Anderson County Detention Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Anderson County bail and bond: getting someone out of the Clinton jail
People arrested in Anderson County are held at the Anderson County jail in Clinton. Its main line is 865-457-7100. Look up the person first with Anderson County Inmate Search, which shows whether they are in custody and what bond is attached.
Two offices matter after that. The Sheriff's Department, at 101 South Main Street, Suite 400, runs the jail. The Circuit Court Clerk, at 100 N. Main Street, Suite 301, handles court money and paperwork. Anderson County also has its own Pre-Trial Release office at 865-457-6279.
1. Is my relative in the Anderson County jail right now?
Start with Anderson County Inmate Search. A person booked in the last hour or two may not appear yet, so try again later in the day. If the name still does not show, call the jail at 865-457-7100 and ask whether another agency or another county has a hold on the person.
Have the full legal name and date of birth ready.
2. Who runs the jail, and who decides the bail?
Sheriff Russell Barker leads the Sheriff's Department, which operates the jail. Under Tennessee law a sheriff may release a person on bail only after bail has been set by someone with authority to set it, such as a judge or magistrate. Deputies cannot lower an amount on their own.
So a request to cut the bond goes to the court, not the front desk.
3. What does the Pre-Trial Release office do?
Anderson County runs a Pre-Trial Release office, and its number is 865-457-6279. Tennessee law tells a court to look at release on a promise to appear, or an unsecured bond, before it turns to money bail. The court must then choose the least demanding conditions that still make a court appearance likely.
Call the office, give the person's name, and ask what the program needs from the family. Release without money can save a family the full bond.
4. Where is the Circuit Court Clerk, and when is it open?
The clerk's office is at 100 N. Main Street, Suite 301, Clinton. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone is 865-463-6821.
A defendant whose bail is set can put up a cash deposit equal to the full amount with the clerk. The clerk may take a debit card or mobile cash app and pass the processing fee to the payer.
5. Do I pay the whole bail amount in cash?
Yes. Cash bail in Tennessee is the full amount the judge sets, not a percentage. The money is a deposit held by the court, and it comes back when the case is over and the defendant is discharged, after fines and court costs are taken out.
If the full amount is out of reach, the choices are a professional bondsman or a property bond. Ask questions before you hand money to anyone outside the court.
6. What will a bondsman in Anderson County charge?
For Tennessee residents the premium should be about 10 percent of the bond. Tennessee's consumer notice also allows a one-time $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax, so $37 on top of the premium. A nonresident can be charged 10 to 15 percent.
Ask for a receipt for every payment. If the bondsman wants collateral beyond the premium, you are entitled to a written receipt that describes the items and how to get them back.
7. How can I tell a bondsman is legitimate?
A professional bondsman needs a license from the state Board of Professional Bondsmen and approval from the court in each judicial district where he or she writes bonds. Anderson County sits in the 7th Judicial District.
A bondsman may not surrender or re-arrest your relative arbitrarily. Good cause can include breaking the terms of the contract. Read the contract before you sign it, and keep a copy.
8. Can I put up land or a house instead of cash?
Tennessee recognizes bonds secured by real estate in this state, and bonds backed by the written agreement of two sufficient sureties who are not professional bondsmen or lawyers. The court decides whether the property is enough.
Call the Circuit Court Clerk at 865-463-6821 to ask how Anderson County processes a property bond, which deeds and papers it wants, and how long it takes.
9. What does the judge look at when setting bail?
The court weighs how long the person has lived here, job history, family ties, character, past record, record of showing up for court, and the seriousness of the charge. It also weighs whether the person poses a danger.
People from the community can vouch for a defendant, but no one may vouch for more than two defendants at one time. Bring letters or names of steady local people to a bond hearing.
10. Why does the record show no bond, or a hold?
Capital offenses are not bailable under Tennessee's constitution.
Domestic abuse, stalking, child abuse and elder abuse arrests carry a 12-hour hold before release unless an official finds no threat to the victim. In an aggravated assault involving strangulation or a weapon the hold can reach 24 hours. A no-contact order comes before any bond.
11. When does a person first see a judge?
Tennessee's criminal rules require that an arrested person be brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay. Anderson County has two General Sessions judges, and that court hears the early stages of most cases.
