Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility (Atlantic County Jail) Inmate Bail & Bonds
Atlantic County bail and bond: the Mays Landing jail, release decisions, and why cash is rare
A person arrested in Atlantic County on a warrant is taken to the Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility, 5060 Atlantic Avenue, Mays Landing. Search Atlantic County Inmate Search to see whether your family member is in custody and what the release decision or bail shows. The jail answers at 609-645-5855. In New Jersey a judge usually sets release conditions, not a dollar amount, so learn the decision before you collect any money.
Is my relative inside the Atlantic County jail?
Enter the name in Atlantic County Inmate Search. A booking that is only minutes old may take a while to show, so check again later. For anything the search cannot tell you, call 609-645-5855.
The Mays Landing facility holds people waiting for court, people serving county sentences, and some people sentenced by the state. If a record looks odd, ask which group the person is in.
Will my family need cash to bring someone home from Mays Landing?
In most cases, no. New Jersey changed its system on January 1, 2017. The state constitution now says every person is eligible for release before conviction, and judges look first at conditions such as check-ins, a no-contact order, or monitoring.
Money bail is uncommon. A judge may set it only when nothing else will bring the person back to court, and never just to keep someone in jail. Wait for the release decision before you pay anyone.
How fast does a judge decide after an arrest on a warrant?
The release decision must come without unnecessary delay and no later than 48 hours after the person is committed to the jail. The first court appearance also falls inside that window. A weekend arrest is still counted in hours.
Since January 12, 2026, a prosecutor in a firearm case can ask for more time to finish ballistic testing, up to seven days at most.
What is the Public Safety Assessment and who reads it?
It is a score built from the person's record. It looks at the chance of missing court, of a new crime, and of a new violent crime. Pretrial Services staff turn it into a recommendation, and the judge makes the final choice.
Atlantic County Pretrial Services answers at 609-402-0100, ext. 47510. Low-risk people may leave with nothing more than a promise to appear and phone or text reminders. Higher risk can mean closer monitoring, including electronic monitoring.
Does a summons put anyone in the Mays Landing jail?
A complaint-summons tells the person to come to court on a date. The law says that person shall be released, so no jail trip happens. The first appearance is set within 60 days.
A complaint-warrant means arrest and a trip to the Justice Facility. Only that second group goes through the 48-hour release process.
When can the prosecutor ask to keep someone locked up until trial?
The prosecutor can file a detention motion. The hearing is held no later than the first appearance, unless someone asks for more time. The prosecutor can get up to three days. The defense can get up to five days unless there is good cause.
A judge must find that no mix of conditions will protect the community, assure court appearance, or prevent interference with the case. Murder and crimes carrying a life term start with a presumption of detention.
Can money bail be paid at night or on a holiday?
If a judge sets money bail, it can be posted in cash or by bond at the Justice Facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Call 609-645-5855 first and ask the desk for the exact amount and the charges it covers.
In daytime hours the Superior Court Finance Division also runs a payment window at Mays Landing. Dial 609-402-0100, ext. 47140 to ask about it.
Does a bondsman work in Atlantic County?
Yes, but families seldom need one. Bail bond agents are licensed by the Department of Banking and Insurance, and the court keeps a Bail Registry of approved insurers and agents. No state law fixes the fee at ten percent, so ask for the price and all terms in writing.
Before signing, ask whether a judge has actually set money bail. A bond for a person who was going to be released anyway wastes the fee.
Can a house be used as bail?
Real estate can secure a bail when the court approves it. The papers go to the clerk of the county where the offense happened, and a property in another county may be accepted. The clerk then sends a certified copy to the property's county.
Every owner must sign. A person who has an unreleased recognizance on another case generally cannot sign a new one. Ask the Finance Division at 609-402-0100, ext. 47140 about the steps.
What is the ten percent cash option?
Court Rule 3:26-4 lets a judge allow a deposit of ten percent of the bail in cash plus a signed promise for the rest. It does not apply to first-degree or second-degree charges or to certain domestic violence offenses.
That deposit goes to the court. It is not a bondsman fee, and a bondsman fee is not refunded.
Who is the free lawyer if we cannot pay?
People who cannot afford a lawyer can ask for the Office of the Public Defender. An application is handed out at the first appearance, and the judge may assign the office to that hearing.
The Atlantic region office is at 5914 Main Street, Suite 201, Mays Landing, and answers at 609-625-9111.
What if Atlantic City police or another local department made the arrest?
On a warrant, the person is committed to the county jail. The arresting department can tell you where its prisoner is and give you the report number. Then check Atlantic County Inmate Search to see when the jail booking appears.
Superior Court also runs an Atlantic City payment window. Ask the Finance Division through 609-402-0100 for its hours.
Where is a teenager held in Atlantic County?
The county's youth detention center, called Harborfields, sits at Buffalo Avenue and Duerer Street in Egg Harbor City. It has 27 secure beds, 19 for boys and 8 for girls, plus a house arrest program for 10 young people.
The county Department of Public Safety runs it, and the state Juvenile Justice Commission manages it under contract. Juvenile records are private, so the adult search will not show the young person. Call the court at 609-402-0100 for the hearing date.
What happens if the person misses a court date?
A judge can issue a bench warrant. If a bail was posted, the court can start forfeiture and mail notice to the people on the bond. A written objection must be filed within 75 days of the notice date.
After that, the court may enter a default judgment. Call a lawyer and Pretrial Services at 609-402-0100, ext. 47510 right away.
How long can someone be held while waiting for trial?
