Knox County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Knox County bail: the Edina jail and arranging release
Edina is the seat of Knox County, Missouri, one of the least populated counties in the state, with small towns like Baring, Knox City, Novelty, and Hurdland scattered across its farmland. Knox arrests are booked into the county's own jail on North 4th Street in Edina. Inmate search: Knox County Inmate Search.
Where is a Knox prisoner held?
Knox County runs its own jail and sheriff's office at the courthouse block in Edina: the Knox County Jail, 107 N. 4th Street, Edina, MO 63537, phone 660-397-2186. Deputies there handle booking, short-term holding, and people serving county sentences, and they can tell you whether your relative is in custody and whether a bond has been entered.
The circuit clerk
Knox County's circuit clerk shares the courthouse address, 107 N 4th St, Edina, MO 63537, and answers weekdays at 660-397-2305. Bond filings, court dates, and refunds for Knox cases are handled there, wherever the defendant happens to sleep.
Online roster checks
Use the Knox County Inmate Search. Small rosters don't always update right away, so if a name doesn't appear, phone North 4th Street and give the person's legal name plus birthday.
What to find out first
- Is your relative in the Edina lockup tonight?
- Whether the case is a Knox County case or another county's.
- The charges listed at booking.
- How much bail, and of what sort.
- Any hold from another county or agency.
Who decides a Knox bond?
A Knox charge is decided by a Knox judge. The bail figure, every condition, and any refund all run through the Edina courthouse, and the jail on North 4th Street keeps custody until the court's terms are met.
Bail not set yet?
Charges may still be in progress. A warrantless arrest gives Missouri prosecutors 24 hours to file or release, and release terms generally come after the charge. On a warrant arrest, the amount may already be on it, and the sheriff can likely tell you.
Knox's circuit
The 2nd Judicial Circuit covers Knox together with Adair and Lewis counties. New cases usually start before an associate judge in Edina, who sets opening release terms. Sessions in a county this small aren't held every day.
The standard judges use
Rule 33.01 asks Missouri judges to set the mildest conditions that still make it likely a defendant returns and the public stays safe. Money is only one option. If a cash or surety figure is ordered, the defendant's real finances are supposed to shape it.
Release on a signed promise
A judge can release a defendant on recognizance, with no deposit. Rules may be attached, such as avoiding a named person, staying sober, or checking in. Lifelong roots in Knox County, farm work, or a local job all weigh in favor.
Options for release
- A promise to appear.
- Cash for the whole amount.
- A cash portion, if spelled out by the judge.
- A surety bond from a licensed agent.
- Farmland or a house pledged, if approved.
- Supervision or electronic monitoring.
When court happens
With limited court days in Edina, timing depends on the calendar. A late-week arrest may mean a longer stay. If terms are set too high to meet, a lawyer can ask for a quick reconsideration under Rule 33.05.
Bondsman costs
A bail agent guarantees the entire bond for a premium, usually a share of it, which the agent keeps. Few agencies may operate in Knox itself, so families often call firms in Kirksville, Quincy, or Hannibal. Pin down the percentage, any surcharges, what security they want, and who must co-sign, all on paper.
Each agent needs a Missouri license, and a good one will show it without fuss.
Using land for bail
If the judge allows it, equity in Knox County farmland or a house can secure the bond. The court will usually ask for the deed, any loan balance, and proof of value. Farm ground can take time to document, so start gathering papers early.
Paying the bond
Call the sheriff at 660-397-2186 before going anywhere. Ask whether payment goes to the jail desk or, on weekdays, to the clerk at 660-397-2305. Confirm first and bring ID.
Cards
Card payment couldn't be verified. Ask by phone, and bring a money order as a fallback.
Who may post
An adult with identification can usually post. A cash refund typically goes back to the depositor, so the receipt should be in your name.
How long release takes
Once the bond is accepted, Edina deputies look for outside warrants and hand back belongings ahead of release on North 4th Street. Ask how long the paperwork usually takes, and line up a ride home to Baring, Novelty, or Hurdland.
