Glacier County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

That choice belongs to a judge. Montana law says an arrested person goes before the nearest judge "without unnecessary delay" (MCA 46-7-101). The judge must make the release decision at that very first hearing (MCA 46-9-109). The hearing can be held in a courtroom or over a video link to the jail (MCA 46-9-206).

• County charges start in Justice Court, 512 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-3631.
• Cases from inside city limits go to Cut Bank City Court, 113 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-0131.
• Felonies later move up to the Ninth Judicial District Court. The bail stays in place there, though the district judge may raise, cut or swap it (MCA 46-9-201).
• Tribal charges are handled by the Blackfeet Tribal Court, explained in the next answer.

Much of the county lies inside the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Blackfeet Nation has its own police, court and laws there. Browning, where the tribal offices sit, is not an incorporated town, so it has no town court. The court that takes a case depends on where the crime happened, who was involved and which officers made the arrest.

• Tribal police. Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services covers the reservation around the clock. Call 406-338-4000 to learn if they made the arrest.
• Tribal court. The Blackfeet Tribal Court hears criminal matters that take place on the reservation and sets its own release terms. It is at 90 Highway 464, Browning, MT 59417, 406-338-5061.
• Tribal jail. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) runs a federal jail in Browning. Its Blackfeet Agency office answers at 406-338-7544.
• Serious crimes. These can be charged in federal court in Great Falls, with the FBI and the BIA leading the work. See the federal answer below.

Bail set by a county judge does nothing for a tribal or federal case. Each court decides release on its own.

The judge must pick the lightest terms that still make sure the person comes back to court (MCA 46-9-108). The usual choices are:

• A signed promise. This is called own recognizance, and it costs nothing (MCA 46-9-111).
• Rules to follow. A judge might set a curfew, ban alcohol or firearms, require check-ins, or forbid contact with witnesses and the person allegedly harmed.
• Full cash. Every dollar is paid up front, and the court holds it for the life of the case.
• A bail agent's bond. A licensed agent backs the full amount for a fee.
• Two personal sureties. Two qualified people co-sign a written promise with the defendant (MCA 46-9-401).
• Land in Montana. Property with enough equity, free of other debts, can serve as bail.
• A driver's license. For some traffic offenses, the license can take the place of cash.

The law favors an ankle monitor, where one exists, in cases such as a repeat assault on a partner or felony stalking (MCA 46-9-108).

For most misdemeanors, judges start from the Montana Supreme Court's statewide Recommended Bond Schedule, updated for 2026. It is advice only, so a local judge may set a higher or lower figure. Each amount already includes state surcharges. Some figures:

• Assault causing bodily injury (misdemeanor): $585, plus a required court appearance
• Selling or handing alcohol to a person under 21: $535, court appearance required
• Criminal insurance fraud of $1,500 or less: $285, court appearance required
• A second unlawful gambling offense within 5 years: $750
• Operating a boat while impaired: $335
• Felonies such as homicide: no amount on the list, so a judge sets one

A judge must see the person first in five kinds of cases. They are assault on a partner or relative, strangling one, stalking, and violations of protection orders or no-contact orders (MCA 46-9-302).

Go to the Sheriff's jail roster and choose the newest Active Inmate Report. Each one is a short PDF with a date and time at the top. Find the person's name and read across to the Bond column. The Jacket number on that row is the jail's own ID for the person. The row also gives the booking date and the number of days held.

New reports usually appear around 8 a.m., but not every day, so the latest one can be a few days old. A $0 entry or a name you can't find is worth a phone call. Ring 406-873-2711 and press 2 to ask what is owed and which charge each amount covers.

Jail staff or an officer can collect bail for the judge, but only if the warrant spells out the amount or a posted schedule lists it. They must hand you a signed receipt (MCA 46-9-302). Work through these steps:

1. Call 406-873-2711 and press 2 for the jail. Late at night or on a weekend, press 3 for the 24/7 dispatch center.
2. Give the person's full name, and the Jacket number from the roster if you have it.
3. Ask the bail amount, which case it covers and whether a judge has to see the person before release.
4. Ask where to go to pay, which kinds of payment are taken and the payee name for a check or money order.
5. Carry ID with your photo and the exact amount, and keep the receipt safe.

Always get directions from staff before you leave home.

A court rule for justice and city courts lets people pay schedule bail at the counter during business hours on judicial days. The rules also say the schedule has to hang in the court's office.

