Berks County Jail System Inmate Bail & Bonds
Berks County Bail and Release
Leesport is where adults jailed on a Berks County arrest are held, at the Berks County Jail System, 1287 County Welfare Road, Leesport, PA 19533. It is one jail with separate men's and women's housing and a work release unit for some sentenced inmates. The Sheriff's Central Booking Division, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-478-6240, processes arrests at the courthouse. Read on for who sets bail, how to post it, bondsmen, refunds and holds.
To learn if a loved one was jailed, open the official inmate lookup that the Leesport jail links on its website. Our Jail Roster page centers on arrest and custody: recent bookings, mugshots, charges on file, live warrants, public defenders and property pickup.
Phone the jail at 610-208-4800 and ask for Booking, which is staffed day and night. Ask whether bail is set yet, its dollar figure, and which window will take it. Staff may know little until the first hearing ends. Our court guide explains each step after that.
1. Who sets bail after a Berks County arrest?
In Berks, an MDJ, short for magisterial district judge, makes the bail call. That happens at a brief first appearance known as the preliminary arraignment, which a state victim guide says generally comes within six hours after the arrest. There, the person is handed the complaint, told about the right to counsel, given a bail decision and a date for the preliminary hearing (Pa.R.Crim.P. 540).
The county keeps one judge on call after hours through the Central Arraignment Court, Magisterial District Court 23-0-01. It works from the 1st floor of the county courthouse, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-478-6456. A staff member is there in person every night of the week from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Statewide, many of these arraignments run over a video screen, so the person may never leave the building where they sit.
↑ Back to the question list2. Release choices open to a Pennsylvania judge
Pennsylvania's criminal rules offer five release choices (Pa.R.Crim.P. 524). Only the fifth requires cash or security up front.
- ROR. Release on recognizance rests on the person's written pledge to come back for every date.
- Nonmonetary conditions. That promise plus rules, like checking in with an officer or keeping clear of a certain person.
- Unsecured bail. No money is due now. A dollar sum comes due only if court dates are skipped.
- Nominal bail. A token deposit, often $1, with a relative, friend or agency acting as surety.
- Monetary bail. Cash, real estate or a bondsman's bond must be in place first.
Rule 523 asks the judge to weigh the charge, work history, family ties, past record and how faithfully the person came to court before. Any dollar figure has to be reasonable, and the person's ability to pay is part of the decision (Pa.R.Crim.P. 528).
↑ Back to the question list3. How big is bail on everyday charges?
Each judge picks a number for that one case, so two neighbors facing the same charge can see very different bail. The quickest way to learn the figure is the case docket on the free UJS Web Portal. Type the county plus the person's last and first name, or a docket number. Once the case is filed, the docket shows the charges, the bail set and upcoming dates.
The grade of the top charge gives a rough sense of how high bail may run. These are the most a sentence can be (18 Pa.C.S. §§ 1101, 1103-1105):
- Summary: 90 days, $300
- M3, the lowest misdemeanor: 1 year, $2,500
- M2: 2 years, $5,000
- M1, the top misdemeanor: 5 years, $10,000
- F3, the lowest felony: 7 years, $15,000
- F2: 10 years, $25,000
- F1, the top felony grade: 20 years, $25,000
For one person's exact bail, call the Central Arraignment Court at 610-478-6456.
↑ Back to the question list4. Steps for posting bail at the Leesport jail
The jail sits at 1287 County Welfare Road, Leesport, PA 19533. Where bail is taken can depend on the case and the hour, so phone first. Work through these steps:
- Call 610-208-4800. Listen to the menu and ask for Booking, a desk that never closes.
- Say the legal name slowly, spelling each part, plus the birthday. Request the dollar figure, the docket number and which judge set it.
- Find out where bail can be posted right now, and what kinds of payment that window accepts.
- Check whether a 10 percent cash deposit is allowed in this case, or whether all of it is owed.
- Carry photo ID. Save the itemized receipt, because a refund depends on it (Pa.R.Crim.P. 535).
Some releases from Leesport happen right after midnight. For those, the person fills out a jail form saying a ride is lined up and naming the driver. That driver stays until processing wraps up.
↑ Back to the question list5. Paying bail at a Berks County court office
Pennsylvania rules let a judge, a clerk or another official take a bail deposit. Whoever takes it must hand over an itemized receipt (Pa.R.Crim.P. 535). Around Berks, district judges both set and accept bail. Ring ahead and ask the amount, the window hours and the payments taken.
- Magisterial District Judges office and Central Arraignment Court: 1st floor, county courthouse, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-478-6456. The office is open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The arraignment court has staff from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
- Clerk of Courts: 4th floor of that courthouse, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-478-6550. Its office and payment window keep weekday hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ask if it can take bail once a case has moved up to the Court of Common Pleas.