Warrants from Adair, Lewis, Scotland, or Shelby
Knox bail covers only Knox charges. Warrants from Adair, Lewis, Scotland, Shelby, Macon, or Clark counties, or from Iowa or Illinois, can keep the person jailed until that agency acts. Out-of-state warrants may bring extradition, which a lawyer can explain.
Other holds
Parole officers, outside courts, and immigration authorities can ask a jail to keep someone, and Knox bail doesn't remove those requests.
Town ordinance charges
Edina may handle some ordinance cases in a municipal court with its own bond rules. Ask whether each charge is a city or state matter.
Bond paperwork
Keep the release form, which lists every Edina court date and condition, and your payment receipt. Photos on your phone are a good backup.
If a condition is violated
The prosecutor may ask to revoke release. The 2nd Circuit judge can respond with a warrant, a higher bail, or detention until trial. A lawyer can ask to change an unworkable condition before it's broken.
Bondsman surrender
Bail contracts usually let the agent return a client to custody and drop the bond if the agent loses contact or fears flight. Keep in touch with the agency.
Lowering bail
A written request from the lawyer can seek a cut in the figure or lighter rules. Proof of farm income or a job, a Knox address, and family responsibilities help.
Checking court dates
Search Case.net under the 2nd Circuit and Knox County. Adair and Lewis share the circuit, so check the county.
Getting cash back
When a Knox case wraps up and the defendant showed for every setting, the judge discharges the bail and the Edina clerk processes a refund. The check normally goes to whoever is named on the receipt. Fines, court costs, or restitution can be withheld beforehand, and small-county refunds may take several weeks to arrive, so leave a reliable mailing address with the clerk.
The premium
Cash paid to a bondsman as a premium is the company's earnings for taking the risk, so it stays with them even if the charge disappears quickly. Pledged collateral is another story. A deed or vehicle title held by the agent should be handed back when the court lets the bond go, under the terms of your written agreement.
Dismissed cases
If the Knox prosecutor drops the case, the bail is released because there's nothing left for it to guarantee. Posted money comes back by way of the clerk, minus anything the court assesses. Keep the paperwork tucked away, since a charge dismissed once can occasionally be filed again.
Missing court
Failing to show up in Edina usually leads to an arrest warrant, and the judge may order the bail forfeited. When a surety company wrote the bond, it may try to locate the defendant and bill the co-signer for any loss. Winter roads in northeast Missouri or a sudden illness are worth explaining to the defense lawyer on the same day.
Juveniles
Minors under 18 are generally handled by the 2nd Circuit's juvenile officer, not through adult bond, and a detained youth would typically be placed at a juvenile center, possibly far from Edina. Parents should phone the juvenile office promptly to find the youth's location and the hearing date.
Public defender
Missouri provides appointed counsel through its public defender system for people who can't pay a lawyer. A Knox defendant can ask for one at the first court appearance and list income on the court's form; an assigned lawyer may then press for release terms the family can manage.
Federal cases
Knox County is part of the Eastern District of Missouri. Federal charges from here go to the Northern Division courthouse in Hannibal, and a magistrate there rules on pretrial custody. The Edina jail doesn't handle federal bail. Learn more from the Eastern District website.
Where is a Knox bond paid?
The Edina jail may take a Knox bond after hours, while weekday bonds may go to the circuit clerk in the same courthouse block. Ask the jail which office takes payment at the time you plan to arrive, so the money reaches the right desk.
Can someone serve a Knox sentence in the Edina jail?
The Knox jail holds people serving county sentences as well as those awaiting trial. A longer state prison sentence is served elsewhere. Ask the jail about visiting days and phone accounts for someone held in Edina.
Call the sheriff first
Before you drive anywhere, phone the sheriff in Edina at 660-397-2186. Confirm that the Edina jail has your relative, learn the Knox bail figure and its form, and ask whether another county or state has a hold, and learn exactly where and how payment is taken.
Have photo identification and the booking number ready. This page explains Knox County bail in general terms; a lawyer can give advice about the particular charge.
Knox County Jail
Address:
Clark County Jail
518 North Lincoln Street
Kahoka, MO 63445
Phone:
660-727-2911
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Knox County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Knox County?
Who can set bail in Knox County?
When is bail set in Knox County Missouri?
Does Knox County have bail?
