Morgan County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Morgan County bail: the Versailles jail and the west side of the Lake
Versailles, pronounced "ver-SALES" by locals, is the seat of Morgan County, Missouri. Stover, Syracuse, Barnett, and Gravois Mills are here too, along with the Morgan County share of Laurie and the coves of the Lake's Gravois Arm, so Morgan County bookings run from farm-town traffic stops to summer boating cases. Inmate search: Morgan County Inmate Search.
Jail and courthouse on Newton Street
Morgan County prisoners are held at the Morgan County Jail, 211 E. Newton Street, Versailles, MO 65084, phone 573-378-5481. The circuit clerk is listed at the same street address, phone 573-378-4413, which keeps bond errands within a short walk.
Checking the roster
Search the Morgan County Inmate Search. If your relative was arrested near Laurie or Sunrise Beach, check Camden County too, since the county line runs through that area.
Five quick questions
- Is the person in Versailles, or across the line in Camdenton or Tuscumbia?
- What charge was booked?
- Bail amount and type?
- Holds from another county or state?
- Booking number?
Bail still blank
Missouri permits holding someone for a day after a warrantless arrest while charges are reviewed. Once filed, a judge decides terms. A served Morgan warrant usually lists its bond.
The 26th Circuit
Morgan sits in the 26th Judicial Circuit beside Camden, Laclede, Miller, and Moniteau. A Morgan case typically opens in Versailles with an associate judge.
Missouri's yardstick
Rule 33.01 calls for the least restrictive terms that reasonably secure appearance and safety. No money is required by default, and a set amount must reflect what the accused can pay.
A signature and a promise
Some Morgan defendants are released on recognizance. Conditions such as avoiding a person, sobriety, a curfew, or reporting may be added. Year-round residence in Versailles or Stover and steady work help.
Release types in Versailles
- Signed recognizance.
- The total in cash.
- A part in cash, when allowed.
- A bonding company.
- Real estate.
- Supervision.
How fast it moves
Weekend and holiday bookings, common in Lake season, may wait for a weekday judge. Bail no one can reach can be brought back before the court on a Rule 33.05 motion.
Bonding agents
Agencies in Versailles, Camdenton, Osage Beach, Sedalia, and Jefferson City may write Morgan bonds. The agent pledges the full sum and keeps a premium, usually a percentage. Before signing, raise posting fees, collateral, and co-signer exposure with the agent.
Bondsmen need a Missouri insurance license. Verify it.
Lake property as security
Equity in a home, cabin, or acreage may be pledged if a Morgan judge approves. Expect to show a deed, the remaining loan balance, and a value.
Paying the bond
Call the jail at 573-378-5481 to ask what kind of payment works at your arrival time, and on weekdays whether the clerk at 573-378-4413 takes it. Bring photo ID.
Paying by card
Unconfirmed for Versailles. Ask the deputy, and stop for a money order on the way over.
Who may pay
An adult with identification. Hold on to the receipt for the refund.
Leaving the Versailles jail
After the money is accepted, staff finish release forms, run a statewide check for other warrants, and hand back property. Phoning ahead tells you whether to leave now or wait an hour, which matters if you're driving in from Sedalia or the far side of the Lake.
Laurie, Sunrise Beach, and the county line
Laurie and Sunrise Beach straddle the Morgan–Camden line, and an arrest a few hundred feet one way or the other can send the case to Versailles or Camdenton. The arresting officer's agency and the booking jail usually tell you which county is charging.
Lake arrests by water troopers
Boating cases on the Gravois Arm and the west side of the Lake are often handled by Highway Patrol troopers on the water. Where the boat was stopped decides the county, so a Morgan-side stop leads to Versailles court.
Warrants from Benton, Pettis, Cooper, Moniteau, or Camden
Bail in Versailles takes care of Morgan charges and nothing else. Holds from Benton, Pettis, Cooper, Moniteau, Miller, or Camden keep the person locked up until each is sorted out.
Out-of-state and agency detainers
Visitors from Kansas, Iowa, or Oklahoma sometimes turn up with warrants from home, and parole officers or immigration agents can lodge holds too. Morgan bail resolves none of them.
