staying in touch with the agent and keeping your address current helps prevent this.
24. Getting the amount reduced
Ask a defense lawyer to file a motion. Evidence of local work, a home in Clark County, and family who rely on the defendant can help the argument.
25. Checking court dates online
Clark County cases are searchable on Case.net by name or case number.
26. When cash bond money comes back
After the case is resolved and all dates were kept, the 1st Circuit clerk issues the refund, typically to the person who paid. Fines and court costs may be deducted before it's mailed. Expect it to take some weeks.
27. The bondsman's premium
That fee pays the agent for the risk and isn't refunded, even if the case is dropped. Collateral is returned according to your contract.
28. Charges dropped
Dismissal ends the bond, and a cash deposit is returned through the clerk after anything owed is taken out. A dismissal doesn't always mean the matter is finished for good, since some charges can be refiled, so keep your paperwork until a lawyer tells you it's safe to toss.
29. Missing a court date
A warrant is likely, and the bond can be forfeited. An agent will try to find the defendant and may seek payment from the co-signer. Contact a lawyer quickly. Sometimes a missed date was an honest mix-up, and a prompt explanation to the court can make a difference.
30. Arrests of minors
Youths under 18 are normally handled by the 1st Circuit's juvenile office, which makes detention decisions outside the adult bail system. Parents should get in touch with that office immediately.
31. Help with a lawyer
The Missouri State Public Defender serves defendants who can't afford counsel. Request one at the first appearance; you'll fill out a financial statement.
32. Federal cases
Federal charges from Clark fall within the division associated with Hannibal, home of the Northern Division of the Eastern District. Release there is set by a U.S. magistrate under federal law, and the Kahoka jail has no role in federal bail. More is on the Eastern District website.
33. Clark County bail for someone who works across the river in Keokuk
Kahoka sits close to Keokuk, Iowa, and some Clark residents cross the Des Moines River bridge for work every day. If release terms bar leaving Missouri, ask the lawyer to request written permission for the commute before the next shift.
34. Before you go to Kahoka, call
Phone 660-727-2911 to confirm the bond amount, check for holds, and ask what payment the jail can take right then.
Have a photo ID ready and the booking number written down. Nothing here replaces legal advice about the case.
Clark County Jail
Address:
518 North Lincoln Street
Kahoka, MO 63445
Phone:
660-727-2911