Genesee County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Genesee County bail and bond: posting bail at the Batavia jail any hour
People arrested in Genesee County are held at the Genesee County Jail, 3839 West Main Street Road, Batavia, a new building that opened in 2024. Start with Genesee County Inmate Search to confirm your person is inside and see the charge and bail. Then call the jail at 585-343-0838 for anything the search leaves open. bail can be posted at the jail 24 hours a day, every day, with photo identification, in cash or by card.
Is my loved one inside the Batavia jail?
Search the name in Genesee County Inmate Search. It shows custody status, charges and bail once the booking is entered. If a name has not appeared yet, wait an hour or two and look again, or call 585-343-0838 and ask the desk.
Can I really post bail at midnight?
Yes. Bail can be posted at the Genesee County Jail around the clock, any day of the week. Go to 3839 West Main Street Road, Batavia, with a government photo ID. Because staff handle bookings at night, call 585-343-0838 first so the desk knows you are coming.
What payment will the jail take?
Cash or a card. Bring the exact amount of the bail, and keep every receipt. If you want to use a bondsman instead, the bondsman does the posting and you pay a fee to the bondsman, not to the jail.
Who sets the bail, and when?
A judge sets it at arraignment, which normally happens within about 24 hours of arrest. The jail staff cannot raise or lower the amount. In Genesee County the courts meet at the Courts Facility, 1 West Main Street, Batavia, 585-344-2550; call there for help with a court question.
Why was my relative let go with no bail at all?
New York changed its law in 2019. For most misdemeanors and many non-violent felonies, the judge must release a person, with or without conditions, and may not ask for money. The judge looks at the charge, past court behavior and the family's means, and only certain serious offenses in CPL 510.10 allow bail.
Which charges can still lead to bail?
Violent felonies, charges involving a death, some sex offenses, family-offense crimes tied to an order of protection, and certain repeat crimes committed while out on release. For those cases the judge may set bail, order conditions, combine them, or in qualifying felony cases hold the person in jail.
Does this county have a bail chart I can check?
No county or state chart sets amounts here. Every figure comes from the judge for that one case. A lawyer can ask the judge to reconsider a figure the family cannot pay, and the judge may be asked for nominal bail, a small amount set when the person asks for it.
How do bail bonds work in Batavia?
A licensed bondsman guarantees the full bail to the court for a premium. New York caps that premium at 10 percent up to $3,000, then 8 percent on the part from $3,001 to $10,000, and 6 percent above $10,000. Get a signed receipt, ask what collateral is required, and file any complaint with the state Department of Financial Services at 800-342-3736.
Is there a cheaper way than a full cash payment?
Sometimes. A judge must order at least three forms of bail, and one of them has to be an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. A partially secured bond asks for only part of the amount in cash. Raise the choice with the public defender or your own lawyer before the judge decides.
How do I get a free defense lawyer?
Apply to the Genesee County Public Defender at One West Main Street, Batavia, 585-815-7815. The office asks eligible people to complete an application form, and the person arrested has the right to a lawyer when release is decided.
What if the arrest came from Batavia police?
Many city cases begin in Batavia City Court, in the same Courts Facility at 1 West Main Street, 585-344-2550, extension 2417. Felonies move on to County Court. Ask the officer or the jail desk which agency made the arrest and which court has the first date.
What happens when a person is under 18?
Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds accused of serious crimes appear in a Youth Part, and none may be housed in a jail with adults. Many other cases go to Family Court. Call the public defender at 585-815-7815 right away so a lawyer can find out where the young person is held.
Is putting money on a jail account the same as paying bail?
No. Funds added to an inmate's phone or commissary account through the jail's authorized providers buy calls and store items. They never release anyone. Only a payment of the amount the judge set, or a bond from a licensed bondsman, can end custody. The Weekend Work Detail is a different matter: it is a court-ordered sentence option for non-violent, low-risk people.
What becomes of the bail when someone misses a Batavia court date?
The court declares the bail forfeited and a warrant follows. If the person returns before the court's final adjournment with a satisfactory excuse, the judge may undo the forfeiture, and a request to recover part of the money must be made within one year. Speak with a lawyer the same day.
When does the bail money come back?
Cash bail is refundable when the case ends and every date was kept, minus a 3 percent fee if the defendant is convicted. The person who paid takes the receipt and photo ID to the court. A bondsman's premium is never refunded unless the person was not released, in which case it must be returned within 14 days.
What should I do if someone asks me to pay bail by app or gift card?
No real office takes gift cards, Venmo or PayPal for bail. Verify every request by calling the jail yourself at 585-343-0838 and hang up on anyone who says to wire money at once. Pay only at the jail or through a bondsman whose license you checked.
Genesee County bail contacts
- Jail
- Genesee County Jail, 3839 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020; 585-343-0838; bail accepted 24 hours a day
- Bond guide
- bail and bond help for Genesee County
- Custody lookup
- Genesee County Inmate Search
- Courts
- Genesee County Courts Facility, 1 West Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020; 585-344-2550
- City court
- Batavia City Court, same building, 585-344-2550, extension 2417
- Public Defender
- One West Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020; 585-815-7815
- Bondsman licenses
- New York Department of Financial Services, bail bonds
Judges set bail one case at a time and the jail's hours, fees and payment rules can change. For your own case, confirm the figure and the payment steps at the jail desk before money changes hands, and consult a lawyer for legal advice.
Pay an Inmate's Bond Online
Genesee County Jail 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 585-343-0838 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
Genesee County Jail
Address:
14 West Main Street
Batavia, NY 14021
Phone:
585-343-0838
Does Genesee County have bail?
When is bail set in Genesee County New York?
Does Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee 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, Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee County?
Genesee County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Genesee 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 Genesee County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee County Jail for more information about the jails in Genesee County.
What options are there to pay bail in Genesee 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 Genesee County Jail for more information about posting bail in Genesee 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 Genesee 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 Genesee 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay a Genesee County Jail inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Genesee County Jail inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Genesee County Jail or Genesee 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 Genesee County Jail, 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 Genesee County Jail, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 585-343-0838.