Versailles and Stover tickets
Some towns may send ordinance cases to their own municipal judge, whose bail is billed separately. Ask whether a deputy or a town officer wrote the ticket.
Keep the forms
The release sheet lists every Versailles hearing and rule; the receipt proves who paid and how much. Keep both, plus a phone photo.
Breaking a rule of release
Imagine a Stover defendant under a no-alcohol order is spotted drinking on a pontoon. The prosecutor can then file with the 26th Circuit, and possible results include deputies serving a new order, a bond increase, or detention until the case ends. Summer workers whose resort shifts run past a curfew should get the lawyer to ask for an adjustment before Memorial Day.
The surety's way out
Bonding contracts generally let the agent haul its client back to Newton Street and drop the bond if check-ins stop or a move seems likely. Answer the agent's calls.
A lower figure
Through a written motion, the defense can urge the Versailles judge toward a smaller bond or easier terms. Payroll records, a year-round Morgan address, and children at home strengthen it.
Case.net
Case.net lists Morgan files under the 26th Circuit; select Morgan specifically, since four other counties share the circuit.
Cash returned
When a Morgan case closes and the defendant missed no settings, the judge exonerates bail. The clerk on Newton Street then refunds the deposit, normally in the poster's name, after anything owed on the case is deducted. Allow several weeks, and send the clerk any new address. If the check seems lost, call 573-378-4413 with the case number and the depositor's name.
The agent's premium
Kept by the agency as its fee. Collateral returns under the agreement once the Versailles court frees the bond.
If prosecutors drop it
A dismissal ends bail, and posted cash is refunded less court debts. File the papers safely, because cases can be refiled.
Skipping a Versailles setting
A skipped date usually prompts an arrest order and a forfeiture hearing. The bondsman, now on the hook, will search for the client and press the co-signer. Weekend visitors who live far off should plan return trips carefully and alert their lawyer immediately if something goes wrong.
Minors at the Lake
Teens picked up in Morgan County are usually referred to the circuit's juvenile staff, who use a separate process from adult bail. A youth who can't go home is placed at a juvenile center in the region. Visiting parents should call the juvenile office before making the drive.
Help paying for a lawyer
Defendants who can't hire counsel may say so at their first Versailles hearing; the judge will provide an income form, and a state public defender may be appointed. That lawyer can ask for bail changes.
Can a Morgan County defendant keep working at the Lake?
Usually, if the release order allows it. Watch for curfews, no-alcohol rules, or limits on certain places that could conflict with bar or resort jobs. A lawyer can ask the judge to adjust terms so the person can keep working.
Federal cases
U.S. charges from Morgan County travel to the capital: the Western District's Central Division meets in Jefferson City, and a federal magistrate there decides whether the person goes home before trial. Newton Street can't accept money for a federal case. Look over the Western District website for procedures.
What if the defendant lives in Kansas City and only visits the Lake?
Distance alone doesn't stop release, but the judge will want to know the person can return for each Versailles hearing. A firm home address, a working phone, and a job back home help. Some orders limit travel or require permission to leave Missouri, so read the terms before heading out of state.
Will the court let someone stay at a Lake house while on bond?
That depends on the release order. A judge may require the defendant to live at a specific address or to tell the court about any move. If the plan is to stay at a cabin or rental, make sure the court has that address and that it fits any no-contact or no-alcohol rules.
Call Versailles first
Ring 573-378-5481 before you set out. Ask whether your relative is still booked there, the bail figure and type, any holds, and what payment the desk accepts.
Bring a photo ID plus the booking number. Read this as an outline of Morgan County bail, and turn to counsel for advice on the charge.
Morgan County Jail
Address:
211 E. Newton Street
Versailles, MO 65084
Phone:
573-378-5481
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Morgan County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morgan County?
Who can set bail in Morgan County?
When is bail set in Morgan County Missouri?
Does Morgan County have bail?
Yes, Morgan County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morgan County?
The Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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, Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan County have bail?
Yes, Morgan County recognizes most types of bonds and bail conditions.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morgan County?
The Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan County Jail for more information about the jails in Morgan County.
What options are there to pay bail in Morgan County Missouri?
All Morgan 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 Morgan County Jail for more information about posting bail in Morgan 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 Morgan 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 Morgan 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.