Miller County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Miller County bail: the Tuscumbia jail, Lake-area arrests, and release
Tuscumbia, a tiny town on the Osage River, is the seat of Miller County, Missouri, though Eldon is the largest city and the Lake Ozark side draws crowds of summer visitors. That mix of locals and tourists means many families calling about a Miller arrest live hours away and have never seen the county jail. Inmate search: Miller County Inmate Search.
Finding the jail
Miller County prisoners are kept at the Miller County Jail, 1999 MO-52, Tuscumbia, MO 65082. Phone 573-369-2341. For mail, the sheriff uses PO Box 13, Tuscumbia, MO 65082.
The clerk's office
Bond filings, court dates, and refunds for Miller cases go through the circuit clerk, PO Box 12, Tuscumbia, MO 65082, phone 573-369-1970.
Locating someone
Use the Miller County Inmate Search first. A person arrested on the Lake may have been taken to Camden or Morgan County instead, depending on where the stop happened, so a blank result is a reason to call around.
Things to pin down
- Is your relative in Tuscumbia, or in a Camden or Morgan jail?
- Which agency arrested them?
- What bond is set, and what kind?
- Are there holds from home?
- What's the booking number?
Why the bond may be blank
A warrantless arrest in Missouri can be followed by a hold of up to a day while prosecutors decide on charges. After filing, a judge sets terms. Miller warrants usually list a bond.
The 26th Circuit
Miller shares the 26th Judicial Circuit with Camden, Laclede, Moniteau, and Morgan counties. Miller cases typically begin in Tuscumbia before an associate judge.
The rule judges apply
Rule 33.01 asks for the lightest conditions that will reasonably bring the accused back and keep Miller residents safe. Cash isn't mandatory, and a dollar amount must account for ability to pay.
Signing out
Recognizance release requires only a signature, sometimes with conditions such as no contact, sobriety, a curfew, or reporting. Year-round residents of Eldon or Iberia with jobs may have an easier time getting it than visitors with no local ties.
Bond types
- Recognizance.
- Full cash.
- Partial cash, if permitted.
- Surety.
- Property.
- Monitoring or supervision.
Weekend timing
Summer weekends bring more arrests at the Lake, and a Saturday booking may wait for Monday court. Unreachable terms can be challenged through Rule 33.05.
Bondsmen near the Lake
Agents in Eldon, Lake Ozark, Osage Beach, Camdenton, and Jefferson City may write Miller bonds. Each guarantees the full amount for a nonrefundable premium, usually a percentage. Ask about posting fees for Tuscumbia, collateral, and co-signer obligations.
Missouri's insurance regulators license every bail agent, and you can check a license online before you pay.
Real estate bonds
Equity in a home, a lake lot, or farmland can secure bail if a Miller judge approves. Bring a deed, a loan statement, and proof of value.
Paying
Call the jail at 573-369-2341 before driving to learn what forms of money are taken at your arrival time. On weekdays, ask if the Tuscumbia clerk at 573-369-1970 handles postings instead. Bring photo ID.
Cards
A card policy wasn't confirmed for Tuscumbia. Bring it up on the phone, and keep certified funds in reserve.
Who can post
Any adult with ID, typically. Refunds usually follow the receipt's name.
After posting
Staff process the release, check for warrants, and return property. Ask how long it should take.
Visitors arrested at the Lake
Many people booked in Miller County live in Kansas City, St. Louis, or out of state and came for a weekend. Living elsewhere won't automatically keep someone locked up, though the judge will likely want a reliable address and phone and may set conditions about returning for hearings. A family driving in should call ahead so the trip lines up with a set bond.
Boating arrests
On the Lake of the Ozarks and the Osage River, troopers from the Highway Patrol's water unit make many arrests, including boating while intoxicated. The case is filed in the county where the stop happened. A Miller-side stop usually goes to Tuscumbia; Camden or Morgan waters lead to those counties.
Holds from Cole, Camden, Morgan, or home counties
Miller bail only resolves Miller charges. Warrants from Cole, Camden, Morgan, Maries, Pulaski, or the person's home county keep them jailed until handled.
Other detainers
Probation officers, other states, and immigration officials can request holds that Miller bail doesn't release.
