Richland County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Richland County bail and bond: the Wahpeton jail and the three counties that share it
Adults arrested in Richland County are held at the Richland County Jail, 413 3rd Avenue North, Wahpeton. Use Richland County Inmate Search to see whether a person is booked and what bail is set. Call the Sheriff's Office at 701-642-7711 for anything the search leaves out. The same jail also holds people from Ransom, Sargent, and Dickey counties. Any bail you pay goes to the court that set it.
Is my relative inside the Richland County Jail?
Look the name up in Richland County Inmate Search before you do anything else. It shows whether the person is booked in Wahpeton and what bail has been set. If the page shows nothing, call the Sheriff's Office at 701-642-7711; deputies run the jail.
Where is the jail?
The Richland County Jail is at 413 3rd Avenue North, Wahpeton, ND 58075. It is a state-inspected Grade 1 jail with room for 33 people, and it holds pretrial and sentenced adults for up to a year. The lobby is monitored around the clock.
Who else is locked up there besides Richland County people?
Wahpeton city arrests land there. The jail also holds prisoners from Ransom, Sargent, and Dickey counties, and it has an agreement with the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribe. If your family member was arrested in Lisbon, Forman, or Ellendale, search here too.
Where do I pay bail for someone in Wahpeton?
Bail goes to the court that set it. Call the Sheriff's Office at 701-642-7711 and ask whether to pay at the jail or through the clerk of district court at 701-671-1524, and what payment types the desk takes that day. Bring photo ID, the person's full name, and the case number if you have one. Keep every receipt.
Can I pay at night or on a weekend?
The jail lobby has staff watching it all day and all night, so start by phoning 701-642-7711 and asking the deputy at the desk. Some charges cannot be released before a judge acts, whatever the hour.
Where is the courthouse, and when does the clerk answer?
The Richland County Courthouse is at 418 2nd Avenue North, Wahpeton, ND 58075. Clerk of district court hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the number is 701-671-1524. Court staff can give you the case number, the judge, and the next date.
Who decides the Richland County bail amount?
A judge, at the first appearance. North Dakota has no statewide dollar bail chart, and the Supreme Court's Rule 63 for early release carries no dollar amounts. Rule 46 asks the judge to weigh the charge, the strength of the evidence, family ties, work, money, record, and danger to others.
Can the person go home without paying?
Yes. Rule 46 tells the judge to release a person on a promise to appear or an unsecured bond unless that will not reasonably assure a return to court. Conditions such as check-ins, a curfew, or a no-contact order may be added. A cash deposit under an appearance bond cannot be more than ten percent of the bond.
Why might a deputy refuse to release someone?
Rule 63 lets the jail keep a person until a judge sees them for a Class AA, A, B, or C felony, for a warrant that already sets bond terms, for a missed court date, and for certain misdemeanors such as domestic violence or violating a protection order. The deputy at 701-642-7711 can tell you which rule applies.
How soon is there a hearing?
The arresting officer must bring the person before a magistrate without unnecessary delay. Rule 63 sets a goal of the first appearance within 48 hours of arrest. The hearing can be held by video. A person still in jail 48 hours after a hearing because of unmet conditions can ask for a review.
Should I hire a bail agent?
It is one way to get released if you cannot raise the full amount. Agents must be licensed under chapter 26.1-26.6 of the Century Code, and the Insurance Department, 701-328-2440, takes complaints. Ask for the fee and any collateral terms in writing. The court has the final say on which bonds it accepts.
Does a farm or a house count?
It can, if the court approves. Under Rule 46 the surety describes the property and files a declaration of adequate assets, and names the clerk to receive legal papers. Call the clerk at 701-671-1524 first and ask which papers the judge wants.
What if the charge is a city ordinance violation?
A city charge may be heard in a city court rather than in district court. The arresting officer or the jail desk at 701-642-7711 can tell you which court holds the case and where its bail is paid. Do not assume the courthouse clerk handles it.
How does Wahpeton get a public defender?
