Niagara County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Niagara County bail and bond: the Lockport jail, three defender offices and your options
The Niagara County Sheriff's Office, at 5526 Niagara Street Extension in Lockport, runs the Niagara County jail that holds adults arrested in the county. Check Niagara County Inmate Search to learn whether a person is in custody. The Sheriff's main line is 716-438-3370, and the jail administrator's office is 716-438-3345. Many people charged with lower-level offenses go home without paying bail.
How do I tell if a person is in the Lockport jail?
Use Niagara County Inmate Search and enter the full name. A very recent arrest might not appear yet, so look again after a few hours. If the search is blank, call the jail administrator's office at 716-438-3345.
The jail belongs to the Sheriff's Office, headed by Sheriff Michael Filicetti. Its main number is 716-438-3370.
What number do I call to ask about paying bail?
Call the jail administrator at 716-438-3345 and say which court set the bail and the person's full name and birth date. Ask what forms of payment the jail accepts and when the window is staffed. Then write the answers down.
Do not wire money or buy a prepaid card to settle a bail amount. A court or jail never asks for that.
Will a judge set bail for a first-time misdemeanor?
The law points the other way. A judge must release the person on a promise to return unless the charge is one of the offenses in Criminal Procedure Law 510.10, and even then the judge may choose release with conditions. The conditions can include reporting to Probation or treatment.
A judge who requires bail has to state the reason on the record or in writing, and must weigh whether the person can pay without undue hardship.
Which Niagara County charges can still lead to jail on remand?
The qualifying list covers violent felonies, class A felonies, witness intimidation, felony sex offenses, crimes that cause a death, grand larceny in the first degree, and contempt of an order of protection against a family member. A felony committed on probation also qualifies.
On those, the judge may release, set bail, add conditions, or commit the person to the Sheriff. A request for nominal bail is the person's right to make.
When does arraignment happen, and in which court?
It normally happens within about 24 hours of the arrest. In Niagara County the court depends on the arresting agency and the charge. City courts operate in Lockport, Niagara Falls and North Tonawanda, and town and village courts cover the rest.
Felony cases are indicted and tried in Niagara County Court at 175 Hawley Street, Lockport, and the Chief Clerk's Office answers at 716-280-6400.
What kinds of bail bond does the judge have to allow?
The judge must allow at least three forms, and one has to be an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. The nine forms include cash, an insurance company bond, and a credit card. Each can carry its own price.
When the judge names only one dollar figure, the family may post it as an unsecured bond.
How much can a bondsman take on a $6,000 bond?
The most an agent can charge is $300 for the first $3,000 plus 8 percent of the next $3,000, which is $240. That adds up to $540. Anything above $10,000 is charged at 6 percent.
An agent may not add other fees beyond the premium except court-ordered costs. Complaints go to the Department of Financial Services at 800-342-3736, and the agent's license can be checked in the state search.
Can I use property for a Niagara County bond?
A secured bond can rest on real estate. The court that set the bail decides whether the security is adequate. Ask the County Clerk at 716-439-7022 how deeds and liens are recorded, and ask the judge's clerk what the court wants in the packet.
Who is the public defender, and where do I go?
The Public Defender's Office answers at 716-439-7071. It has a main office in Lockport, an office in the Niagara Falls Municipal Complex at 1925 Main Street, 716-278-1899, and an office at 500 Wheatfield Street in North Tonawanda. Weekday hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Family Court cases have their own defender line, 716-439-7218.
Where do youth cases go?
Under Raise the Age, 16- and 17-year-olds charged with serious offenses appear in the Youth Part. They cannot be held in a jail that also holds adults. A parent must be told after an arrest.
Niagara County Probation, 716-438-4055, can say where a young person is held. Family Court sits in Lockport at 175 Hawley Street, 716-280-6500, and in Niagara Falls at the Civic Building, 716-371-4050.
Could the officer have just handed my brother a ticket?
For most offenses, yes. An officer who could arrest must instead issue an appearance ticket, except for class A through D felonies, charges with an outstanding warrant, a missed court date in the last two years, family offense or sex offense charges, and cases where the person will not prove who they are.
The ticket's return date falls within 20 days, unless the next court session is later.
Which Probation office serves my area?
Niagara County Probation has three offices. Lockport is at 111 Main Street, Suite 201, 716-438-4055. Niagara Falls is in the Trott ACCESS Center, 1001 11th Street, 716-278-8122. North Tonawanda is at 500 Wheatfield Street, 716-743-4526.
A judge who releases a person with conditions may send them to one of these offices to report.
Will time in jail before sentencing count?
It does. Penal Law 70.30 gives credit for time spent in custody before sentence, wherever the person was held. If part of that time was in another state or in federal custody, the person has to supply a certified record of it. Raise the point with the defender before sentencing.
What happens if he misses a court date?
The court may forfeit the bail and issue a warrant. If he returns before the final adjournment with a good excuse, the court can cancel the forfeiture. If it does not, the district attorney, 716-439-7085, has 120 days to move against a bond.
A request to remit comes within a year.
Can a charity pay bail?
A licensed charitable bail organization may deposit up to $2,000 for a person charged with misdemeanors who cannot afford bail. It cannot sign a surety bond and cannot charge a premium. A charity can serve only one county, so ask the Public Defender's Office whether a fund covers Niagara County.
How do I get my cash bail back?
The refund order comes from the court once the case ends. Bring the receipt and photo ID. Three percent is held back if the person is convicted.
Niagara County bail contacts
- Jail
- Niagara County jail, run by the Sheriff's Office, 5526 Niagara Street Extension, Lockport, NY 14094; jail administrator 716-438-3345
- Bond guide
- bond page for the jail
- Custody lookup
- Niagara County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 716-438-3370
- County Court
- 175 Hawley Street, Lockport; Chief Clerk 716-280-6400
- Public defender
- 716-439-7071; Niagara Falls 716-278-1899
- District Attorney
- Lockport 716-439-7085
- Probation
- 111 Main Street, Suite 201, Lockport; 716-438-4055
- County Clerk
- 716-439-7022
- Bondsman complaints
- Department of Financial Services, 800-342-3736
In Niagara County each judge sets bail for the case at hand, and offices keep their own hours and payment rules. The signed order in your family member's case governs.
Pay an Inmate's Bond Online
Niagara 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 716-438-3446 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
Niagara County Correctional Facility
Address:
5526 Niagara Street Ext
Lockport, NY 14095
Phone:
716-438-3446
Does Niagara County have bail?
When is bail set in Niagara County New York?
Does Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara 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, Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara County?
Niagara County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Niagara 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 Niagara County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara County Correctional Facility for more information about the jails in Niagara County.
What options are there to pay bail in Niagara 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 Niagara County Correctional Facility for more information about posting bail in Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara County Correctional Facility inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Niagara County Correctional Facility inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Niagara County Correctional Facility or Niagara 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 Niagara 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 Niagara County Correctional Facility, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 716-438-3446.