On a felony, a preliminary hearing must be held within 14 days if the person stays in jail and within 30 days if the person is out. Ask the Circuit Court Clerk for the next date.
12. Can the court appoint a lawyer?
Anyone who cannot afford a lawyer can ask the judge at the first court date. The District Public Defender for the 7th Judicial District answers at 865-457-0006.
Do not wait for the court date to gather proof of work, family and housing. Those papers help whichever lawyer takes the case.
13. What if the arrested person is under 18?
Juvenile cases are handled through the Juvenile Court, which is linked to the Circuit Court Clerk's office. Call 865-463-6821 and ask where the child is being held and when the detention hearing is set.
The adult inmate search does not cover juveniles, so a phone call is the way to find out.
14. What happens if the defendant misses a court date?
The court declares the bail forfeited, and a bondsman can lose the money posted. A bondsman may also surrender a client to the jail, and that ends the bondsman's duty on the bond.
If a date was missed, call the clerk at 865-463-6821 at once and speak to a lawyer the same day.
15. Does a DUI arrest change the bond conditions?
It can. For many alcohol-related driving charges a court must order an ignition interlock device unless it finds that would not serve justice, and proof of installation goes to the District Attorney within 10 days. Repeat cases can bring transdermal alcohol monitoring paid for by the defendant.
These conditions are part of the release order, so ask the clerk what the judge required before you pay.
16. What is the safest way to avoid a bail scam?
Never pay a caller who demands gift cards, wire transfers or cash apps to free someone. Look up the number yourself and use the jail at 865-457-7100 or the clerk at 865-463-6821.
Money put on an inmate's account for phone calls or snacks is not bail and does not release anyone.
Key contacts for Anderson County bond questions
- County jail
- Anderson County jail, Clinton, TN; main line 865-457-7100
- Bond instructions
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Sheriff's Department
- 101 South Main Street, Suite 400, Clinton, TN 37716
- Custody lookup
- Anderson County Inmate Search
- Pre-Trial Release
- 865-457-6279
- Circuit Court Clerk
- 100 N. Main Street, Suite 301, Clinton, TN 37716; 865-463-6821; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- County offices
- 100 Main Street, Room 208, Clinton, TN 37716; 865-457-5400
- Public defender
- 7th Judicial District, 865-457-0006
Amounts, fees, hours, and phone numbers for Anderson County courts and the jail can change without notice. Confirm details for your own case with the jail or the clerk before paying. This page offers general information and is not legal advice.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Anderson County
The Anderson County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Anderson 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 Anderson County, or in some cases the state of Tennessee, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Anderson County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Tennessee 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 Anderson County Detention Facility, or the courthouse in Anderson County where the offense took place.
Call 865-457-7100 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Anderson County inmate locator.
Anderson County Detention Facility
Address:
308 Public Safety Lane
Clinton, TN 37716
Phone:
865-457-7100
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Anderson County
Does Anderson County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Anderson County?
Who can set bail in Anderson County?
When is bail set in Anderson County Tennessee?
Does Anderson County have bail?
Yes, Anderson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Anderson County?
Anderson County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Anderson County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Anderson County Tennessee?
Bail is set during the defendant’s first court hearing, also known as a bail hearing. This court appearance will be scheduled within 72 hrs. of arrest not counting weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Anderson 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 Tennessee 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 Anderson County Detention Facility until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Anderson 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 Anderson 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.
A Transfer Bond is transferable across state lines but generally a bond company will only assume the loan to adjoining states. In addition to the 10% fee, there is a transfer fee owed to the bonding company between $50-$100.
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 Anderson County have bail?
Yes, Anderson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Anderson County?
Anderson County recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Anderson County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Tennessee?
Bail is set during the defendant’s first court hearing, also known as a bail hearing. This court appearance will be scheduled within 72 hrs. of arrest not counting weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Anderson County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Anderson County Tennessee, 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 Tennessee could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Anderson County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Anderson County Detention Facility for more information about the jails in Anderson County.
What options are there to pay bail in Anderson County Tennessee?
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 Anderson County Detention Facility for more information about posting bail in Anderson County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Tennessee?
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 Anderson County?
No, unless released on own recognizance you will be required to pay some money down to secure bail.
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.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Tennessee?
The Anderson County Detention Facility or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.