The state's indigent defense commission contracts with private attorneys for criminal and juvenile cases, and answers at 701-845-8632. At the first hearing, tell the judge you cannot pay for a lawyer.
Where are Richland County juveniles kept?
Phone the Sheriff's Office at 701-642-7711 or the clerk at 701-671-1524 for the place and time of a juvenile hearing. Youth cases are private, so the adult search will not list them.
What if the Wahpeton defendant does not show up?
Rule 46(f) has the court declare the bail forfeited. The clerk sends notice to the surety, and 90 days run for payment or a motion to set the order aside. A surety that does not pay in 90 days is suspended from writing bonds.
Does the person who paid get the money back?
No. Posted bail is treated as the defendant's money, even when someone else deposited it. The court may apply it to fines, costs, or restitution at the end of the case, and the balance goes to the defendant. A bail agent's fee is not returned.
How do I avoid paying a scammer?
Gift cards, crypto, and app transfers are never how a court or jail collects bail. Confirm any request by calling 701-642-7711 or 701-671-1524 yourself.
Richland County bail contacts
- Jail
- Richland County Jail, 413 3rd Avenue North, Wahpeton, ND 58075
- Bond help
- Jail bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Richland County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 413 3rd Avenue North, Office 2, Wahpeton, ND 58075; 701-642-7711
- District court
- Richland County Courthouse, 418 2nd Avenue North, Wahpeton, ND 58075; clerk 701-671-1524; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Public defense
- Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigent Defense, 701-845-8632
- Bail agent complaints
- North Dakota Insurance Department, 701-328-2440
Procedures and phone numbers can change, and a judge may set a different amount in your case. Call the Sheriff's Office or the clerk to confirm before you pay. This page is a general guide, not legal advice.
Depositing Money in an Inmate's Account so that they can Self Bail
Richland County Bail Bond Deposit
Richland County Jail uses a third-party, Inmate Canteen, to let you use a credit or debit card to deposit funds into an inmate's account so that they can pay their bail and get released after an arrest.
- To begin the process, first call the Richland County Jail at 701-642-7717 to get the exact amount needed to pay the bail.
- Next, go to Inmate Canteen, register and select this facility by first choosing North Dakota. Then you will select the inmate you want to deposit money for, then the amount.
- Inmate Canteen Customer Service can be reached at 715-690-2965, or by email at support@inmatecanteen.com.
There will be a delay between the time you deposit the money and when Inmate Canteen forwards it to the inmate's account, but the sooner you notify the inmate and the Richland County Jail, the quicker they will be released.
Richland County Jail
Address:
413 3rd Ave N
Wahpeton, ND 58075
Phone:
701-642-7717
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Richland County
Does Richland County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Richland County?
Who can set bail in Richland County?
When is bail set in Richland County North Dakota?
Does Richland County have bail?
Yes, Richland County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Richland County?
Bail is available in many forms including a signature bond, cash bail, property bond or surety bond.
Who can set bail in Richland County?
Any judge may set bail.
When is bail set in Richland County North Dakota?
Bail will be set during your first appearance, known as a bail hearing. This usually takes place within 24 hours of arrest, except for weekends and holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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, Richland 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 Richland 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 bank 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 Richland County have bail?
Yes, Richland County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Richland County?
Bail is available in many forms including a signature bond, cash bail, property bond or surety bond.
Who can set bail in North Dakota?
Any judge may set bail.
When is bail set in North Dakota?
Bail will be set during your first appearance, known as a bail hearing. This usually takes place within 24 hours of arrest, except for weekends and holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Richland County North Dakota?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond modification.
In Richland County North Dakota, 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 North Dakota could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Richland County North Dakota?
Yes, North Dakota does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Richland County Jail for more information about the jails in Richland County.
What options are there to pay bail in Richland County North Dakota?
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 Richland County Jail for more information about posting bail in Richland County.
Will I get all my bond money back in North Dakota?
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 Richland County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
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 North Dakota?
The Richland 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.