Yes, Knox County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Knox County?
The Knox County court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Bail is available in several forms including a recognizance bond, uncompensated sureties, 10% cash bond or cash bond.
In Missouri, Uncompensated Sureties make it so an individual may act as their own surety if they are at least 21 years of age and a resident of the state of MO. They must have net assets with a value in excess of exemptions at least equal or greater than the amount of the bond set.
They cannot have been found guilty or pled no contest within the past 15 years to any felony charge and they can’t have any outstanding unsatisfied judgment entered on any bail bond in any court in Missouri or the US.
POST YOUR OWN 10% CASH BOND: Bonds are generally set at a specified cash amount by the court. In Missouri, the defendant is in most instances entitled to be released upon payment of a 10% cash fee paid to the Court Clerk as the bond. This money, unlike money paid to a bondsman, is then refunded to the defendant at the conclusion of the case.
This money will not be refunded to the defendant at the conclusion of the case if you have any court costs due etc. and will instead be applied to those costs which is 99% of the time almost always the case.
Who can set bail in Knox County?
Some offenses have preset bail according to a bail schedule and can be processed at the jail without waiting for a judge. In other cases, the bail will be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Knox County Missouri?
For some offenses is set according to a pre-determined bail schedule. If this is the case the jail will inform the defendant of the bail amount during processing. In other cases, bail will be set by a judge. A bail hearing is generally scheduled within 48 hours of arrest.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox 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, Knox 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.
What are the different types of bonds in Knox 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. This is one of the more popular bonds in Missouri.
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.
In Missouri, Uncompensated Sureties make it so an individual may act as their own surety if they are at least 21 years of age and a resident of the state of MO. They must have net assets with a value in excess of exemptions at least equal or greater than the amount of the bond set.
They cannot have been found guilty or pled no contest within the past 15 years to any felony charge and they can’t have any outstanding unsatisfied judgment entered on any bail bond in any court in Missouri or the US.
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 Knox County have bail?
Yes, Knox County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Knox County?
The Knox County court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Bail is available in several forms including a recognizance bond, uncompensated sureties, 10% cash bond or cash bond.
In Missouri, Uncompensated Sureties make it so an individual may act as their own surety if they are at least 21 years of age and a resident of the state of MO. They must have net assets with a value in excess of exemptions at least equal or greater than the amount of the bond set.
They cannot have been found guilty or pled no contest within the past 15 years to any felony charge and they can’t have any outstanding unsatisfied judgment entered on any bail bond in any court in Missouri or the US.
POST YOUR OWN 10% CASH BOND: Bonds are generally set at a specified cash amount by the court. In Missouri, the defendant is in most instances entitled to be released upon payment of a 10% cash fee paid to the Court Clerk as the bond. This money, unlike money paid to a bondsman, is then refunded to the defendant at the conclusion of the case.
This money will not be refunded to the defendant at the conclusion of the case if you have any court costs due etc. and will instead be applied to those costs which is 99% of the time almost always the case.
Who can set bail in Knox County?
Some offenses have preset bail according to a bail schedule and can be processed at the jail without waiting for a judge. In other cases, the bail will be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Missouri?
For some offenses is set according to a pre-determined bail schedule. If this is the case the jail will inform the defendant of the bail amount during processing. In other cases, bail will be set by a judge. A bail hearing is generally scheduled within 48 hours of arrest.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Knox County Missouri?
You can get the court to reduce an excessive bond - sometimes if the bond is set unfairly high, it can be reduced to a more manageable amount by an attorney – your own or court appointed/public defender. This can usually be accomplished early in proceedings shortly after arrest.
In Knox County Missouri, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail could be the arrested, a relative or close friend. All could be considered a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Missouri could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Knox County Missouri?
Missouri counties do not currently process online payments for bail. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Knox County Jail for more information about the jails in Knox County.
What options are there to pay bail in Knox County Missouri?
All Knox County courts accept cash or surety from a bail bonds agent. Some courts allow payment via credit or debit card, money order or cashier’s check. Go to the Knox County Jail for more information about posting bail in Knox County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Missouri?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail and in Missouri, usually to the defendant. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Knox County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
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 Missouri?
The Knox 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.