Hamblen County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Hamblen County bail and bond: from the Morristown Justice Center to the clerk's window
Morristown is the county seat, and arrests anywhere in Hamblen County lead to the Hamblen County Detention Center, which sits in the Justice Center at 510 Allison Street with the Sheriff's Office. The main line is 423-586-3781. Before you do anything else, run the person's name through Hamblen County Inmate Search to see the booking, the charges and the bond amount. The courts and the clerk work from separate addresses in town, so this page tells you which door belongs to which task.
1. I think my husband was booked last night. How do I confirm it?
Search Hamblen County Inmate Search by last name, then by first name if nothing appears. Spelling matters, and a booking from the past hour or two can take a while to post. If the screen still shows nothing by the next morning, call the Sheriff's Office at 423-586-3781.
Say the full legal name and date of birth. Staff cannot help with nicknames.
2. What is at 510 Allison Street?
The Hamblen County Justice Center holds the detention center, the Sheriff's Office, the Criminal Court judge's chambers and the criminal courtroom of General Sessions Division 1. It is where most Morristown criminal business starts.
Parking and security checks take time, so allow extra minutes before a hearing.
3. Who sets bail in Hamblen County?
A judge or magistrate sets it after looking at the particular person. Tennessee Code 40-11-105 says a person arrested for a bailable offense is entitled to be admitted to bail, and a jailer may not release someone simply by reading a fixed amount from a published schedule.
An officer may take bail only once it exists (40-11-106). To challenge an amount, a lawyer has to ask the court, since the Sheriff's Office has no power to lower it.
4. Does cash bail mean the full amount or a percentage?
Full amount. Under 40-11-118, the defendant's deposit must equal the bail, and the clerk may accept debit cards or mobile cash apps and pass the processing cost to the person paying.
The Circuit, Criminal, General Sessions and Juvenile Court Clerk is at 440 North Jackson Street, 423-586-5640, open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ask what the Sheriff's Office does with cash payments outside those hours.
5. What will a bondsman charge me?
For a Tennessee resident the premium should be about 10 percent of the bond, under 40-11-151. Someone from out of state can pay 10 to 15 percent. Add, at most once, a $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax.
Get every payment in writing, with a duplicate. The fee pays for the bondsman's promise to the court and normally does not come back.
6. Is the bondsman at my door allowed to work in Morristown?
Check the license first. Tennessee licenses bondsmen through the Board of Professional Bondsmen under 40-11-321, and the courts in each judicial district approve who may write bonds there. Hamblen County is in the Third Judicial District.
If the bondsman wants collateral on top of the fee, the receipt must describe every item and how you get it back. A bondsman cannot give up on the contract and re-arrest a person without good cause.
7. Can I put up my property instead?
Yes, when the real estate lies in Tennessee. That route is slower than cash because the papers need review before the person leaves. Call the Circuit Court Clerk at 423-586-5640 to learn what the Hamblen court asks for and which owners must sign.
A different option is a written agreement by two sufficient sureties who are not professional bondsmen or attorneys.
8. What does the judge consider when picking the amount?
Section 40-11-118(b) names the factors: length of residence, job history and finances, family ties, character and mental condition, prior record and past court appearances, the nature of the charge, the likely sentence, and danger shown by the record. Lawful presence in Tennessee can matter too.
Someone from the community may vouch for the defendant, but nobody can vouch for more than two defendants at one time.
9. Can the court let him out without any money?
It must at least consider that first. Under 40-11-115(b), release on the defendant's own recognizance or an unsecured bond is where the analysis begins, with money bail used only when lesser conditions will not reasonably assure the return to court (40-11-117). Any conditions must be the least onerous that will work (40-11-116).
Ask for this at the first appearance. Bring proof of work, a home address and a phone number for a relative.
10. The jail says he cannot leave even though I paid. Why?
The common causes are a hold from another county, a probation matter, a domestic or stalking hold, or paperwork that has not yet moved from the clerk to the jail. Under 40-11-150 certain arrests carry a 12-hour hold.
Ask the Sheriff's Office at 423-586-3781 which cause applies before paying anyone else.
11. What exactly is the domestic violence hold?
For stalking, elder abuse and certain domestic offenses, the person may not be freed within 12 hours of arrest unless the official finds no threat to the victim. Serious injury or a deadly weapon calls for a no-contact order before bond. In aggravated assault with strangulation or a weapon, the hold can stretch to 24 hours and GPS monitoring is required.
Release terms can ban contact, firearms and alcohol.
