Madison County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Madison County bail and bond: the Wampsville jail and how to get someone out
Adults arrested in Madison County are held at the Madison County Jail, the Correction Division of the Sheriff's Office, at 138 North Court Street, Building 7, in Wampsville. Use Madison County Inmate Search to see whether a person is in custody. The jail phone, 315-366-2300, handles whatever the search leaves out. Cash bail can be paid at the jail at any hour, day or night, with a photo ID.
Is my relative inside the Wampsville jail right now?
Start with Madison County Inmate Search. Enter the full name as it would appear on a police report. A person booked only minutes ago may take a while to show up, so check again later in the day.
The jail belongs to the Sheriff's Office, which Sheriff Todd Hood leads. Call 315-366-2300 and give the name and birth date if the search shows nothing, or if you need to know which agency made the arrest.
When can I pay bail, and what do I carry with me?
The jail takes cash bail 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bring photo identification. Personal checks are turned away, so plan on cash or one of the card options described below.
Ask the officer at the desk for a receipt. It shows what you paid and is the paper you will need when the case ends.
Can I use a credit card for Madison County bail?
Yes. Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted. The payer arranges the charge through the county's card processor, GovPayNow, and a service fee is added to the total, so ask the processor what the fee will be before you agree.
The county's own bail and bail bonds page has the online cash-bail link. New York law lets a court allow card payment and permits a reasonable administrative fee on top.
After I pay at the jail, who holds the money?
The jail passes the payment to the court that is handling the case. That court, not the jail, is where you go when the case is over and you want the money back. Bring the receipt and your photo ID.
When a person is convicted, 3 percent of cash bail is kept. If the case is dismissed or the person is acquitted, the full amount comes back to whoever posted it.
Who decides the amount, and how fast does it happen?
A judge decides at arraignment, the first court appearance after an arrest. That normally happens within about 24 hours. Madison County has no fixed price list, because New York has no statewide bail schedule.
An officer may instead hand over a ticket with a court date and let the person go home. Appearance tickets must have a return date within 20 days, unless the next court session falls later.
Will the judge even ask for money on this charge?
For most misdemeanors and many felonies the answer is no. The judge must release the person on their own promise to return, with conditions such as check-ins or treatment if needed. Money can be requested only when the charge is on the qualifying list in Criminal Procedure Law 510.10.
That list includes violent felonies, class A felonies, crimes that cause a death, most sex offenses, contempt of an order of protection in a family case, and a felony committed while on probation. The judge also weighs the person's finances and can set nominal bail if the person asks for it.
Which kinds of bail does the judge have to offer?
Under Criminal Procedure Law 520.10 the judge must let the family choose among at least three forms of bail. One of them has to be an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. The full menu runs from cash and an insurance company bail bond to credit card payment.
Each form can carry its own dollar figure, so read the order closely before choosing.
What does a bail bondsman charge in New York?
The state caps it. On a bond up to $3,000 the premium is 10 percent. On a larger bond it is 10 percent of the first $3,000, then 8 percent of the amount from $3,001 to $10,000, then 6 percent of anything above $10,000. Very small bonds carry a $10 minimum.
Only a licensed agent may write a bond, and the Department of Financial Services runs a bail agent license search. Complaints go to DFS at 800-342-3736. The agent may not add fees beyond the premium except court-ordered costs, and must refund the premium within 14 days if the person is never released.
Can a home or land back a bond?
A secured surety bond is one of the permitted forms, and real estate can be the security. The court has to approve it, and every owner must take part. Because court staff check the deed and the amount of equity, expect it to take days, not hours.
Ask the County Court clerk at 315-231-5301 how the judge handles property in your case. The rules for pledging property are the court's, not the jail's.
Which Madison County courts will see this case?
Felonies are tried in Madison County Court in Wampsville, reached at 315-231-5301. Family Court answers at 315-231-5310. Arrests in the city of Oneida go to Oneida City Court, 108 Main Street, 315-266-4740.
Smaller charges begin in a town or village court, such as Cazenovia at 315-655-4011, Chittenango at 315-687-3937 or Canastota at 315-697-9410. The arrest paperwork names the court.
We cannot afford an attorney. Who is assigned?
Madison County runs an Assigned Counsel Program at 1091 Northside Plaza, Suite 2, Oneida. It places lawyers from a panel on criminal and family cases for people who qualify. The office number is 315-366-2483.
Ask the judge for an assigned lawyer at the first appearance. New York law gives a person the right to counsel when a release decision is made, and a lawyer can ask the judge to reconsider bail.
My son is 16. Does he go to the county jail?
Sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds charged with serious crimes are handled in the criminal court's Youth Part. Under the Raise the Age law the county may not hold them in a jail that also holds adults. Police must also notify a parent.
Madison County Probation, at 138 North Court Street, takes the lead on youth placement. Call 315-366-2351 to learn where a young person is being held and when the hearing is.
What if she misses a court date after bail is posted?
The judge can declare the bail forfeited and issue a warrant. If the person returns before the court finally adjourns and has a good excuse, the court may cancel the forfeiture. Otherwise the district attorney has 120 days to go after the bond.
A request to remit a forfeiture must be filed within one year. A lawyer should file it, and the sooner the better.
Why would the record say the person is held with no bail?
Sometimes the judge has remanded the person to the Sheriff, which the law allows for qualifying felonies. A town or village judge also cannot order release or bail at all for a class A felony or for a person with two earlier felony convictions.
Other holds come from a warrant in another county, a parole violation, or a probation violation. Call 315-366-2300 and ask the jail which hold applies.
How can I tell a real bail payment from a scam?
Pay only at the jail window or through the link on the county's bail page. Do not send money to a person, a gift card number, or a payment app. Nobody at the jail will ask for those.
If a caller claims to be the jail and pushes you to hurry, hang up and dial 315-366-2300 yourself.
Madison County bail contacts
- Jail
- Madison County Jail, Correction Division, 138 North Court Street, Building 7, Wampsville, NY 13163; 315-366-2300
- Bond guide
- bond and payment guide for the jail
- Custody lookup
- Madison County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 315-366-2318
- County Court
- Wampsville; 315-231-5301
- Family Court
- Wampsville; 315-231-5310
- City court
- Oneida City Court, 108 Main Street, Oneida; 315-266-4740
- Assigned counsel
- 1091 Northside Plaza, Suite 2, Oneida; 315-366-2483
- Probation and youth
- 138 North Court Street, Wampsville; 315-366-2351
- Bail bond agents
- State license search; DFS 800-342-3736
Judges set the amount and the conditions in each Madison County case, and agencies change hours and payment rules from time to time. The order the judge signed controls for your family member.
Madison County Jail
Address:
138 North Court Street
Wampsville, NY 13163
Phone:
315-366-2300
Does Madison County have bail?
When is bail set in Madison County New York?
Does Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison 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, Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County?
Madison County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Madison 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 Madison County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County Jail for more information about the jails in Madison County.
What options are there to pay bail in Madison 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 Madison County Jail for more information about posting bail in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison 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.