Fulton County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Fulton County bail and bond: from the Johnstown jail to the judge
Adults arrested in Fulton County are held at the Fulton County Correctional Facility in Johnstown, which the Sheriff's Office runs. To see whether your person is in custody, what the charges are and whether bail is set, use Fulton County Inmate Search. The Sheriff's Office answers other questions at 518-736-2100. No fixed price list exists for bail here: a judge names the amount at arraignment, usually within about a day of arrest, and many people leave with no bail at all.
Is my family member in the Fulton County jail right now?
Open Fulton County Inmate Search and type the name. If the person was arrested within the last few hours, the record may take time to appear, so try again later in the day. The Sheriff's Office at 518-736-2100 can answer questions the search cannot, such as whether another agency has a hold.
Who runs the jail, and where do I send questions?
The Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Richard C. Giardino, operates corrections as one of its divisions. Its office is in the County Complex at 2712 State Highway 29, Johnstown. Call 518-736-2100 on weekdays, and let the person's full name and date of birth be the first thing you say.
How much will the bail be?
Nobody can quote a number before arraignment. New York has no statewide bail chart, and Fulton County's judges decide each case on its own facts. The judge weighs the charge, the person's record, past missed court dates and whether the family can pay without hardship. After arraignment, Fulton County Inmate Search shows the figure if bail was set.
Will a judge set bail for a misdemeanor?
Usually not. Since the 2019 reform, most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies call for release on a promise to return, sometimes with conditions such as check-ins. Bail comes into play mainly for the offenses set out in Criminal Procedure Law 510.10(4), including violent felonies, charges involving a death and some domestic-violence crimes.
Can police simply give a ticket instead of locking someone up?
Often, yes. For many offenses an officer must issue an appearance ticket rather than book the person, and the ticket sets a court date, generally within 20 days. Officers can still make a custodial arrest for class A through D felonies, for people with warrants, and in family-offense and sex-offense cases.
How do I pay bail in Johnstown?
Before you travel, call the Sheriff's Office at 518-736-2100 and ask where and when payment is taken for your person's case, and which payment types it accepts. Bring photo identification and the exact amount. Keep the receipt, because it is the document you will need to get the money back.
What forms of bail can a judge accept?
New York law (CPL 520.10) lets a judge accept cash, an insurance company bail bond, secured, partially secured or unsecured bonds, and credit card payment. The court must offer at least three of those forms, and one has to be an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. That gives families a way to avoid paying the full amount up front.
What does a bail bondsman charge in New York?
The state caps the premium. On a bond up to $3,000 the limit is 10 percent. Above that, the limit is 10 percent of the first $3,000, 8 percent of the amount from $3,001 to $10,000, and 6 percent of anything over $10,000. A $5,000 bond therefore costs at most $460. The premium is the bondsman's fee and is not returned if the person is released.
How can I check that a bondsman is legitimate?
Every bail agent must hold a license from the New York Department of Financial Services. Ask to see it, and search the name on the state license search. A bondsman may not charge you for finding a bondsman, and must refund the whole premium within 14 days if the person is never released.
Can we put up a house or land?
A bondsman may accept property as collateral, and a court may take property as security for some forms of bail. Ask the judge's clerk whether the order for your case allows property. Collateral held by a bondsman must come back within 45 days after the bond ends.
Who is the free lawyer if we cannot afford one?
The Fulton County Public Defender's main office is at 57 East Fulton Street, Suite 216, Gloversville, 518-773-1100. Family Court cases go through the office at 223 West Main Street, Room 16, Johnstown, 518-736-5957. A person has the right to counsel when a judge decides on release, so ask for the lawyer at the first appearance.
Where do the Family Court and Supreme Court meet?
Both sit at 223 West Main Street, Johnstown. Family Court answers at 518-706-3260 and the Supreme Court at 518-706-3290. A felony case begins in a local criminal court and then moves to County Court, so ask the arresting agency which court has the first date.
Does time sitting in jail count toward a sentence?
Yes. New York gives credit for time spent in custody before sentencing, under Penal Law 70.30(3), no matter where the custody took place. If your relative cannot make bail and later pleads guilty, the days already served are subtracted. Ask the defense lawyer to confirm the exact total before sentencing.
What if the person is 16 or 17?
Under Raise the Age, a 16- or 17-year-old charged with a serious crime is handled in a Youth Part of the criminal court and may not be held in a jail that also holds adults. Less serious cases move to Family Court. Call the Public Defender's Family Court office at 518-736-5957 the same day to ask where the youth is being held.
If he skips court, what does Fulton County do with the bail?
The judge orders the bail forfeited and issues a warrant. A person who comes back before the court's final adjournment with a good reason may have the forfeiture lifted, and anyone can ask for partial or full remission within one year. Contact a lawyer immediately.
Will I get the bail money back?
Cash bail returns to the person who posted it after the case ends, if the defendant made every appearance. Take the receipt and your photo identification to the court. If the defendant is convicted, the court keeps a 3 percent fee. A lost receipt needs a notarized statement.
Fulton County bail contacts
- Jail
- Fulton County Correctional Facility, Johnstown, NY; Sheriff's Office, County Complex, 2712 State Highway 29, P.O. Box 20, Johnstown, NY 12095; 518-736-2100
- Bail guide
- bail and bond help for Fulton County
- Custody lookup
- Fulton County Inmate Search
- Public Defender
- 57 East Fulton Street, Suite 216, Gloversville, NY 12078; 518-773-1100
- Family Court defense
- 223 West Main Street, Room 16, Johnstown, NY 12095; 518-736-5957
- Courts
- 223 West Main Street, Johnstown, NY 12095; Family Court 518-706-3260; Supreme Court 518-706-3290
- Bondsman licenses
- New York Department of Financial Services, bail bonds
Bail amounts, hours and payment rules are set by judges and the jail and can change from case to case. Check the details for your own case with the Sheriff's Office before you hand over money, and talk with a lawyer about any legal decision.
Fulton County Correctional Facility
Address:
2710 State Highway 29
Johnstown, NY 12095
Phone:
518-736-2198
When is bail set in Fulton County New York?
Does Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton 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, Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County?
Fulton County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Fulton 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 Fulton County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County Correctional Facility for more information about the jails in Fulton County.
What options are there to pay bail in Fulton 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 Fulton County Correctional Facility for more information about posting bail in Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton 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.