- The district court that set the bail. Ask Booking or the Magisterial District Judges office which court that was, then call it.
Show up with ID and payment in hand.
↑ Back to the question list6. What can cover money bail, and what gets turned away?
Rule 528 lists what can satisfy money bail:
- Cash for the full sum, or a cash equivalent where the court allows it
- Bearer bonds issued by the federal, state or a municipal government
- Pennsylvania real estate with a net value at least equal to the bail
- Out-of-state land, which needs added paperwork before a lien can be recorded
- A licensed bondsman's surety bond, or one from an approved surety company
- A 10 percent deposit (or less), if the judge allows it
Ask the office taking the bail which of these it handles, and whether it takes money orders, cashier's checks or cards. A bounced check at a district court adds a $50.00 charge. The county's online payment link on the UJS portal is meant for traffic tickets and fines.
Watch out for scams. The jail warns that callers who want money to put an inmate on an ankle monitor, or to move them to another jail, are not calling from the facility. Report them to the District Attorney's Detective Division at 610-478-7171.
↑ Back to the question list7. Hiring a bail bondsman in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania allows paid bail bonds. For a fee called a premium, a bondsman guarantees the entire bail to the court.
- A license from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department is required (42 Pa.C.S. § 5742).
- To work in a county, the bondsman files the license there along with an insurer's power of attorney (42 Pa.C.S. § 5743.1).
- Every bondsman needs a business office located in Pennsylvania (42 Pa.C.S. § 5744).
- Pennsylvania dropped its premium cap in 2015, so prices vary. Ask for the price on paper before signing.
- That premium is the bondsman's to keep, even when the case falls apart.
- Pennsylvania bars anyone from taking money simply for steering a family to a bondsman (42 Pa.C.S. § 5749).
To check that a bondsman may work in this county, ask the Clerk of Courts at 610-478-6550.
↑ Back to the question list8. Holds that outlast a paid bail
Each docket gets its own bail. These can keep a person inside anyway:
- A second case. Each docket carries its own bail, even when the other charge is from a different county.
- A bench warrant. Skipping a court date anywhere can trigger one. When the person lands in the jail run by the county that wrote it, a hearing is due within 72 hours (Pa.R.Crim.P. 150). Held somewhere else, the wait can be longer.
- Probation or parole. A person under supervision may face a separate hold over a possible violation. County Adult Probation and Parole is on the 7th floor at 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-478-3400.
- Federal or immigration detainers. Paying the state bail leaves both of these in place.
Ahead of any payment, phone the jail at 610-208-4800 and have Booking list each hold or detainer it has.
↑ Back to the question list9. Refusing bail: the narrow Pennsylvania rule
The state constitution says nearly everyone has a right to bail (Pa. Const. art. I, § 14). Only two narrow situations allow a denial:
- The charge can bring death or life in prison.
- Nothing short of jail, such as rules or supervision, would keep people safe.
In Commonwealth v. Talley (2021), Pennsylvania's top court put the burden on the prosecution. Evidence has to come in at that hearing, since the written complaint by itself never meets the bar. The proof has to be strong, landing between probable cause and proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecutor in these cases is the District Attorney's Office, which may push for higher bail or none. Its Detective Division takes calls at 610-478-7171.
↑ Back to the question list10. Getting a Berks County bail lowered
The defense can file a written motion for a bail change (Pa.R.Crim.P. 529). Until the preliminary hearing, that request can go to the MDJ who set bail. Later, the motion goes to a judge of the Court of Common Pleas.
- Hire a lawyer, or ask the public defender to file the motion.
- Gather pay stubs, a local utility bill, school records and proof of child care. Add an honest list of what the family can pay.
- Offer conditions, such as reporting or no contact, that ease the judge's concerns.
Rule 600 adds a safety valve. Once the person has sat in jail over 180 days since the complaint was filed, minus any delay the defense caused, nominal bail can be requested. This does not help someone held without any bail.
Common Pleas criminal case files sit with the Clerk of Courts, 4th floor of the county courthouse, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-478-6550.
↑ Back to the question list11. Free legal help after a Berks County arrest
Every county but Philadelphia must have a public defender (16 P.S. § 9960.1 and following). The office helps people who cannot afford a lawyer. It covers preliminary hearings, trials, juvenile cases and probation hearings. To qualify, the person signs a sworn statement about their income. Each county uses its own money test.
During the preliminary arraignment, the MDJ explains the right to counsel. After that, the person may contact the Public Defender's Office about free help. From inside the jail, dialing #711 on the inmate phones connects to the public defender. Family can call Court Administration at 610-478-6208 to ask where the office is and how to apply.
