Cattaraugus County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Cattaraugus County bail and bond: Little Valley, jacket numbers, and three court towns
The Cattaraugus County Jail is run by the Sheriff's Office from 301 Court Street in Little Valley. It is a 148-bed maximum security jail. Look up an arrest with Cattaraugus County Inmate Search, and use the jail's line at 716-938-9194 for anything the search leaves out. Paying bail online needs a jacket number, which is the jail's own ID for the booking. The lobby kiosk is a different thing, so read the second answer before you put cash in it.
What is a jacket number and where do I get it?
The jail gives every booking a jacket number. Online bail asks for it, along with the person's date of birth, the name of the trial court, and the docket number. Call the jail at 716-938-9194 or the main line, 716-938-9191, and ask for the jacket number. A lawyer or the court clerk can supply the court and docket.
Is the lobby kiosk the place to pay bail?
No. The kiosk in the jail lobby runs around the clock and takes cash in $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills, plus credit cards, but it puts money on the person's account for calls and store items. Account money does not release anyone. Bail is a separate payment ordered by a judge, and GovPayNet (govpaynow.com) takes it.
How do I find out whether he is in the Little Valley jail?
Search his name with Cattaraugus County Inmate Search. The Jail Division is extension 2200 on the Sheriff's Office main number, 716-938-9191. Sheriff Eric Butler heads the office. Calls about a brand-new arrest are best placed after a few hours, once booking is done.
Which court will see him: Little Valley, Olean, or Salamanca?
It depends on where the arrest happened and the charge. Cattaraugus County Court sits at 303 Court Street in Little Valley, 716-379-6636, and at 1 Leo Moss Drive in Olean, 716-379-6616. Salamanca City Court, 225 Wildwood Avenue, 716-379-6670, hears criminal matters on Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. Arraignment normally comes within about 24 hours.
How does a judge decide on bail or release?
The judge must ask whether the person is likely to come back to court and may use only what it takes to make that happen. Work history, family ties, past missed dates, and money problems all count. For many charges, the law requires release. For violent felonies and the other qualifying offenses in Criminal Procedure Law 510.10, the judge may set bail or hold the person.
What forms of bail can I choose from?
The court must name at least three forms, and one has to be an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. The nine forms in the law run from cash and an insurance company bond to credit card payment. The judge can set a different amount for each form. Read the securing order, or ask the clerk, to see which forms apply.
What is the most a bondsman can charge here?
For a bond of $3,000 or less: 10 percent. Over $3,000: 10 percent of the first $3,000, 8 percent of the part up to $10,000, and 6 percent of anything above. That makes the ceiling $380 on a $4,000 bond. Overcharging is a crime, and the bondsman may not take a fee just for sending you to another bondsman.
Can a bondsman keep the premium if the person is never released?
No. If the person is not released, or is released without money bail, the premium must be refunded within 14 days of notice. Once the person is out, the premium belongs to the bondsman. Any collateral comes back within 45 days after the bond ends. Ask for signed receipts and a copy of every paper.
We cannot afford a lawyer. Who do we call?
The Cattaraugus County Public Defender is at 175 North Union Street, Olean, 716-373-0004. When the public defender has a conflict, the Assigned Counsel Program at 1 Leo Moss Drive in Olean handles the case; its number is 716-701-3203, and it answers weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ask the judge to appoint counsel at arraignment.
Can the judge set bail this low, or none at all?
A defendant can ask for nominal bail, and the judge must grant it if the request is voluntary. A local court may not set bail at all on a class A felony or for a person with two earlier felony convictions. Before a local court sets bail on a felony, it must hear from the District Attorney and see a criminal record report.
What if he gets a ticket and a court date instead of jail?
Officers must issue an appearance ticket in many cases that would otherwise be arrests. Class A through D felonies, family-offense charges, and arrests on warrants are among the exceptions. The ticket's date is normally within 20 days. Going on the right day, with a lawyer if possible, keeps a small charge small.
What if my family member skips court?
Bail is forfeited, and the court issues a warrant. A request to cancel the forfeiture must be made within one year, and the District Attorney gets five days' notice. Cash bail may be used by the county after the final adjournment or 45 days after written notice to the person who paid, whichever is later.
Do I get my bail back, and how?
Yes, after the case ends. The court deducts 3 percent from a convicted person's bail and returns all of it if the case is dismissed. Bring the receipt and photo ID. A notarized statement can replace a lost receipt. Money not claimed within three years is sent to the State Comptroller.
Where are arrested teenagers kept in Cattaraugus County?
A 16- or 17-year-old accused of a serious crime goes to the Youth Part of county court, and the law forbids housing the teen in an adult jail. Call the County Court at 716-379-6636 to learn where a teen is held and when the hearing is. Parents must be told about the arrest.
Which payment requests are scams?
Gift cards, payment apps, and wire transfers are scam signs. So is a caller who demands money before you have spoken to the jail. Hang up and call 716-938-9194 yourself. The jail's own online system and a licensed bondsman are the legitimate routes.
Cattaraugus County bail and bond contacts
- County jail
- Cattaraugus County Jail, 301 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755; 716-938-9194
- Bond guide
- Cattaraugus County jail and bail guide
- Custody lookup
- Cattaraugus County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 301 Court Street, Little Valley, NY 14755; 716-938-9191
- County Court
- 303 Court Street, Little Valley; 716-379-6636. Olean courthouse, 1 Leo Moss Drive; 716-379-6616
- City court
- Salamanca City Court, 225 Wildwood Avenue; 716-379-6670
- Public defender
- 175 North Union Street, Olean, NY 14760; 716-373-0004
- Assigned counsel
- 1 Leo Moss Drive, Olean, NY 14760; 716-701-3203
- Bondsman complaints
- NYS Department of Financial Services, 800-342-3736
The steps here come from state law and county practice, which a judge can alter for one case. Call before you drive or pay.
Cattaraugus County Jail
Address:
301 Court Street
Little Valley, NY 14755
Phone:
716- 938-9194
Does Cattaraugus County have bail?
When is bail set in Cattaraugus County New York?
Does Cattaraugus County have bail?
Yes, but the state of New York only applies bail in violent or felony cases. Non-violent and most misdemeanor cases always qualify for release on own recognizance. Tioga County recognizes most types of bonds.
When is bail set in Cattaraugus County New York?
Bail for lesser offenses is set at the time of booking. If bail is required for felony cases, it will be set by a judge at the first court hearing. This hearing, also called an arraignment, generally takes place on the next available court date excluding weekends and holidays.
How Does Bail Work in Cattaraugus County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus 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, Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus 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 Cattaraugus County have bail?
New York only applies bail in violent or felony cases. Non-violent and most misdemeanor cases qualify for release on own recognizance.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Cattaraugus County?
Cattaraugus County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Cattaraugus County?
Bail is set by officers during booking for misdemeanor offenses. A judge sets bail for felony arrests.
When is bail set in New York?
Bail for lesser offenses is set at the time of booking. If bail is required for felony cases, it will be set by a judge at the first court hearing. This hearing, also called an arraignment, generally takes place on the next available court date excluding weekends and holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Cattaraugus County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Cattaraugus County New York, 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 York could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Cattaraugus County New York?
Yes, New York does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Cattaraugus County Jail for more information about the jails in Cattaraugus County.
What options are there to pay bail in Cattaraugus County New York?
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 Cattaraugus County Jail for more information about posting bail in Cattaraugus County.
Will I get all my bond money back in New York?
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 Cattaraugus County?
Most non-violent crimes do not require bail. If bail is assessed cash, or a minimum down payment, will be required.
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 York?
The Cattaraugus 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.