Schuyler County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Schuyler County bail and bond: the Watkins Glen jail
Schuyler County runs a small jail in Watkins Glen, the Schuyler County Jail, with 106 Tenth Street as the Sheriff's Office address. Check Schuyler County Inmate Search to see whether your person is held and what bail was set. Cash bail is paid online through GovPayNet, and the jail desk answers at 607-535-8228. Fees for paying bail online are charged on top of the bail itself.
How big is the Schuyler County Jail?
It holds up to 30 people in five cell blocks, one detention cell and one dormitory cell. Sheriff Kevin Rumsey's office also handles patrol, civil papers and dispatch from the same Watkins Glen address.
How can I tell if my family member is inside?
Search the name in Schuyler County Inmate Search. It lists custody, charges and bail. The Jail Administrator takes calls at 607-535-8228 for questions the search does not answer, such as clothing approval.
How do I pay cash bail?
Online, through GovPayNet at the Pay Cash Bail link, using Pay Location Code 5310. Have the defendant's name, date of birth, court and bail amount ready. Paying by phone adds a 5 percent service fee, and paying on the website adds 3.5 percent. Those fees are not refunded.
Do I owe a fee on top of the bail?
Yes. The 3.5 percent web fee or 5 percent phone fee is added by the payment service, not the court. On $2,000 of bail the web fee comes to $70. The fee is a cost of using the service, and bail itself is separate money that is returned under the court's order.
Who decides the amount?
A judge, at the first appearance, which normally comes within about 24 hours after an arrest. Schuyler has no schedule of fixed prices. CPL 510.10 requires the judge to look at the charge, the person's record, their court history and their ability to pay, and then choose the kind and degree of control needed to bring them back to court.
Is there a way out without paying money?
Often. The Probation Department runs the county's Pretrial Release Program from 105 Ninth Street, Unit 10, Watkins Glen, 607-535-8165. For most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies the judge has to release the person on promises or conditions, and the Probation Department is the office that runs the program.
Which charges can still lead to money bail?
The ones named in CPL 510.10(4): violent felonies, offenses that caused a death, certain sex offenses, some firearm cases and charges involving violations of protection orders. In those cases the judge may release, set bail, combine bail with conditions, or hold a qualifying felony defendant. A town or village court cannot set bail on a class A felony.
What are the legal forms of bail?
Cash, an insurance company bail bond, secured, partially secured and unsecured bonds, and card payment. The court must give at least three choices, including an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. The online payment page covers cash bail. Ask the court clerk whether the judge's order allows another form.
What can a bondsman legally charge?
Ten percent of the first $3,000, 8 percent of the next $7,000 and 6 percent of whatever is above $10,000. A $4,000 bond tops out at $380. The agent may not charge for steering you to a bondsman, and the whole premium comes back within 14 days if release never happens. Questions go to the state at 800-342-3736.
When can I visit, and how do I sign up?
Visits run on Wednesdays and Sundays between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., two one-hour visits per week. Book by phone at 607-535-8222, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors need government photo ID, and those under 18 need a parent or guardian with legal proof of guardianship. All visitors pass a metal detector.
How do I add money for phone calls or commissary?
Inmate phone accounts are set up through Viapath at 877-650-4249. Commissary money can go through the lobby kiosk, online through SmartDeposit, or by a money order made out to the inmate. This money is separate from bail and will not release anyone.
Who will be the lawyer if I cannot afford one?
Ask the judge at the first appearance for the county Public Defender. Right to counsel attaches whenever a judge considers release terms, so do not wait for a later date.
What about a teenager booked at Watkins Glen?
Serious charges go to a Youth Part, and a youth may not be housed in a jail with adults. Ask the judge or the defense lawyer where the young person is being held.
What if my relative skips a court date?
The judge forfeits the bail, a warrant goes out and the case becomes harder. If the person returns before the court finishes with the case and has a satisfactory excuse, the forfeiture may be discharged. A request to recover forfeited money has a one-year limit.
When does the GovPayNet money come back?
When the case ends the court orders the refund. The person who posted brings the receipt and photo ID to the court. If the person is convicted, 3 percent is held back; a dismissal or acquittal means full repayment.
Could an appearance ticket have replaced the arrest?
For many offenses officers must hand out a ticket instead of making an arrest. Exceptions include class A to D felonies, an outstanding warrant, a missed court date in the last two years, a family-offense charge, and a person who cannot or will not prove who they are. A ticket sets a court date, generally within 20 days, and ignoring it brings a warrant.
How do I spot a fake bail caller?
A legitimate office will not ask for payment by gift card, app or wire to a person. Verify the name in Schuyler County Inmate Search, then call the Jail Administrator at 607-535-8228 on your own. A deposit to a commissary or phone account only adds spending money, and bail posted online goes through the Pay Cash Bail link on the county site.
Schuyler County contacts
- Jail
- Schuyler County Jail, Watkins Glen, NY 14891; Jail Administrator 607-535-8228
- Custody search
- Schuyler County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 106 Tenth Street, Watkins Glen; 607-535-8222
- Online bail
- GovPayNet, Pay Location Code 5310
- Visit scheduling
- 607-535-8222, weekdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Probation and pretrial release
- 105 Ninth Street, Unit 10, Watkins Glen; 607-535-8165
- Phone accounts
- Viapath, 877-650-4249
Fees, hours and payment rules change from time to time. Confirm the figures for your own case with the jail or a defense lawyer before you pay. This page helps families get started and is no substitute for counsel.
Pay an Inmate's Bond Online
Schuyler 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 607-535-8228 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
Schuyler County Jail
Address:
106 Tenth Street
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Phone:
607-535-8228
Does Schuyler County have bail?
When is bail set in Schuyler County New York?
Does Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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, Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler County?
Schuyler County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Schuyler 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 Schuyler County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler County Jail for more information about the jails in Schuyler County.
What options are there to pay bail in Schuyler 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 Schuyler County Jail for more information about posting bail in Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler County Jail inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Schuyler County Jail inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Schuyler County Jail or Schuyler 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 Schuyler 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 Schuyler County Jail, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 607-535-8228.