Linn County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Linn County bail: Linn cases, Macon housing, and how release works
Linneus, one of the smallest county seats in Missouri, anchors Linn County, Missouri, though Brookfield and Marceline are the county's biggest towns, with Bucklin, Laclede, and Meadville rounding it out. Linn County sends its prisoners to a jail in neighboring Macon County, so families usually deal with two places: Macon for custody and Linneus for the case. Inmate search: Linn County Inmate Search.
Where Linn prisoners sleep
State-charge arrests in Linn County are generally housed at the Macon County Jail, 101 E. Washington Street, Macon, MO 63552. Its phone is 660-385-2062. That jail holds the person; it doesn't run the Linn case.
The Linn sheriff
For questions about a Linn arrest or warrant, contact the sheriff at 115 W Jackson St, PO Box 142, Linneus, MO 64653, phone 660-895-5312. The sheriff's office can confirm where your relative is and whether a bond has been set.
The circuit clerk in Linneus
Bond filings, hearing dates, and refunds for Linn cases go through the clerk at PO Box 84, Linneus, MO 64653. Weekday calls go to 660-895-5212.
Finding someone online
Try the Linn County Inmate Search. Because the person is physically in Macon, the Macon jail's roster may show the booking before any Linn list does. Still nothing? Call the Linn sheriff with a full name and birthday.
Get these answers first
- Is your relative at the Macon jail, and on whose case?
- What Linn charges were filed?
- Has a judge set bail, and of which type?
- Does another county, state, or agency have a hold?
- Which booking number should you use?
Custody in Macon, case in Linneus
Housing someone in Macon doesn't hand the case to Macon County. The bond figure, every condition, each court date, and any refund are set by a Linn judge and handled by the Linneus clerk. Macon's jail keeps the person until Linn's terms are satisfied.
Bond not set yet?
Charges may still be coming. In Missouri, a warrantless arrest gives prosecutors a single day to file or release, with terms picked later by a judge. If deputies served a Linn warrant, the bond may be printed right on it.
The 9th Circuit
Linn shares the 9th Judicial Circuit with Chariton and Sullivan counties. Linn cases typically open in Linneus with an associate judge, who sets starting conditions. Court days in a county this size are limited.
How the judge decides
Rule 33.01 caps how harsh release terms can be: only what's reasonably needed to get the defendant back and keep people safe. Money is optional. When it's used, the defendant's real finances are supposed to matter.
Signature release
On recognizance, a defendant signs a pledge and leaves with no deposit. Conditions might include staying clear of someone, laying off alcohol, a curfew, or phone check-ins. A job at a Brookfield plant, a family farm, or long roots in Marceline all point toward this.
What release can look like
- Signature only.
- Every dollar in cash.
- A slice in cash, if allowed.
- A bondsman's guarantee.
- Land or a home pledged, with approval.
- A supervising officer or monitor.
Timing
With Linneus court not in session daily, an arrest near a weekend can mean a few nights in Macon. Terms nobody can meet can be challenged through Rule 33.05, and that review is supposed to move fast.
Hiring a bondsman
Agencies from Brookfield, Macon, Chillicothe, or Kirksville may write Linn bonds. Each guarantees the whole bail for a premium, usually a percentage, that stays with them. Ask whether there's a fee for posting at a jail in another county, what collateral they'd want, and what co-signing means, and get it in writing.
Bail agents need a license from Missouri's insurance department, and you're entitled to ask for the number.
Farm ground as security
A Linn judge can let equity in farmland or a house back the bond. Expect to produce a deed, a lender payoff number, and a valuation. Gathering that can take days.
Where the money goes
Because custody and the case are in different counties, call before paying. Ask the Linn sheriff at 660-895-5312 or the Macon jail at 660-385-2062 where a Linn bond is accepted at that hour. On weekdays, the Linneus clerk at 660-895-5212 may take it. You'll need identification.
Cards
Neither office confirmed its card policy for this guide. Ask, and carry a money order as backup.
Who can post
An adult with identification. Since the refund normally goes to the depositor, keep the receipt.
Getting out of Macon
Once Linn's terms are met, the Macon jail processes release, checks for outside warrants, and returns property. Ask when and where your relative will walk out, and arrange a ride home; Macon is a drive from Brookfield or Linneus.
