Pittsburg County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Pittsburg County bail and bond help: McAlester and the county jail
Pittsburg County is home to McAlester and part of Lake Eufaula. Arrests in McAlester, Krebs, Hartshorne, Kiowa, and Quinton lead to the Pittsburg County Jail. Phone: 918-423-5858. Inmate search: Pittsburg County Inmate Search.
1. How do I reach the Pittsburg County jail?
Its address is 1210 North West Street, McAlester, OK 74502, and the phone is 918-423-5858.
The Sheriff's Office runs the Pittsburg County Jail. At the Pittsburg County jail, bring a photo ID. McAlester staff need the birth date. McAlester staff may list the payments taken.
2. Where is the courthouse in McAlester?
The Pittsburg County Court Clerk's office is listed at 115 E. Carl Albert Parkway, #14, McAlester, OK 74501.
The Pittsburg County Court Clerk keeps case files and bond papers. Pittsburg County case records are online at OSCN. Near Quinton, court dates come from the Pittsburg County Court Clerk.
3. Who sets bail after an arrest in McAlester?
Arrests in Pittsburg County can lead to booking at the Pittsburg County Jail (22 O.S. §1105.2). Paying the listed sum at the Pittsburg County Jail may skip the hearing (22 O.S. §1105.2). After that, the McAlester judge must see your relative "without unnecessary delay" (22 O.S. §181). Some offenses appear on the Judicial District 18 bail schedule (22 O.S. §1105.2). Once bail is posted in Pittsburg County, release must come "without undue delay" (22 O.S. §1105.2). Before any charge, the McAlester judge can set bail (22 O.S. §1105.2).
4. Is bail set per charge in McAlester?
Pittsburg County sits in Judicial District 18, which also covers McIntosh.
The presiding judge for Pittsburg County may issue a bail schedule (22 O.S. §1105.2). Around Krebs, traffic, wildlife, and boating cases use a statewide list (22 O.S. §1115.3). The McAlester judge can still change it (22 O.S. §1105.2). Near Kiowa, the schedule must be made public (22 O.S. §1105.2). For Pittsburg County, yearly review comes by March 1 (22 O.S. §1105.2). Check with the court clerk in McAlester for the latest list.
5. Which bonds work at the McAlester jail?
Four kinds of bond in the District Court of Pittsburg County:
• Cash bond: all of it is paid at the Pittsburg County Jail (22 O.S. §1106).
• Surety bond: a Pittsburg County bondsman backs it for a fee (59 O.S. §1301).
• Property bond: land around Kiowa backs the bond (59 O.S. §1324).
• Own recognizance (OR): a promise to return at the McAlester courthouse (22 O.S. §1108.1).
For stalking or domestic abuse around Quinton, OR is off the table (22 O.S. §1105(C)).
6. Will the defendant get bail in McAlester?
Most defendants in McAlester have a right to bail (22 O.S. §1101(A)).
But in these matters, the judge for Pittsburg County may deny bail (22 O.S. §1101(C)):
• A capital crime and evident evidence
• Violent crimes
• Charges carrying life in prison
• Felonies after two prior felony convictions
• Drug offenses with 10 or more years
• A DUI felony after two prior ones
Except in capital matters near Quinton, one more finding is needed (22 O.S. §1101(C)). No release term would keep Pittsburg County families safe, the judge in McAlester must find (22 O.S. §1101(C)).
7. Can Pittsburg County jailers release a protective-order case?
For some charges, just a Pittsburg County judge may set bail (22 O.S. §1105(B)). The same goes for meth-lab offenses near McAlester (22 O.S. §1105(D)). The McAlester judge weighs facts like strangulation, weapons, and pregnancy (22 O.S. §1105(B)). In Kiowa, the list covers domestic abuse, stalking, harassment, and protective-order violations (22 O.S. §1105(B)). A repeat DUI in Pittsburg County requires a Pittsburg County judge too (22 O.S. §1105(E)). Some child sex crimes in Krebs carry a $15,000 minimum bail (22 O.S. §1101.1). Those matters for Pittsburg County get no OR bond (22 O.S. §1101.1).
8. Is there pretrial supervision in McAlester?
Pittsburg County may fund a pretrial program (22 O.S. §1105.3). Check with the Pittsburg County Court Clerk if Pittsburg County has a program. Excluded charges across Pittsburg County number about 40 (22 O.S. §1105.3(C)). A Pittsburg County judge may still order GPS or drug testing (22 O.S. §1105.3(D)). A program worker around Quinton screens the case (22 O.S. §1105.3). Once a Pittsburg County bondsman posts bond, the program ends (22 O.S. §1105.2). Examples in McAlester include burglary, trafficking, and domestic abuse (22 O.S. §1105.3(C)). A Pittsburg County judge decides after that (22 O.S. §1105.3).
