Dickson County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Dickson County bail and bond: from the Charlotte jail to release
Dickson County keeps its own prisoners at the Dickson County Jail, 140 County Jail Drive in Charlotte, and the jail phone is 615-789-4109. Four judicial commissioners handle criminal warrants day and night. Check the Dickson County Inmate Search to see the charge and the bond amount, then use the court numbers below for everything else.
Where would a person arrested in Dickson, White Bluff or Burns be held?
At the Dickson County Jail, 140 County Jail Drive, Charlotte, TN 37036. This is the county's own jail, so a Dickson County arrest does not send anyone to a neighboring county. The Sheriff's Office administrative line is 615-789-4130 and the jail itself is 615-789-4109.
What is the quickest way to confirm someone is in custody?
Enter the last name in the Dickson County Inmate Search. If a record exists, it lists the charge and the bond. A booking may take time to appear, so check again after a few hours before you start calling around.
The jail desk at 615-789-4109 can help with anything the search leaves out.
Who sets the amount in the middle of the night?
Dickson County has four judicial commissioners. The General Sessions judge recommends them and the County Commission approves them, and they issue criminal warrants 24 hours a day, every day.
Commissioners and judges follow Tennessee Code 40-11-105, which gives a person arrested on a bailable charge the right to be admitted to bail. Jailers may let someone go only after bail has been set (40-11-106).
Where do I take paperwork or ask a court question during the day?
The Dickson County Justice Center, 500 Spring Street, Charlotte, TN 37036. General Sessions is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at 615-789-5414.
Criminal county court meets on Fridays at 9:00 a.m.
How is cash bail paid?
Cash bail is the entire bail amount deposited with the court clerk, as stated in 40-11-118. A clerk may take a debit card or a mobile cash app, and the payer covers the service charge.
Because the deposit is the full number, many families price out a bondsman instead. Ask the General Sessions clerk at 615-789-5414 where and when deposits are accepted.
What is a bondsman's fee in Tennessee?
About 10 percent of the bond for a state resident, and 10 to 15 percent for a nonresident, under the consumer notice in 40-11-151. That law also allows a one-time $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax.
The premium is how the company is paid. It is not given back, so keep copies of every receipt.
How can I tell whether a bondsman is legitimate?
The Board of Professional Bondsmen licenses bondsmen under 40-11-321, and a court in each judicial district approves them to write bonds there. Dickson County is part of the Twenty-Third Judicial District. A bondsman can lose privileges in a court for conduct that harms a client (40-11-125).
Ask for the license and the district approval before you sign.
Can I put up land to bail someone out?
Tennessee real estate qualifies. So does a written agreement of two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or lawyers. These are two of the four recognized forms of bail named in State Attorney General Opinion 03-054, alongside cash and a professional bondsman.
Property takes review time, so cash or a bondsman is faster. Ask the clerk at 615-789-5414 how a Dickson County property bond is processed.
What does the commissioner or judge weigh?
Under 40-11-118(b): length of residence, work history and finances, family ties, character, mental condition, record, history of appearing in court, the offense, the likely sentence and any danger shown by the record. Lawful presence in Tennessee is part of the list as well.
Someone who vouches for a defendant is limited to two defendants at a time.
My brother has no money. Can he be released on his word?
Release on recognizance or an unsecured bond is the first option the court must weigh (40-11-115(b)), followed by the least onerous conditions that still assure appearance (40-11-116). Money bail is for cases where those steps will not work (40-11-117).
Bring proof of a home address and a job to the hearing.
Are some people held without any bail?
A capital charge cannot be bailed. The state constitution, Article I, section 15, says so. Other custody reasons include a hold from another jurisdiction or a probation case.
Excessive bail is also forbidden by Article I, section 16.
Why must a domestic violence arrest wait half a day?
Section 40-11-150 bars release within 12 hours of arrest in stalking and listed domestic cases unless the official finds the victim is not threatened. In an aggravated assault with strangulation, serious injury or a deadly weapon, the wait can reach 24 hours.
A no-contact order must be signed before bond. In the aggravated assault situation, GPS monitoring is required as well.
Does a DUI arrest bring special bond terms?
It can. Ignition interlock may be required (40-11-118(d)), and repeat offenders can be ordered to wear a transdermal alcohol monitor and pay for it (40-11-118(f)). Tampering with the device is a Class B misdemeanor, and it is grounds to surrender the defendant.
What takes place at the first court appearance in Charlotte?
The arrested person is brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay (Tenn. R. Crim. P. 5). The judge reads the charge and explains the right to a lawyer, and a person charged with a felony does not enter a plea at that point.
Preliminary hearings follow within 14 days for someone in jail and 30 days for someone out on bond.
How do I get a court-appointed lawyer?
Say to the judge that you cannot hire a lawyer. The Twenty-Third Judicial District Public Defender serves Dickson County, and the office number is 615-792-1308.
My son is 16. Which court has his case?
Dickson County Juvenile Court. Its phone is 615-789-0250. Call to ask where he is being held and when the detention hearing takes place.
Juvenile cases are private, so he will not show up in the adult inmate search.
Will a deposit to his jail account get him out?
No. Money placed on a commissary or phone account is only spending money inside. Bail is a different payment that goes to the clerk, a bondsman or a property bond. Never answer a message that promises a release for a gift card.
What if the person misses court after posting bond?
The court can declare the bond forfeited under 40-11-139 and 40-11-201 and issue an arrest order. A cash depositor risks losing the money, and a bondsman can surrender the defendant under 40-11-132. Call General Sessions at 615-789-5414 the same day.
When is cash returned to me?
After the defendant is discharged, the clerk gives the deposit back (40-11-119). Fines and court costs are subtracted first (40-11-121). A surety on the bond owes fines, costs or restitution only if the bond says so and the surety agreed (40-11-118(c)).
Dickson County bail contacts
- Jail
- Dickson County Jail, 140 County Jail Drive, Charlotte, TN 37036; 615-789-4109
- Custody lookup
- Dickson County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office administration
- 615-789-4130
- General Sessions Court
- Justice Center, 500 Spring Street, Charlotte, TN 37036; 615-789-5414; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Juvenile Court
- 615-789-0250
- Public defender
- Twenty-Third Judicial District, 615-792-1308
- Bond help
- bail instructions for the Dickson County jail
Numbers and fees can change without notice, and no two cases are decided alike. Verify with the clerk or the jail before money changes hands. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Dickson County Jail
The Dickson County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Dickson 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 Dickson 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 Dickson 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 Dickson County Jail, or the courthouse in Dickson County where the offense took place.
Call 615-789-4109 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Dickson County inmate locator.
Dickson County Jail
Address:
140 County Jail Drive
Charlotte, TN 37036
Phone:
615-789-4109
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Dickson County
Does Dickson County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dickson County?
Who can set bail in Dickson County?
When is bail set in Dickson County Tennessee?
Does Dickson County have bail?
Yes, Dickson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dickson County?
Dickson 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 Dickson County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Dickson 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 Dickson 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 Dickson 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, Dickson 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 Dickson 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 Dickson County have bail?
Yes, Dickson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Dickson County?
Dickson 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 Dickson 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 Dickson County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Dickson 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 Dickson County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Dickson County Jail for more information about the jails in Dickson County.
What options are there to pay bail in Dickson 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 Dickson County Jail for more information about posting bail in Dickson 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 Dickson 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 Dickson 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.