12. What extra rules apply to a DUI arrest?
Under 40-11-118(d), an ignition interlock can be required in alcohol cases involving a crash with property damage, a child in the vehicle, a prior suspension or a prior listed conviction. The defendant must show proof of installation to the district attorney within 10 days. Transdermal alcohol monitoring applies to third or later alcohol offenses, and the defendant pays for it.
13. What is the first court appearance like?
State procedure calls for a magistrate to see the arrested person "without unnecessary delay." The magistrate explains the charge, the right to counsel and the right to remain silent. For a felony, a preliminary hearing is set within 14 days if the person stays in jail and within 30 days if released.
General Sessions courts may use video for an initial appearance when a not guilty plea is entered.
14. Can we get a free lawyer?
Request an appointed lawyer from the judge. The public defender for the Third Judicial District, which includes Hamblen County, is reachable at 423-587-7053. Call early, since the office needs the person's full name, charge and next court date.
15. Which court handles my case, and where is it?
General Sessions Division 1 hears mostly criminal matters in the Justice Center at 510 Allison Street, 423-586-5640. Division 2 handles mostly civil and juvenile matters in the county courthouse at 511 West Second North Street, 423-585-4567. The Criminal Court judge has chambers at 510 Allison Street, 423-586-8640.
Felony cases move from General Sessions to Criminal Court. The county information line is 423-586-1931.
16. The person was arrested by a Morristown officer or by another city's police. Does that change anything?
A city or town officer may make the arrest, but the next steps follow the same law. Ask the arresting department for the report number and the name of the facility, then check Hamblen County Inmate Search.
If the person is held on a warrant from another county, that agency's hold can delay release even after bail is paid.
17. What if the arrested person is 16 or 17?
Juvenile matters are heard in General Sessions Division 2 at the county courthouse, and the clerk's office handles the filings at 423-586-5640. Ask the court office where a child is being held and when the detention hearing takes place.
A child's record is private, so the adult search will not show a juvenile.
18. Does deposit money for phone calls help get him out?
No. Money placed for calls or commissary stays on the account. Bail goes only to the clerk, a bondsman, or into a property bond. If someone contacts you by text or social media offering to speed up the release, treat it as a scam.
19. What if he misses court after I post a bond?
Missing a hearing allows forfeiture under 40-11-139 and 40-11-201 and a new arrest order. A cash depositor puts the deposit at risk. A bondsman can bring the person back to jail under the surrender statute, 40-11-132.
Phone the clerk at 423-586-5640 the same day.
20. How is the money returned after the case ends?
The clerk refunds a cash deposit when the bond conditions are met and the defendant is discharged (40-11-119), but fines and court costs come out first (40-11-121). Under 40-11-118(c), a surety owes no fines, costs or restitution unless the bond expressly says so and the surety consented.
Hamblen County bail contacts
- Jail
- Hamblen County Detention Center, Justice Center, 510 Allison Street, Morristown, TN 37814; 423-586-3781
- Custody lookup
- Hamblen County Inmate Search
- Courthouse
- 511 West Second North Street, Morristown, TN 37814; 423-586-1931
- Court Clerk
- 440 North Jackson Street; 423-586-5640; Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- General Sessions 1
- 510 Allison Street; 423-586-5640
- General Sessions 2
- 511 West Second North Street; 423-585-4567
- Criminal Court
- 510 Allison Street; 423-586-8640
- Public defender
- Third Judicial District, 423-587-7053
- Bond help
- bail instructions for Hamblen County jails
Hamblen County offices can change hours and numbers, and a judge can set conditions that differ from this summary. Verify with the clerk or the Sheriff's Office before carrying money. Treat this as background reading, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Hamblen County Jail
The Hamblen County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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 Hamblen County Jail, or the courthouse in Hamblen County where the offense took place.
Call 423-586-3781 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Hamblen County inmate locator.
Hamblen County Jail
Address:
440 North Jackson
Morristown, TN 37814
Phone:
423-586-3781
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Hamblen County
Does Hamblen County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Hamblen County?
Who can set bail in Hamblen County?
When is bail set in Hamblen County Tennessee?
Does Hamblen County have bail?
Yes, Hamblen County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Hamblen County?
Hamblen 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 Hamblen County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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, Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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 Hamblen County have bail?
Yes, Hamblen County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Hamblen County?
Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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 Hamblen County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Hamblen 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 Hamblen County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Hamblen County Jail for more information about the jails in Hamblen County.
What options are there to pay bail in Hamblen 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 Hamblen County Jail for more information about posting bail in Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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 Hamblen 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.