• Justice Court, for misdemeanors and the opening hearing in felonies: 512 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-3631
• Cut Bank City Court, for city cases: 113 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-0131
• Clerk of District Court, for felonies: 512 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-3619

Phone the court first. Ask the amount, its hours, the payments it takes and whether the jail will free the person as soon as the money is in. Bail in a tribal case goes through the Blackfeet Tribal Court in Browning instead.

The surest way to pay is the exact amount in cash or a money order. Before you count on a check or a card, call and ask if it will be accepted. For its own fees, the Clerk of District Court takes cash and checks but no debit or credit cards, so ask whether bail works the same way.

Plan to pay bail in person or through a licensed bail agent. If someone calls demanding bail through gift cards or an app, end the call. Then phone the jail directly at 406-873-2711. Never send cash in the mail.

An agent can help when the family can't pay the full amount. Montana's legal name for one is a "surety bail bond insurance producer." Montana's Commissioner of Securities and Insurance must license every agent (MCA 33-17-1601).

• Whatever happens in the case, the fee you pay the agent is gone for good.
• Agents often want collateral too, such as a vehicle title or land. Ask the agent to write down when and how you get it back.
• An agent may track down and arrest a client who misses court, and usually must alert local police first (MCA 46-6-508).
• A surety bond is for showing up in court. The court can't use it to collect fines or restitution (MCA 46-9-503).
• The NAIC licensee lookup shows whether an agent is licensed. Check before you sign.

Each bail covers one case only. Before paying, call and have staff list any holds. These are the usual ones:

• An outside warrant. A 2025 law bars local judges from setting bail for anyone jailed on another county's or state's warrant (MCA 46-9-201).
• Extradition. Someone returned from another state sees the judge behind the warrant first, before bail can be set (MCA 46-9-105).
• A tribal or federal case. Each one needs its own release order.
• Probation or parole. The state's officers work from the Courthouse Annex, 1210 E. Main, Suite 13, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-5791.
• Two cases at once. Separate city and county charges need separate bail.
• Immigration. An ICE detainer is covered further down this page.

To ask about holds, call 406-873-2711 and press 2.

It can happen, but only in limited cases. Under the Montana Constitution, every person is bailable except in a capital case when "the proof is evident or the presumption great" (Mont. Const. art. II, sec. 21). It also forbids excessive bail (Mont. Const. art. II, sec. 22).

Apart from that, a judge can still deny release if there is probable cause that no conditions would make sure the person returns (MCA 46-9-106). Factors include the type of charge, criminal record, any earlier flight from court, the risk to others, drug or alcohol history and probation or parole status. Judges may also lean on a validated pretrial risk assessment (MCA 46-9-109).

Requests for high bail or no bail come from the County Attorney's Office, 1210 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-5888.

Either side can ask the judge to change the amount or the terms. The other side must get reasonable notice (MCA 46-9-311).

1. The defense lawyer files a written motion with the judge handling the case.
2. Gather a lease or deed, pay stubs, family letters and a household budget. Montana judges are told to keep bail reasonable, never oppressive, and to weigh the person's ability to pay (MCA 46-9-301).
3. Suggest terms that answer the judge's worries, such as alcohol testing.

The county is part of the state's 24/7 Sobriety Program, which uses breath tests twice a day. Judges may require it as a release term in repeat DUI cases and some other alcohol cases. The Sheriff's Office lists an approved testing site; call 406-873-3652 for details.

Many people do. The first judge the person sees must tell them about the right to a lawyer, and about a free one if money is short (MCA 46-7-102). The state's public defender system handles felonies, youth court matters and jailable misdemeanors.

If the household's income is 133% of the poverty line or less, the person qualifies. They also qualify when paying a lawyer would be a serious hardship. A denial can't rest only on being able to post bail or on having a job (MCA 47-1-111). The court reviews the decision.

• Public defender, Great Falls office, which handles the region: 615 2nd Ave. N., Great Falls, MT 59403, 406-770-3200
• Conflict Defender Division, Great Falls: 600 Central Ave, Suite 327, Great Falls, MT 59401, 406-604-7581
• Apply with the public defender's online form. Upload recent pay stubs and bank statements with it.

The Blackfeet Tribal Court has its own defenders for tribal cases. Reach the court at 406-338-5061.

Two county courts share the historic courthouse in Cut Bank, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Call ahead for hours.

