Morrow County Corrections Inmate Bail & Bonds
Morrow County bail: the jail is in Pendleton, the courthouse is in Heppner
Morrow County has no jail of its own. The Sheriff's Office rents beds at the Umatilla County Jail in Pendleton, 4700 NW Pioneer Place, and that is where people arrested in Morrow County are held. The jail answers at 541-966-3632. Search the Morrow County Inmate Search first, then read how the Heppner courthouse and the Pendleton jail fit together.
Where do they take someone arrested in Morrow County?
To Pendleton. The county contracts with the Umatilla County Jail for 20 beds a day, which adds up to 600 bed-days a month. The street address is 4700 NW Pioneer Place, Pendleton, OR 97801.
The Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff John A. Bowles, handles Morrow County law enforcement. It does not run a jail.
How do I find out if he is in custody?
Use the Morrow County Inmate Search. If you want a person, call the Umatilla County Jail at 541-966-3632. The Umatilla County Sheriff's main office is 541-966-3600, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the jail and dispatch are staffed around the clock.
Questions about Morrow County prisoners also go to Sergeant Sarah Baker at 541-676-5317.
Where do I pay bail for a Morrow County charge?
Call the Umatilla County Jail at 541-966-3632 before you leave home. Ask for the exact bail amount, the court that set it, and whether the jail desk or the Morrow court takes the deposit for this case. The case number and the person's full name speed that answer.
The court that set bail may sit in Heppner while the jail is in Pendleton, so the answer can differ from case to case. Get a receipt wherever you pay.
What is the usual deposit for a Morrow case?
For most Oregon security releases, the person leaves 10 percent of the security amount with the court clerk. The law, ORS 135.265, sets a $25 minimum. The judge can require the full amount. The Morrow County Inmate Search may show what was set.
Do I hire a bondsman or pay the court?
Oregon's release system runs through the court. You deposit a percentage of the amount with the clerk, and you get a receipt in your name. That receipt is how you get a refund later, so protect it.
Where is the Morrow County courthouse?
The county seat is Heppner, and the Morrow County Circuit Court sits in the courthouse there. Morrow and Umatilla counties share the Sixth Judicial District.
Which justice courts are in Morrow County?
The Heppner Justice Court is at 100 Court Street, 541-676-9061. The Irrigon Justice Court is at 205 3rd Street, 541-922-4082. These courts handle their own cases. Check your citation to see which court wrote it.
When does a judge look at the case?
Usually at arraignment. Senate Bill 48 puts the release decision there, with room to wait only for good cause. A stand-alone release hearing comes within 48 hours, and no later than the fifth day unless he agrees to more time.
No-money release is considered first, and victims can be heard.
When is bail refused?
Murder and treason fall outside the bail rule when the proof is evident or the presumption strong (Article I, section 14, Oregon Constitution). A judge may also hold a person charged with a violent felony after a hearing where the state proves danger by clear and convincing evidence. Excessive bail is barred by section 16.
What if my family member has a hold from another county?
A hold means a second court wants him. Paying one case will not end the hold. Ask the Pendleton jail at 541-966-3632 which agency placed it, then call that court to learn its amount.
Can I post property instead of cash?
That has to go through the court. In-state real or personal property qualifies if its equity is at least twice the security amount and each item is sworn to in writing. The judge may want more proof.
When does the money come back?
When the case ends and every condition was kept, the person on the receipt receives 85 percent of a 10 percent deposit. Fifteen percent stays as a court cost of at least $5 and at most $750. Fines and fees may come out first.
What if he is sentenced to prison?
A person sentenced to the Department of Corrections from Morrow County goes to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility intake center first. That is a state matter, and bail ends once a prison sentence starts.
What kinds of release might a judge choose?
A judge can free a person on his own promise to appear, on conditions, or on a security deposit. Conditions might include a place to live or a no-contact order. The judge must think about the first two before ordering money.
The presiding judge also signs a standing order for the jail on who may go home before arraignment. Ask the Pendleton jail at 541-966-3632 whether it affects him.
What does the release agreement mean?
When a deposit is paid, the person signs an agreement to appear every time the court requires. If he does not, the court can keep the deposit. If he follows the rules, most of it comes back. Read every condition with him before he leaves.
What if he will not give a real name at booking?
Then he cannot be freed on a promise or on conditions. Security release stays open, but only if the full amount is deposited. Give the booking officer the true name.