Warrants from Livingston, Chariton, Sullivan, or Macon
Linn bail only covers Linn charges. Warrants from Livingston, Chariton, Sullivan, Macon, Grundy, or Randolph counties can keep the person jailed after Linn bail is paid. Ask which county issued any hold.
Detainers
Parole agents, out-of-state courts, and immigration officials may ask the jail to keep someone. Linn bail doesn't remove those.
Brookfield and Marceline city cases
Brookfield and Marceline may run municipal courts for ordinance tickets, with their own bail. Ask which charges are city charges.
Keeping the paperwork
You'll get a release form listing Linneus court dates and conditions and a receipt for the money. Snap pictures of both, and make sure the defendant knows each hearing is in Linneus, not Macon.
A violation
After a broken rule, the prosecutor can ask a 9th Circuit judge to revoke. The judge might order an arrest, raise the bond, or keep the defendant in Macon until trial. A lawyer can seek changes to a rule that conflicts with work before it's broken.
Agent surrender
A bail company can usually deliver its client back to custody and end the bond if contact drops off or flight looks likely. Stay in touch with the agent.
Asking for less
Counsel can file a motion for a lower figure or easier terms. Pay stubs, a Linn County address, and proof of family who rely on the defendant help.
Case.net
Search Case.net under the 9th Circuit and Linn County. Chariton and Sullivan files appear there as well; read the county line.
When the deposit comes back
If the defendant made every Linneus hearing, the judge discharges the bond when the case ends, and the clerk mails the money, usually to the depositor. Before that, the court can apply part of it to fines, costs, or restitution. Expect to wait some weeks, and give the clerk an address you'll still have.
Premiums
What you paid the bondsman is theirs; it bought the guarantee. Pledged collateral, like a tractor title or a deed, should return to you when the Linn court releases the bond, per the contract.
Dropped charges
A dismissal frees the bail. Posted money returns through the Linneus clerk minus court assessments. Keep your copies, since a charge can sometimes be refiled.
Missing a Linneus hearing
A no-show tends to bring an arrest order, and the bail may be forfeited. A surety company out its money can go after its client and hold the co-signer responsible. Because the defendant may live in Brookfield or Marceline and court is in Linneus, plan rides in advance, and if something goes wrong, tell the lawyer at once.
Minors
Young people under 18 are typically handled by the 9th Circuit juvenile officer under separate rules, not adult bond. Kids who are held are placed in youth detention, possibly some distance away. A parent's best first step is to call the juvenile office early for the location and hearing date.
Free defense counsel
A Linn defendant who can't afford a lawyer can ask the judge for a public defender at the first appearance and fill out an income form. An appointed lawyer may argue for a smaller bond or workable rules.
Federal charges
Linn County is part of Missouri's Eastern District. Federal cases from here are heard in Hannibal's Northern Division courthouse, and its magistrate judge rules on release. Neither the Linn sheriff nor the Macon jail can accept federal bail money. See the Eastern District website.
Can I visit or send money to someone from Linn held in Macon?
Visiting rules, phone accounts, and commissary deposits are set by the Macon jail, not Linn County. Call 660-385-2062 for visiting days and how to add funds. Commissary money is separate from bail and won't count toward a bond.
Will the person be driven to Linneus for court?
Usually, a person held in Macon on a Linn case is transported to Linneus for hearings or appears by video, depending on the court's practice. Once released, though, getting to court is the defendant's own job, so line up a ride.
Call before you drive
Phone the Linn sheriff at 660-895-5312 or the Macon jail at 660-385-2062. Confirm where your relative is tonight, the bond figure and type, any holds, and where and how a Linn bond can be paid.
Have your license and the booking number handy. Consider this a broad outline of Linn County bail; an attorney can advise on the charge.
Linn County Jail
Address:
Macon County Jail: 101 W. Sheridan St., Macon MO 63552
Linn County Jail: 100 N Mulberry St., Fayette MO 65248
Linneus, MO
Phone:
660-248-2477
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Linn County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Linn County?
Who can set bail in Linn County?
When is bail set in Linn County Missouri?
Does Linn County have bail?
Yes, Linn County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Linn County?
The Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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, Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn County have bail?
Yes, Linn County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Linn County?
The Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn County Jail for more information about the jails in Linn County.
What options are there to pay bail in Linn County Missouri?
All Linn 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 Linn County Jail for more information about posting bail in Linn 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 Linn 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 Linn 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.