Cortland County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Cortland County bail and bond: what to do from arrest to release
The Cortland County Jail stands at 54 Greenbush Street in the city of Cortland, in the same building as the Sheriff's Office, and the number there is 607-756-4275. The jail is small, so a full house can push some prisoners to other counties' jails. Run the name through Cortland County Inmate Search first, to learn which jail holds the person.
Cortland City Court reviews bonds at its clerk's window by day. At night, a different route applies. Both are explained below, along with the cost of a bail bond.
The search page does not show him. Is he in another county's jail?
It can happen. The Cortland jail holds about 83 people at most, and when it is full the Sheriff's Office houses some prisoners in other jails. Check Cortland County Inmate Search, then call 607-756-4275. Ask which jail has him and which court date he has.
Who runs the jail, and who do I ask about holds?
The Sheriff's Office operates it, and Sheriff Mark Helms leads that office. Use the Greenbush Street number, 607-756-4275, for questions the inmate search leaves open, such as another agency's warrant. A warrant from elsewhere can keep a person inside even after bail is paid on the local charge.
How can bail be handled on a weekday in the city of Cortland?
During business hours the Cortland City Court Clerk reviews bonds at the clerk's window, 25 Court Street, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. The clerk's line is 607-218-3300. Ask the clerk which papers to bring, and have the defendant's full name ready.
What if the arrest happens at night or on a weekend?
After hours, contact Cortland City Police or the Cortland County Jail. Either can reach the on-call judge. The on-call judge can act on bail when the clerk's window is closed. Call the jail at 607-756-4275 and ask what the judge needs to see.
Does New York set bail amounts for each crime?
No. There is no state price list, and the judge picks an amount, if any, at arraignment. The judge looks at the charge, the person's record, past court appearances, and what the person can pay without hardship. The arraignment normally comes within about 24 hours.
When can a judge not ask for money at all?
For most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, the judge has to let the person go, with or without supervision, rather than set cash bail. The rule is in section 510.10 of the Criminal Procedure Law. The list of exceptions includes violent felonies, crimes that cause a death, and some offenses committed while on release.
Which payment options must the judge give?
The judge has to allow at least three forms of bail, and one must be an unsecured or partly secured surety bond. The nine forms include cash, an insurance company bond, and a credit card, which may carry a fee. Look at the bail order for the forms the judge picked.
What will a licensed bail agent charge?
State law caps the premium. Up to $3,000, the most is 10 percent. For a $5,000 bond, the most is $460. Higher bonds drop to 8 percent, then 6 percent above $10,000. The agent may also keep collateral if the bond is forfeited, but must return it within 45 days after the bond is released.
Who is the public defender in Cortland County?
The Public Defender's Office is in Room B27 of the County Office Building, 60 Central Avenue, 607-753-5046. The Assigned Counsel Plan, which handles cases the office cannot take, answers at 607-428-5459. A person who cannot afford a lawyer should ask for one at the first appearance.
Which courthouse hears a felony case?
City Court arraigns people accused of felonies. After that, the Cortland County Court, in the courthouse at 46 Greenbush Street, takes the case. Check the next date with the clerk before you travel.
Can the person lose the bail money?
Yes, if the person misses court. The court records a forfeiture, a bench warrant can follow, and the district attorney has 120 days to go after a bond. A judge may undo it when the person returns with a good excuse. Remission can be requested within one year.
Where is a child held after an arrest in Cortland County?
Sixteen- and 17-year-olds accused of serious offenses go before a Youth Part judge and must be held away from adults. Ask the Public Defender at 607-753-5046 how the placement is made. A lawyer can learn the facility and hearing date for you.
How do I get my cash bail back?
Take the receipt and a photo ID to the court. Dismissal or acquittal returns the full amount, while a conviction lets the government keep 3 percent. If the receipt is lost, a notarized statement is required. Outside New York City, the person who paid may also ask the clerk to apply the bail to a fine or fee.
What if the case involves an order of protection?
Criminal contempt for violating an order of protection that covers a family or household member is on the list of charges that allow bail. Strangulation and some assaults on a family member are on it too. The judge may set money, conditions, or both. Do not contact the protected person while the case is open.
Could a nonprofit post bail for my daughter?
Only for small amounts. A registered charity may deposit $2,000 or less for a person charged with misdemeanors who cannot pay, and it takes no fee. A charity cannot act as the surety on a bond. Ask the Public Defender at 607-753-5046 whether such a fund is active.
My cousin got a ticket from city police. Does he still have to go to court?
Yes. An appearance ticket sets a date to appear, normally no later than 20 days after the ticket is issued, unless the next court session is later. Go to the court named on the ticket. If you miss it, a warrant can be issued.
Can the bail amount be reduced after it is set?
Yes. A lawyer can ask the judge to review a bail order the person cannot pay. A request for nominal bail, a very small sum, must be granted when the person asks for it freely. The Public Defender at 607-753-5046 can file the request.
Cortland County phone list
- Jail
- Cortland County Jail, 54 Greenbush Street, Cortland, NY 13045; 607-756-4275
- Bail guide
- Jail bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Cortland County Inmate Search
- City court
- Cortland City Court, 25 Court Street; 607-218-3300
- County courthouse
- 46 Greenbush Street, Cortland, NY 13045
- Public defender
- 60 Central Avenue, Room B27; 607-753-5046
- Assigned counsel
- County Office Building, Room B27; 607-428-5459
- Bondsman rules
- Department of Financial Services bail page
Prices, hours, and local procedures can shift without notice, and a judge may order different terms. Ask the clerk or the jail before you hand over money. This is a plain-language guide, not a substitute for a lawyer.
Pay an Inmate's Bond Online
Cortland County Correctional Facility uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPayNet) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.
Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.
To make a payment, you will need the following:
- Court of Jurisdiction
- Payment Amount
- The Pay Location Code (PLC #) if you can get it. Call 607-756-4275 to ask for this.
- Name of Arrestee/Defendant for whom payment is being made
- Arrestee/Defendant's Date of Birth
- Arrestee/Defendant's Booking Number
Cortland County Correctional Facility
Address:
54 Greenbush Street
Cortland, NY 13045
Phone:
607-756-4275
Does Cortland County have bail?
When is bail set in Cortland County New York?
Does Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland County Correctional Facility 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, Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland County?
Cortland County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Cortland 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 Cortland County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland County Correctional Facility for more information about the jails in Cortland County.
What options are there to pay bail in Cortland 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 Cortland County Correctional Facility for more information about posting bail in Cortland 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 Cortland 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 Cortland County Correctional Facility 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay a Cortland County Correctional Facility inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Cortland County Correctional Facility inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Cortland County Correctional Facility or Cortland County, input the inmate's name, and then use your credit or debit card to deposit the bond amount. As soon as the payment is processed and the information is sent to the Cortland County Correctional Facility, the jail will begin the release process. You do not have to be present for all of this to take place. Learn more about how to bail or bond out an inmate in the Cortland County Correctional Facility, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 607-756-4275.