9. How do I hire a McAlester bondsman?
Every bondsman across Pittsburg County requires a license from the Oklahoma Insurance Department (59 O.S. §1305). From a McAlester bondsman, get a numbered receipt (59 O.S. §1316). Jailers, police, and judges around Quinton cannot be bondsmen (59 O.S. §1315). Around Kiowa, a written agreement can say otherwise (59 O.S. §1327). Cash collateral near Hartshorne goes into trust inside 2 days (59 O.S. §1314). On the bond, a bondsman near Quinton must list the premium (59 O.S. §1316). State law in Pittsburg County sets no fixed percentage (59 O.S. §1316). Once your loved one leaves the Pittsburg County Jail, the premium is earned (59 O.S. §1327).
10. What is a property bond in McAlester?
It may. Land for Pittsburg County counts at four times its assessed value (59 O.S. §1324). Debts on it are subtracted around McAlester (59 O.S. §1324). Your home around Quinton may count, with a written waiver (59 O.S. §1324). It goes on file with the Pittsburg County Clerk (59 O.S. §1324). Missing court near McAlester may put the land at risk (59 O.S. §1324). In Pittsburg County, a property bond becomes a lien (59 O.S. §1324).
11. Does a missed hearing date in Quinton cost the bondsman?
A Pittsburg County judge declares forfeit the bond (22 O.S. §1108). Skipping a felony case in McAlester on purpose is a separate felony (22 O.S. §1110). Failing to surrender for 30 days across Pittsburg County may bring a charge (59 O.S. §1335). A McAlester bondsman then has ninety days around Hartshorne to return your loved one (59 O.S. §1332). Otherwise, on day 91 around Krebs, the full sum is due (59 O.S. §1332). A warrant for Pittsburg County may follow (22 O.S. §1108). The court clerk in McAlester must mail notice inside 30 days (59 O.S. §1332).
12. Can I get off a bond in Pittsburg County?
Yes. A bondsman near McAlester may surrender the defendant (59 O.S. §1327). That may happen around Hartshorne before any missed date (59 O.S. §1327). The District 18 District Attorney receives three days' notice (59 O.S. §1328). With a plea or sentence near Quinton, the bond is cleared (59 O.S. §1327). When the contract across Pittsburg County was broken, a McAlester bondsman may keep the premium (59 O.S. §1327). A licensed bail enforcer in McAlester can arrest your relative (59 O.S. §1329).
13. Can bail be lowered in Pittsburg County?
Around McAlester, excessive bail is not allowed (Okla. Const. Art. 2, §9). Proof of a job in Pittsburg County may help (Okla. Const. Art. 2, §9). A lawyer may ask the judge for Pittsburg County to lower it (Okla. Const. Art. 2, §9). To change a surety bond for Pittsburg County, a bondsman in Pittsburg County must sign (59 O.S. §1327). A home and family near Quinton can help too (Okla. Const. Art. 2, §9).
14. Can someone arrested in McAlester get a free attorney?
Yes. If money is tight near Kiowa, a Pittsburg County judge can appoint an attorney. The Oklahoma Indigent Defense System hires contract attorneys for Pittsburg County. Ask in McAlester at the first hearing date.
15. Where does a Pittsburg County teen go after arrest?
Teens near Krebs start in juvenile detention, not the Pittsburg County Jail (10A O.S. §2-3-101). Safety or a court appearance near Krebs must be the reason (10A O.S. §2-3-101). Adult jail around Kiowa is allowed just in rare matters (10A O.S. §2-3-101). After a hearing, the judge in McAlester may extend it (10A O.S. §2-3-101). Teens in McAlester are held only when needed (10A O.S. §2-3-101). Juvenile matters are heard in the McAlester courthouse. One example: a teen in Krebs, 15 or older, charged with first-degree murder (10A O.S. §2-3-101). Secure detention across Pittsburg County lasts at most 15 days (10A O.S. §2-3-101).
16. What if the McAlester arrest is federal?
Pittsburg County falls in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma (28 U.S.C. §116). Court meets in Ada, Ardmore, Durant, Hugo, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Poteau, and South McAlester. Clerk: 101 N. 5th St., Room 208, Muskogee, 918-684-7920. A federal magistrate judge sets release (18 U.S.C. §3142). A state bond for Pittsburg County doesn't cover a federal case.