Act 34 of 2023 made the state a funder of county public defense, a first for Pennsylvania. A state committee now works on standards for that defense.
↑ Back to the question list12. Which courthouses hear Berks County cases?
Most criminal cases pass through one building, the county courthouse at 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. Building hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, closed on holidays.
- Court of Common Pleas, 23rd Judicial District, which covers this county alone. Court Administration is on the 7th floor, 610-478-6208.
- Clerk of Courts (criminal records), 4th floor, 610-478-6550.
- Central Arraignment Court and Reading Central Court, 1st floor, 610-478-6456. The central court handles preliminary hearings for cases filed in the five district courts inside the city.
The 17 magisterial district courts below handle preliminary hearings and minor cases for their areas. The county's district court map shows which court covers each town.
- 23-1-01: West Gate Shoppes, 600 East Penn Avenue, Suite 5, Wernersville, PA 19565, 610-678-6721
- 23-1-02: 1150 Muhlenberg Street, Reading, PA 19602, 610-374-9288
- 23-1-03: 3rd floor, county Service Center, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-378-5101
- 23-1-05: inside the courthouse, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, 610-373-2127
- 23-1-06: 3200 Reading Crest Avenue, Reading, PA 19605, 610-929-4440
- 23-2-01: 441 Morgantown Road, Reading, PA 19611, 610-375-7101
- 23-2-02: 401 Walnut Street, West Reading, PA 19611, 610-374-7721
- 23-2-03: 6112 Perkiomen Avenue, Birdsboro, PA 19508, 610-779-5137
- 23-2-04: 400 E. Wyomissing Avenue, Suite 1, Mohnton, PA 19540, 610-777-3885
- 23-3-01: Matthew Brooke Professional Building, Suite 180, 321 North Furnace Street, Birdsboro, PA 19508, 610-582-8615
- 23-3-02: 100 Schaeffer Street, Suite 2, Boyertown, PA 19512, 610-367-2357
- 23-3-03: 590 Oley Road, Oley, PA 19547, 610-987-3344
- 23-3-04: 110 West Arch Street, Suite 118, Fleetwood, PA 19522, 610-944-7202
- 23-3-05: 2739 Bernville Road, Leesport, PA 19533, 610-916-4496
- 23-3-06: 61 North Third Street, Second Floor, Hamburg, PA 19526, 610-562-4364
- 23-3-07: 7191 Bernville Road, Bernville, PA 19506, 610-488-6224
- 23-3-09: 2312 Fairmont Avenue, Suite 500, Reading, PA 19605, 610-373-4424
Federal charges go to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. One of its courthouses is The Gateway Building, 201 Penn Street, Reading, PA 19601, and the Clerk's Office answers at 215-597-7704.
↑ Back to the question list13. Getting a bail deposit back, or losing it
Hold on to the itemized receipt. Within 20 days after the last ruling in the case, the money returns to whoever signed for it as depositor. Before that, the county may subtract a fee for running its cash bail program (Pa.R.Crim.P. 535). Ask the office that took your money what that fee is.
A defendant who posts in their own name may see the court apply it to fines, costs and restitution. A parent, partner or friend who deposits under their own name is shielded from that.
Skipping court is costly. The judge can send out a bench warrant, keep every dollar of the bail, and new charges may be filed. Anyone who signed as a surety on a 10 percent deposit can owe the full amount. For refunds on a Common Pleas case, call the Clerk of Courts at 610-478-6550.
↑ Back to the question list14. Collecting leftover money and property at release
When someone leaves the jail at 1287 County Welfare Road, Leesport, PA 19533, their account is settled. If they leave a forwarding address, a check is mailed. To collect the money in person, call 610-208-4800 and set up a time with an Inmate Account Clerk. Visits are by appointment only. Money that sits unclaimed for two years is sent to the state's unclaimed property bureau.
Belongings come out only with the person's written request or a court order. Valuables are handed over as one package, and the person picking up must show ID and sign. The Property office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
People leave with a three-day supply of some medicines. The rest can be picked up from Medical within 14 days. Our inmate money guide covers deposits and account refunds in general.
↑ Back to the question list15. Release rules in a federal case from Berks
U.S. charges brought in this county fall within the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Such a case is assigned to a judge sitting at the federal courthouse in Allentown, Easton or this county's seat. That last one is The Gateway Building, 201 Penn Street, Reading, PA 19601. Call the Clerk's Office at 215-597-7704.
- When the person first appears, a federal judge either orders release or holds a detention hearing (18 U.S.C. 3142).
- From arrest to verdict, the U.S. Marshals Service controls where a federal defendant sleeps. Its Eastern District office sits at 601 Market Street, Room 2110, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-597-7272.
- Eastern District detainees may be held at FDC Philadelphia, 700 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 215-521-4000.