• District Court, Ninth Judicial District, for felonies. The clerk is at 512 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-3619. The district also serves Pondera, Teton and Toole counties.
• Justice Court, for misdemeanors and early felony steps, 512 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-3631.
• City Court, for city cases, 113 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT 59427, 406-873-0131.
• Blackfeet Tribal Court, for tribal cases, 90 Highway 464, Browning, MT 59417, 406-338-5061.
• U.S. District Court, for federal crimes, Missouri River Federal Courthouse, 125 Central Avenue West, Suite 110, Great Falls, MT 59404, 406-727-1922.

When the case closes and the person made every appearance, the court returns cash bail to the one who posted it (MCA 46-9-502). Montana's rules for justice and city courts say bond refunds are made out only to the person who deposited the money, so keep the receipt somewhere safe.

If the person skips a court date, the bail can be lost through an order called a forfeiture. The court gets 10 working days to send that notice by mail to the defendant and every surety. Late notice voids the bond (MCA 46-9-503).

• A forfeiture can be wiped out when, inside 90 days, the defendant returns or gives the judge a good reason for missing court.
• In a misdemeanor, forfeited cash is paid to the treasury of the city or county that took it. In a felony, the state's general fund gets it (MCA 46-9-511).
• Forfeited bail may also go to a crime victim as restitution, if the judge orders it (MCA 46-9-512).

To get money back, phone the court holding it. Justice Court is at 406-873-3631.

Before release, ask staff about the person's cash balance and the things taken at booking. Call 406-873-2711 and press 2 to learn how a leftover account balance is paid out and when and where belongings can be picked up.

Have your photo ID with you. If you are collecting things for someone else, ask if the person needs to sign a note letting you take them. Our inmate account guide explains how deposits and refunds usually work.

Federal charges from the county, including many from the Blackfeet Reservation, go to the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Great Falls Division. It sits in the Missouri River Federal Courthouse, 125 Central Avenue West, Suite 110, Great Falls, MT 59404, 406-727-1922. The clerk is open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• At the first federal appearance, the judge decides on release or detention. The defense may get a delay of five days at most, and the government three (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• Until trial, federal defendants stay in U.S. Marshals Service custody. Call its Montana office at 406-200-6004 to learn where someone is held.
• The federal pretrial office in Browning writes background reports for the judge. It is part of U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services and sits in the Blackfeet Federal Building, 531 S.E. Boundary, Browning, MT 59417, 406-338-3547.
• PACER posts the filings for a per-page fee. After sentencing, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

Yes. An immigration detainer stays in force after state bail is paid. The steps:

1. Federal immigration officers, known as ICE, send Form I-247A to the jail to request a hold.
2. The jail may then hold them up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. Montana officers have to honor it and let the person know the hold is for immigration. If the person proves U.S. citizenship or legal status with believable papers, the officer must let them go (MCA 27-16-801).
4. ICE's Salt Lake City Field Office, whose area includes Montana, then takes over: 2975 Decker Lake Drive, Suite 100, West Valley City, UT 84119, 801-736-1200.
5. Find the person with the ICE Online Detainee Locator, using the person's name plus their birth country.

The Montana Department of Corrections takes charge of anyone sentenced to state custody for a felony. Most people stay in the county jail for a while after sentencing, until the state finishes an assessment. Then corrections picks a prison, prerelease center or treatment program.

• Enter the person's name, or a DOC number if you have it, in the state's offender search.
• Each facility is described in our guide to Montana prisons. One of the state's contract prisons, Crossroads Correctional Center, is in nearby Shelby.
• Questions about supervision after release go to the Probation and Parole office at 406-873-5791.

Anyone not yet 18 counts as a youth in Montana. Most youth cases are heard in Youth Court, part of District Court (MCA 41-5-203). Youths from the county are held at the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center, 1600 26th Street S, Great Falls, MT 59405, 406-454-6930. It serves the north central part of the state and also holds youths for the BIA.

• A rural adult jail may keep a youth only briefly, fully apart from adults (MCA 41-5-349).
• If a youth is locked up, the youth gets a hearing on probable cause in 24 hours or less. Weekends and holidays don't count (MCA 41-5-332).
• Youths may get bail too, set with an eye on what the family can pay (MCA 41-5-323).
• On the reservation, the Blackfeet Family Court handles some juvenile criminal matters.

Youth hearing dates come from the Clerk of District Court at 406-873-3619.