Warren County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Warren County bail and bond: one road in Lake George, two buildings that matter
Arrests in Warren County end at the Warren County Correctional Facility, 1400 State Route 9, Lake George, inside the Sheriff's Office Public Safety Building. Check status and bail with Warren County Inmate Search. The facility answers at 518-743-2500; press option 2 for Corrections. bail can be posted there at any hour, and courts that decide the amount sit a short drive away.
How can I tell if my nephew is inside the Lake George facility?
Try Warren County Inmate Search first. For a delay or a question the search cannot answer, phone 518-743-2500 and press 2 for Corrections. Free VINE alerts at 888-846-3469 can also tell you when someone is released or moved.
At what hours can bail be posted?
At any time. The facility takes cash and credit card only, and the card payment carries its own fee. A personal check is not on that short list. Call 518-743-2500, option 2, to ask how the cashier will handle the exact amount before you travel.
Who runs the facility, and how big is it?
The Warren County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Jim LaFarr, operates it from the 2004 building at 1400 State Route 9. It holds up to 186 prisoners, and those prisoners come from local, state and federal sources, under orders from city, local justice, superior and federal courts.
Where are the courts that set bail?
Warren County Supreme and County Court is in the Municipal Center, 1340 State Route 9, Lake George, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The main number is 518-480-6335. A town, village or city court may have the first appearance, so ask the arresting agency.
Who chooses the bail figure?
The judge, at arraignment, which normally comes within about 24 hours of the arrest. State law has no chart tying charges to dollars. CPL 510.10 has the judge consider the charge, the record, any flight history and whether the amount would be a hardship.
Will a burglary or drug arrest automatically carry bail?
Not automatically. Charges outside the CPL 510.10(4) list point toward release. Inside the list, which includes violent felonies and offenses causing a death, a judge may release, set bail, add conditions or hold the person. A town, village or city court may not order bail on a class A felony.
What if the amount is more than we can raise?
A defense lawyer can ask for a form of bail that costs less up front. The court has to offer at least three forms, and one must be an unsecured or partially secured surety bond. A licensed bondsman is another path, and a charitable bail group may cover up to $2,000 on a misdemeanor.
What would a bondsman charge on a $20,000 bond?
No more than $1,460. That is $300 on the first $3,000, $560 on the next $7,000 and 6 percent on the last $10,000, which is $600. The jail does not control those rates; the state does.
Where do I go if a bondsman asks for more than the cap?
Call the Department of Financial Services at 800-342-3736. Check the agent first on the state license page. A bondsman who forces you to hire a specific attorney risks the license.
How do I reach the Warren County Public Defender?
The office is in the Municipal Center, 1340 State Route 9, Lake George, open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 518-761-6207. The Assigned Counsel Office takes applications from 9 a.m. to noon on weekdays and answers questions at 518-761-6460. A person must be assigned through that office before representation begins.
Where does a teenager go if a secure bed is needed?
Warren County has used the Capital District Secure Juvenile Detention Center in Albany when a young person needs secure detention. Under Raise the Age, 16- and 17-year-olds facing serious charges go to a Youth Part and cannot be placed in an adult jail. Ask the Public Defender at 518-761-6207.
What if a federal charge is involved?
The facility holds federal prisoners as well. A federal court sets release in a federal case, so a county bail amount may not apply. Your lawyer can tell you which court is in charge.
What happens to the bail if he skips court?
A forfeiture is entered on the record and the judge issues a warrant. A reasonable excuse offered before the final adjournment can win a discharge of the forfeiture. The district attorney has 120 days to pursue a bond. Remission can be requested up to a year later.
Who gets the money when the case ends?
The court releases it after the case closes. Take the receipt and photo ID. A convicted defendant forfeits 3 percent. A notarized affidavit lets the surety assign the money, and a surety may ask that it be applied to a fine.
What warning does a felony defendant hear about release?
When bail or release is ordered on a felony, the judge must tell the person that it is conditional. A new felony committed while at liberty can end it, and the court may then commit the person. Ask the lawyer to explain every condition before leaving court.
Can a family lose a house over a bond?
Yes. If the defendant misses court and the forfeiture is not lifted, the district attorney files the bond, judgment is entered, and it becomes a lien on the real estate of those who signed. Read the collateral terms with care, and keep copies of every paper from the agent.
Does pretrial time at the facility help later?
Time in custody before a sentence is credited against it, wherever the person was held. If any of that custody was outside New York or in federal hands, the lawyer must file a certified record to claim the credit.
Is it a scam when someone says my relative needs money wired for release?
Treat it as one. Real bail goes to the facility, the court or a licensed agent, and nobody legitimate wants gift cards. Phone 518-743-2500 yourself and ask for Corrections.
Warren County bail contacts
- Jail
- Warren County Correctional Facility, 1400 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845; 518-743-2500, option 2
- Bond guide
- bail and bond help for Warren County
- Custody lookup
- Warren County Inmate Search
- Court
- Warren County Supreme and County Court, 1340 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845; 518-480-6335; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Public Defender
- Municipal Center, 1340 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845; 518-761-6207; Assigned Counsel 518-761-6460
- Release alerts
- VINE, 888-846-3469
- Bondsman licenses
- New York Department of Financial Services, bail bonds; complaints 800-342-3736
Each judge writes the securing order in the case, and fees and numbers can change. Speak with the correctional facility and a lawyer about your own situation before any payment.
Warren County Correctional Facility
Address:
1400 State Route 9
Lake George, NY 12845
Phone:
518-743-2500
When is bail set in Warren County New York?
Does Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County?
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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, Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County?
Warren County recognizes most types of bonds.
Who can set bail in Warren 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 Warren County New York?
Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.
In Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County Correctional Facility for more information about the jails in Warren County.
What options are there to pay bail in Warren 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 Warren County Correctional Facility for more information about posting bail in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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.