Grafton County Dept of Corrections Inmate Bail & Bonds
Grafton County bail and bond: from Lebanon, Hanover, and Plymouth to North Haverhill
People arrested in Lebanon, Hanover, Plymouth, Littleton, Haverhill, Enfield, and Lincoln are held by the Grafton County Department of Corrections in North Haverhill. Inmate search: Grafton County Inmate Search.
Where is the Grafton County jail?
On Dartmouth College Highway in North Haverhill, near Grafton County Superior Court at number 3785 (NH Judicial Branch superior court list). The jail is at 3787 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill, NH 03774. Phone: 603-787-2019 (Grafton County Department of Corrections).
Which public defender office covers Lebanon and Plymouth?
The Orford office, 485 NH Route 10, Orford, 603-353-4440, serves the Plymouth, Lebanon, and Woodsville areas. The Littleton office also serves Grafton (New Hampshire Public Defender).
Who sets bail after an arrest in Lebanon?
Before the first court date, a bail commissioner can set and take bail "in the same manner as the court might do" (RSA 597:18). Commissioners are justices of the peace and quorum appointed by the superior or circuit court (RSA 597:15; 597:15-a). After that, a judge of the 2nd Circuit Court decides.
What is the $60 bail commissioner fee in Grafton County?
State law sets the bail commissioner fee at $60. It is waived if the person cannot afford it (RSA 597:20). The court pays the commissioner first. If the court later finds the person is not indigent, the person must pay the court back within one year after the case closes (RSA 597:2-b).
What kinds of bail can a Lebanon judge set?
Release on personal recognizance (a promise to come back), an unsecured appearance bond, or cash or corporate surety bail, plus conditions like no new crimes (RSA 597:2). A judge may not set a money amount that keeps someone in jail only because they cannot pay, unless a hearing finds nothing else will work (RSA 597:2, paragraph IV).
Can a bail bondsman post a Grafton County bond?
Yes. New Hampshire allows paid bondsmen, but each one must be registered as a professional bondsman with the state Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (RSA 598-A; OPLC professional bondsmen page). The state sends its list to every jail, court, and police station, and that list must be posted where defendants can see it. A bondsman's fee may not be refunded (NH Judicial Branch definitions page).
How soon must someone held in Lebanon see a judge?
In most cases, a person may be held no more than 36 hours from arrest before arraignment, not counting weekends and holidays (RSA 597:2). People charged with serious violent crimes (the state's "qualifying offenses") cannot see a bail commissioner. They stay in custody until a judge arraigns them within that 36 hours (HB 592 (2025); RSA 597:2).
Does a class B misdemeanor in Grafton County need bail money?
No. A person charged with a class B misdemeanor must be released on personal recognizance before arraignment, unless release would put someone in danger (RSA 597:2, paragraph XIII).
Can a Grafton County bail decision be reviewed?
Yes. If a bail commissioner releases someone, either side can ask for a hearing before a judge within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays. Either side can also ask the Grafton County Superior Court to change the order (RSA 597:6-e).
What happens if someone misses a Lebanon court date?
The bail is declared forfeited (RSA 597:31). A court may strike the default for good cause (RSA 597:32). The court may also charge a $50 default fee (RSA 597:38-a).
Where are felony cases from Lebanon tried?
In the Grafton County Superior Court, 3785 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill (NH Judicial Branch superior court list). The Superior Court hears felonies and misdemeanor appeals. District Division courts in Grafton County are in Lebanon, Littleton, Haverhill, and Plymouth (NH Judicial Branch court finder).
Who gives free legal help after a Lebanon arrest?
The New Hampshire Public Defender office in 125 Main Street, Littleton, 603-444-1185, serves Grafton County. People charged with a class A misdemeanor or a felony who cannot afford a lawyer can apply for one. Class B misdemeanors carry no jail, so no lawyer is appointed for them (NH Judicial Branch definitions page).
What if a teen is arrested in Grafton County?
The case goes to the Family Division. Officers release a minor to a parent. If that does not happen within 4 hours, the court must be told. A minor must see a judge within 24 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays, and cannot be held after arraignment where adults are held (RSA 169-B, 169-B:11, :13, :15). The state's secure youth center is the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester.
Where would a federal case from Lebanon be heard?
In Concord. New Hampshire's one federal trial court, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, sits at 55 Pleasant Street, Concord, 603-225-1423. Federal judges set their own release terms.
Does the Grafton County jail hold people serving sentences?
It holds people waiting for arraignment, people held before trial, and people serving county sentences. A felony sentence may be served at the New Hampshire State Prison instead (NH Judicial Branch definitions page).
Who do I call to confirm a Grafton County bail?
Call the Grafton County Department of Corrections at 603-787-2019.
Grafton County bail contacts
- Jail
- Grafton County Department of Corrections, North Haverhill; 603-787-2019
- Superior Court
- 3785 Dartmouth College Hwy., North Haverhill
- Public defender
- New Hampshire Public Defender, Orford 603-353-4440; Littleton 603-444-1185
- Inmate search
- Grafton County Inmate Search
Judges and bail commissioners set bail case by case. Nothing here is legal advice.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Grafton County
The Grafton County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Grafton County.
However if you don't want to use a bail bond agent:
- You can always pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Grafton County, or in some cases the state of New Hampshire, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Grafton County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in New Hampshire is between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15% or less. So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1,500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Grafton County Dept of Corrections, or the courthouse in Grafton County where the offense took place.
Call 603-787-2019 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Grafton County inmate locator.
Grafton County Dept of Corrections
Address:
3865 Dartmouth College Highway
North Haverhill, NH 03774
Phone:
603-787-2019
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Grafton County
Does Grafton County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Grafton County?
Who can set bail in Grafton County?
When is bail set in Grafton County New Hampshire?
Does Grafton County have bail?
Does Grafton County have bail?
Yes, Grafton County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Grafton County?
The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Bail is available in several forms including own recognizance, cash, or surety bond.
Who can set bail in Grafton County?
Bail is set by a Bail Commissioner or Judge.
When is bail set in Grafton County New Hampshire?
In most cases bail is set immediately following booking. If it is after court hours and a bail commissioner is not available, the defendant may need to wait until the next business day to be brought before a judge.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Grafton 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 Grafton 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 Grafton County Dept of Corrections 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, Grafton 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 Grafton 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.
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.
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 ban 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 Grafton County have bail?
Yes, Grafton County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Grafton County?
The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Bail is available in several forms including own recognizance, cash, or surety bond.
Who can set bail in Grafton County?
Bail is set by a Bail Commissioner or Judge.
When is bail set in New Hampshire?
In most cases bail is set immediately following booking. If it is after court hours and a bail commissioner is not available, the defendant may need to wait until the next business day to be brought before a judge.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Grafton County New Hampshire?
Yes, your attorney may request a bail reduction hearing. If a defendant who has been granted bail but is unable to pay the required amount by the time trial begins will automatically receive a bail reduction hearing.
In Grafton County New Hampshire, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of New Hampshire could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Grafton County New Hampshire?
New Hampshire counties do not currently offer online payment of bail. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Grafton County Dept of Corrections for more information about the jails in Grafton County.
What options are there to pay bail in Grafton County New Hampshire?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Grafton County Dept of Corrections for more information about posting bail in Grafton County.
Will I get all my bond money back in New Hampshire?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. 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 Grafton County?
Yes, unless the accused is released on own recognizance, some money will be needed to secure bail.
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 New Hampshire?
The Grafton County Dept of Corrections 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.