17. Does McGirt affect bail in McAlester?
All or part of Pittsburg County lies within the Choctaw Nation reservation. Judges upheld it after McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) and Court of Criminal Appeals rulings in 2021.
Inside reservation lines, a tribal citizen around McAlester faces tribal court (McGirt v. Oklahoma, 2020). Major crimes near Krebs go to federal court (McGirt v. Oklahoma, 2020). Non-Indian defendants across Pittsburg County may still face state court (Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, 2022). A state bond at the Pittsburg County Jail won't cover those matters (McGirt v. Oklahoma, 2020).
Choctaw Nation District Court: Choctaw Nation Judicial Center, 2250 Chukka Hina, Durant, 580-920-7027.
18. Which prosecutor handles McAlester cases?
State offenses in Pittsburg County are filed in the District Court of Pittsburg County. District judges near Quinton hear these cases. The District 18 District Attorney prosecutes these cases. Across Pittsburg County, associate district judges and special judges do too. A judge in McAlester then holds a preliminary hearing. Felonies around Kiowa start with an initial appearance.
19. Do city offenses in McAlester use the same bail rules?
City ordinance cases in Hartshorne are heard in municipal court (11 O.S. §27-101 et seq.). Those cases skip the District Court of Pittsburg County. A city in Krebs handles its own bond (11 O.S. §27-101 et seq.). A state charge near Krebs always goes to the Pittsburg County District Court. Ask the city court clerk in Kiowa about bonds.
20. Who can confirm a Pittsburg County bond amount?
Call the Pittsburg County Jail at 918-423-5858. The Pittsburg County Court Clerk can likewise help on weekdays. McAlester staff need the birth date.
Pittsburg County bail contacts
- Jail
- Pittsburg County Jail, 1210 North West Street, McAlester, OK 74502; 918-423-5858
- Sheriff's Office
- 1210 N. West St.McAlester, OK 74501; 918-423-5858
- Court clerk
- 115 E. Carl Albert Parkway, #14, McAlester, OK 74501
- Districts
- Judicial District 18; District Attorney District 18
- Public defense
- Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (contract counsel)
- Federal court
- Eastern District of Oklahoma; 101 N. 5th St., Room 208, Muskogee; 918-684-7920
- Tribal court
- Choctaw Nation District Court, Choctaw Nation Judicial Center, 2250 Chukka Hina, Durant; 580-920-7027
- Inmate search
- Pittsburg County Inmate Search
Judges set release terms case by case. Nothing here is legal advice.
Pittsburg County Jail
Address:
1210 North West Street
McAlester, OK 74502
Phone:
918-423-5858
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Pittsburg County
Does Pittsburg County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pittsburg County?
Who can set bail in Pittsburg County?
When is bail set in Pittsburg County Oklahoma?
Does Pittsburg County have bail?
Yes, Pittsburg County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pittsburg County?
Bail bonds are available in several different forms in Pittsburg County including personal recognizance, cash bond, property bond and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Pittsburg County?
For most non-violent, less serious offenses, Oklahoma uses a bail schedule, also known as jail bail. For more serious offenses, bail is set by a judge.
When is bail set in Pittsburg County Oklahoma?
If the offense charges are listed on the bail schedule the defendant and officers will be provided this information during processing at the jail and bail will be set.
More serious offense requires a hearing in front of a judge. This hearing is usually scheduled within 48 hours of arrest, not including weekends and holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg 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, Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg County have bail?
Yes, Pittsburg County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pittsburg County?
Bail bonds are available in several different forms in Pittsburg County including personal recognizance, cash bond, property bond and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Pittsburg County?
For most non-violent, less serious offenses, Oklahoma uses a bail schedule, also known as jail bail. For more serious offense bail is set by a judge.
When is bail set in Oklahoma?
If the offense charges are listed on the bail schedule the defendant and officers will be provided this information during processing at the jail and bail will be set.
More serious offense requires a hearing in front of a judge. This hearing is usually scheduled within 48 hours of arrest, not including weekends and holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Pittsburg County Oklahoma?
Yes, your lawyer can file a motion to reduce or modify bail.
In Pittsburg County Oklahoma, 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 Oklahoma could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Pittsburg County Oklahoma?
Yes, Oklahoma counties do offer online bail payment in most cases. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Pittsburg County Jail for more information about the jails in Pittsburg County.
What options are there to pay bail in Pittsburg County Oklahoma?
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 Pittsburg County Jail for more information about posting bail in Pittsburg County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Oklahoma?
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 Pittsburg 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 Oklahoma?
The Pittsburg 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.