For a person held under a detention order, the case must be indicted within 90 days of arrest, and trial must start within 180 days after indictment. Courts can add time for motions, plea talks, and delays the defense causes. A person held for two years without trial must be released, not counting the defense delays.
Someone who is released before trial is not on that clock.
Can I send money to the inmate, and is that bail?
No. Money for a jail account buys phone time and store items. It does not release anyone. By mail, the jail takes money orders, certified checks, and cash. It does not take personal checks.
Put the full name and inmate ID number on every payment.
Which bail calls in Atlantic County are scams?
No court or jail takes gift cards or app transfers to a private person. Hang up on a caller who demands money in minutes. Look up the numbers on this page yourself: the jail at 609-645-5855 and the court at 609-402-0100.
Atlantic County contacts for release and bail questions
- County jail
- Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility (Atlantic County Justice Facility), 5060 Atlantic Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330; 609-645-5855
- Bond instructions
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Atlantic County Inmate Search
- Court finance
- Mays Landing payment window, 609-402-0100, ext. 47140
- Pretrial Services
- 609-402-0100, ext. 47510
- Public defender
- 5914 Main Street, Suite 201, Mays Landing, NJ 08330; 609-625-9111
- Youth detention
- Harborfields, Buffalo Avenue and Duerer Street, Egg Harbor City, NJ
Release rules, amounts, hours, and extension numbers change from time to time, and each judge's order controls. Ask the jail or the court about your own case before you hand over any funds. Nothing here replaces a lawyer.
Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility (Atlantic County Jail)
Address:
5060 Atlantic Ave.
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
Phone:
609-645-5855
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Atlantic County
Does Atlantic County have bail?
What are the different types of bonds in Atlantic County?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morris County?
Who can set bail in Atlantic County?
When is bail set in Atlantic County New Jersey?
Does Atlantic County have bail?
No, New Jersey is a NO BAIL state.
Under current laws a defendant can only be held if a judge determines they are a risk to the community, likely to interfere with the investigation or fail to show for all required court dates. If the judge determines they are not a risk the defendant is released prior to trial.
What are the different types of bonds in Atlantic County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which release conditions are available to them. Professional bond companies are not permitted to operate in New Jersey.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morris County?
Under the new system, if a judge decides a defendant does not pose a public safety or willful flight risk, then they will be released without being required to post any money. This is called released on their own recognizance in all states and can be considered a type of bond because a document will need to be agreed upon and signed.
Who can set bail in Atlantic County?
A hearing is held by a judge to determine if the defendant qualifies for release.
When is bail set in Atlantic County New Jersey?
If a defendant is not released immediately, a hearing will be scheduled within 48 hours before a judge.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Atlantic 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 in New Jersey, 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.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail is what the arrested 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.
New Jersey has mostly done away with the bail/bond system since 2017, except for cases involving unpaid motor vehicle summonses.
Defendants with a serious risk of danger or flight can be detained pending trial. Low-risk defendants will be released. This is called released on their own recognizance in all states. If released, the defendant will be issued a summons to appear to court within 21 days.
Pretrial service officers will monitor those defendants, based on the conditions of their release while the defendant is out of custody pending rial.
A judge may order a variety of conditions while the defendant is awaiting trial, such as a GPS location monitor, checking in via phone or in person with a pretrial services officer, no contact with an alleged victim, and other conditions similar to probation.
People who are arrested for serious felonies (including first- and second-degree murder, aggravated criminal sexual assault, violent robberies and burglaries, home invasions and vehicular invasions) can still be denied pretrial release.
Prosecutors must request a detention hearing and the decision whether to hold someone will be made at the judge’s discretion.
This ruling will be based on several factors including the likelihood that the defendant will flee or any public safety risk that they may present.
Does Atlantic County have bail?
No, New Jersey is a NO BAIL state.
Under current laws a defendant can only be held if a judge determines they are a risk to the community, likely to interfere with the investigation or fail to show for all required court dates. If the judge determines they are not a risk the defendant is released prior to trial.
What are the different types of bonds in Atlantic County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which release conditions are available to them. Professional bond companies are not permitted to operate in New Jersey.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Atlantic County?
Under the new system, if a judge decides a defendant does not pose a public safety or willful flight risk, then they will be released without being required to post any money. This is called released on their own recognizance in all states and can be considered a type of bond because a document will need to be agreed upon and signed.
Who can set bail in Atlantic County?
A hearing is held by a judge to determine if the defendant qualifies for release.
When is bail set in New Jersey?
If a defendant is not released immediately, a hearing will be scheduled within 48 hours before a judge.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Atlantic County New Jersey?
Because New Jersey does not utilize a cash bail system there is no reason to request a reduction in bail. However, those previously denied release may have their attorney petition the court for another hearing to reevaluate eligibility.
In Atlantic County New Jersey, who can pay bail for me?
This would not apply to New Jersey because money bail is not recognized.
Can bail be paid online in Atlantic County New Jersey?
This would not apply to New Jersey because money bail is not recognized.
What options are there to pay bail in Atlantic County New Jersey?
This would not apply to New Jersey because money bail is not recognized.
Will I get all my bond money back in New Jersey?
This would not apply to New Jersey because money bail is not recognized.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Atlantic County?
New Jersey does not require money down because it is a no bail state. There might be fees to pay however.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in New Jersey?
New Jersey has no bail.
There are scammers who call families of arrested asking for information to process a bond. Not only are bondspersons not permitted to call for this information for any type of arrests, but they are also particularly offensive since there are no bail bond companies permitted to operate in New Jersey.