City cases in Eldon and Lake Ozark
Eldon and Lake Ozark may run municipal courts for ordinance offenses, with separate bail. Ask which court a charge is in.
The papers to save
Keep the release order with each Tuscumbia hearing and condition, plus the receipt. If you live far away, photograph both and put the dates in your phone right away.
When a condition is broken
Say an Eldon defendant under a no-drinking order is caught at a Lake bar. The prosecutor can ask a 26th Circuit judge to revoke. A warrant, higher bail, or detention until trial could follow. Seasonal workers whose shifts collide with a curfew should raise it with their attorney well before a violation.
Agent surrender
Bonding companies can usually take a client back to the Tuscumbia jail and end the bond when contact stops or flight looks likely. Out-of-town defendants should be extra careful to keep in touch.
Asking for less
Defense counsel can ask the Miller judge to lower bail or ease terms. Proof of a job, a fixed address, and family who depend on the defendant help.
Case.net
Look up Miller files on Case.net under the 26th Circuit. Five counties share it, so pick Miller from the county list.
Refunds
A Miller cash bond comes home only after the case is over and the defendant has made every appearance. At that point the judge exonerates the bail, and the Tuscumbia clerk cuts a check, normally payable to the depositor, after subtracting fines, costs, or restitution from that case. Give the clerk an address that will still reach you in a few weeks, especially if you live out of state.
Premiums
Treat the bondsman's fee as spent the day you sign. If you also put up a boat title or a deed, the agreement controls when it comes back, which is generally after the Miller court discharges the bond.
Dismissals
Prosecutors dropping the case ends the bail too. The deposit is returned after the court takes its share, if any. Save every page in case the charge is refiled later.
Missing a Tuscumbia hearing
A missed date usually brings a warrant and forfeiture steps. The bonding company may come looking and turn to the co-signer. A long drive from the city isn't an excuse, so plan the trip early, and call the lawyer at once if something goes wrong.
Young people
Minors arrested around the Lake are generally sent through the 26th Circuit juvenile office rather than adult bond court. A teen who can't be released to a parent is placed in a youth center. Out-of-town parents should call that office before driving down, asking which facility has the teen and the date of the first hearing.
Public defender
Hiring a private firm isn't the only route. At the opening hearing, a Miller defendant may ask for a state-paid lawyer, and the judge will hand over an income form. Assigned counsel can press for bail the family can actually reach.
Can a Lake visitor return to Kansas or Iowa between court dates?
Often the judge allows it, as long as the defendant returns for every Tuscumbia date. Some release orders require permission to leave Missouri, so read it before heading home. Some routine settings might be covered by the attorney alone, but only the judge decides that, so never skip a date on a guess.
What happens to a boat or car after a Lake arrest?
Vehicles and boats may be towed and stored, and fees add up daily. The arresting agency can say where it went and whether it's on hold. Recovering property is separate from bail and usually needs ID and proof of ownership.
Federal cases
Federal arrests in Miller County belong to Missouri's Western District, with hearings in Jefferson City at the Central Division, where a magistrate judge decides release. The Tuscumbia jail has nothing to do with federal release. For more, visit the Western District website.
Does a BWI arrest on the Lake affect a driver's license?
Boating while intoxicated is its own offense in Missouri, separate from driving while intoxicated. License consequences for a boating case can differ from a car DWI, and a prior record may matter. Ask the defense lawyer how the charge could affect driving or boating privileges, since those questions aren't decided by the bail judge.
Call Tuscumbia first
Ring 573-369-2341 before getting on the road. Ask whether your relative is still in custody there, the amount and type of bail, any outside holds, and what payment the desk takes.
Your license and the booking number are what to carry. This guide sketches Miller County bail broadly; a defense attorney should address the specific charge.
Miller County Jail
Address:
1999 MO-52
Tuscumba, MO 65082
Phone:
573-369-2341
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Miller County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Miller County?
Who can set bail in Miller County?
When is bail set in Miller County Missouri?
Does Miller County have bail?
Yes, Miller County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Miller County?
The Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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, Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller County have bail?
Yes, Miller County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Miller County?
The Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller County Jail for more information about the jails in Miller County.
What options are there to pay bail in Miller County Missouri?
All Miller 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 Miller County Jail for more information about posting bail in Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller 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.