- U.S. Pretrial Services runs its main office at 600 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 267-299-4400.
- Once a federal sentence begins, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
16. Can bail money end an ICE detainer?
Sadly, no. A paid state bail leaves an immigration hold untouched. Expect these steps:
- ICE starts by sending Leesport a Form I-247A detainer.
- That paper asks Leesport staff to hold the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)), giving ICE time to come for them.
- Pennsylvania sits under the Third Circuit. Its Galarza v. Szalczyk ruling (3d Cir. 2014) treated a detainer as a request the county may decline. A jail that keeps a person only because ICE asked can be liable for that call. So each county jail decides its own approach. Ask the Leesport jail about its practice at 610-208-4800.
- ICE's Philadelphia Field Office covers Pennsylvania from 114 N. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-656-7164.
- Track the person on the ICE Online Detainee Locator, typing the name plus birth country, or the alien number.
17. Where a long Pennsylvania sentence is served
A Pennsylvania sentence comes as a range, such as 1 to 3 years. The top number decides where the time is served (42 Pa.C.S. § 9762):
- Top number under 2 years: the county jail in Leesport.
- 5 years or more: a state prison.
- 2 to 5 years: usually a state prison, unless three sides agree the person can stay in Leesport: the jail, the DA and the judge.
State-bound inmates begin with a stay of several weeks or more at a reception and classification center, where their security level is set. A prison assignment follows.
- Look the person up on the DOC inmate locator.
- The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections main office is at 1920 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, 717-728-2573.
- Read about each prison in our state prison listings for Pennsylvania.
18. Bail questions when the arrested person is a teen
Most young people go through juvenile court, not adult court (42 Pa.C.S. § 6301 and following). Juvenile Probation takes the case. A teen who must stay in custody is sent to a youth detention center, never the Leesport jail. Juvenile files are kept private, away from the public UJS portal.
Some teens start out in adult court. Teens aged 15 and up who face a murder count, or one of several listed violent charges involving a deadly weapon, are tried as adults (42 Pa.C.S. § 6302). Defense counsel can push for a transfer to juvenile court. Minors charged as adults can be held at the county jail, where they must take part in school classes.
Parents can learn the detention site and the next court date from Juvenile Probation, 10th floor of the county Services Center, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. Call 610-478-3200.
↑ Back to the question listPaying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Berks County
The Berks County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Berks County.
However if you don't want to use a bail bond agent:
- You can always pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Berks County, or in some cases the state of Pennsylvania, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Berks County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Pennsylvania is between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15% or less. So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1,500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Berks County Jail System, or the courthouse in Berks County where the offense took place.
Call 610-208-4800 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Berks County inmate locator.
Berks County Jail System
Address:
1287 County Welfare Road
Leesport, PA 19533
Phone:
610-208-4800
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Berks County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Berks County?
Who can set bail in Berks County?
When is bail set in Berks County Pennsylvania?
Does Berks County have bail?
Yes, Berks County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Berks County?
Bail in Berks County is available in several different forms including release on recognizance (ROR), release on non-monetary conditions, non-secured bail, nominal bail and monetary conditions.
Who can set bail in Berks County?
Bail is set by a judge, either at a District Court or the Court of Common Pleas.
When is bail set in Berks County Pennsylvania?
Bail will be set during the first/initial court hearing, also called an arraignment. This court hearing may be the same day as the arrest or the next day depending on the court schedule. Hearings are not held on weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Berks 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 Berks 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 Berks County Jail System 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, Berks 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 Berks 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 Berks County Pennsylvania have bail?
Yes, Berks County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Berks County?
Bail in Berks County is available in several different forms including release on recognizance (ROR), release on non-monetary conditions, non-secured bail, nominal bail and monetary conditions.
Who can set bail in Pennsylvania?
Bail is set by a judge, either at a District Court or the Court of Common Pleas.
When is bail set in Pennsylvania?
Bail will be set during the first/initial court hearing, also called an arraignment. This court hearing may be the same day as the arrest or the next day depending on the court schedule. Hearings are not held on weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Berks County Pennsylvania?
Yes, your attorney may file a request for bail reduction or modification.
In Berks County Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Berks County Pennsylvania?
Yes, all Pennsylvania counties offer online bail payment.
You can also contact the jail by going to the Berks County Jail System for more information about online bail payments in Berks County.
In the alternative, the Berks County Clerk of Court or District Court staff can assist during working hours.
What options are there to pay bail in Berks County Pennsylvania?
Cash, credit card, or debit card. Access the PA ePay Bail option.
Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay cash. Go to the Berks County Jail System for more information about posting bail in Berks County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Pennsylvania?
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 Berks 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 Pennsylvania?
The Berks County Jail System 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.