What lawyer is available if the family cannot pay?
The judge appoints one if you ask at the first appearance. In the Sixth Judicial District, public defense is handled by contracted providers, and the court will tell you who has the case. A lawyer can ask for a release hearing.
Where would a Morrow County teenager be kept?
Call Sergeant Sarah Baker at 541-676-5317 and ask where the Morrow County youth is being held.
Morrow County bond contacts
- Jail
- Umatilla County Jail, 4700 NW Pioneer Place, Pendleton, OR 97801; 541-966-3632
- Bail guide
- Morrow County jail and bail help
- Custody lookup
- Morrow County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- Morrow County Sheriff's Office; prisoner questions 541-676-5317
- Umatilla Sheriff
- 4700 NW Pioneer Place, Pendleton; 541-966-3600
- Heppner Justice Court
- 100 Court Street, Heppner; 541-676-9061
- Irrigon Justice Court
- 205 3rd Street, Irrigon; 541-922-4082
Payment rules and hours can change, so confirm with the jail before you travel. This page is a plain-language guide to Morrow County practice and is not legal advice.
Morrow County Corrections
Address:
Umatilla County Jail
4700 NW Pioneer Place
Pendelton, OR 97801
Phone:
541-676-5317
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Morrow County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morrow County?
Who can set bail in Morrow County?
When is bail set in Morrow County Oregon?
Does Morrow County have bail?
Yes, Morrow County does have bail, but not in the traditional sense. Bail, also called a “security release agreement”, can be either personal recognizance or cash or a cash bond.
The State of Oregon does not allow a commercial entity to make money on securing a bond so there are no bail bond companies.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morrow County?
Pay the full bail amount in cash from the defendant, family or friends, or, Cash percentage in lieu of bonds. If the bond order permits, the defendant pays 10 % of the bond amount to the jail or court, which then holds the money until the case is over. 85% of the paid amount is returned if the defendant is acquitted or the case is dismissed with the remaining 15% to cover court costs. The defendant, family or friends can sign off on the bond.
Who can set bail in Morrow County?
Oregon uses a predetermined bail schedule, so an officer can determine bail at booking. For more serious crimes, a judge is required to set the bail at the first appearance/arraignment.
When is bail set in Morrow County Oregon?
For less serious and non-violent crimes bail is set according to a bail schedule and this information will be made available during the booking process. For cases requiring a judge to set bail, a hearing will be set within 36 hrs. of arrest, not counting weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Morrow 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 Morrow 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 Morrow County Corrections 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, Morrow 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 Morrow 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.
(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 Morrow County have bail?
Yes, Morrow County does have bail, but not in the traditional sense. Bail, also called a “security release agreement”, can be either personal recognizance or cash or a cash bond.
The State of Oregon does not allow a commercial entity to make money on securing a bond so there are no bail bond companies.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Morrow County?
Pay the full bail amount in cash from the defendant, family or friends, or, Cash percentage in lieu of bonds. If the bond order permits, the defendant pays 10 % of the bond amount to the jail or court, which then holds the money until the case is over. 85% of the paid amount is returned if the defendant is acquitted or the case is dismissed with the remaining 15% to cover court costs. The defendant, family or friends can sign off on the bond.
Who can set bail in Morrow County?
Oregon uses a predetermined bail schedule, so an officer can determine bail at booking. For more serious crimes, a judge is required to set the bail at the first appearance/arraignment.
When is bail set in Oregon?
For less serious and non-violent crimes bail is set according to a bail schedule and this information will be made available during the booking process. For cases requiring a judge to set bail, a hearing will be set within 36 hrs. of arrest, not counting weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Morrow County Oregon?
Yes, your attorney may file a request to reduce or modify bail.
In Morrow County Oregon, who can pay bail for me?
If bail is set 10% must be paid prior to your release. This can be paid by you, family, or friends. Oregon does not allow the use of bail bond agents.
Can bail be paid online in Morrow County Oregon?
Oregon counties do not currently offer online payment of bail. All payments must be made in person at the county jail where the defendant is being held. Go to the Morrow County Corrections for more information about the jails in Morrow County.
What options are there to pay bail in Morrow County Oregon?
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 Morrow County Corrections for more information about posting bail in Morrow County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Oregon?
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.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Morrow 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 Oregon?
All bonds are processed through the courts and efforts are being made nationwide not to detain someone on lesser charges due to the inability to pay bail.