Hardin County Correctional Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Hardin County bail and bond: the Water Street jail and the Main Street courthouse
Adults arrested in Hardin County are held at the Hardin County Correctional Facility, 525 Water Street, Savannah. The Hardin County Sheriff's Office is at the same address and answers at 731-925-3377. Court business is handled at the courthouse, 465 Main Street. Use Hardin County Inmate Search to see whether someone is in custody, the bail amount, and release status. Then read on for who sets bail, what it costs, and how to pay it.
Can I see online whether someone is in the Hardin County jail?
Yes. Enter the name in Hardin County Inmate Search. A booking from the last hour may not appear yet. When it does appear, check the charge line, the bail amount, and whether a hold is shown. If you still cannot find the person, call 731-925-3377 and ask whether the arrest was made by another agency and the person was taken to a different county.
Does Hardin County keep its own prisoners?
Yes. The county runs its own correctional facility on Water Street, certified by the state for 156 beds. The Sheriff's Office offices share that address.
Where do the court offices work?
The courthouse is at 465 Main Street, Savannah. The Circuit Court Clerk answers at 731-925-1000. The General Sessions judge's office answers at 731-925-2228. The County Clerk is at 731-926-4313. For payment of a bond, the Circuit Court Clerk is the person to ask first.
Who sets the amount of bail?
The judge or magistrate. Under Tennessee law a person arrested for a bailable offense has a right to be admitted to bail, and the amount has to fit that person's case. The jail has no power to change the number. A deputy can release someone only after bail has been set and met.
How do I pay @@BAIL@@ in cash?
Cash bail is the whole amount, not a part. Under state law the cash deposit equals the bail amount and is paid to the court clerk. Ask the Circuit Court Clerk, 731-925-1000, what forms of payment are taken and when. Bring a photo ID and the person's full legal name, and get a receipt that carries the case number.
How much does a bondsman cost in Savannah?
The fee is about 10 percent of the bond for a Tennessee resident, plus a $37 charge, and none of it comes back. The bondsman must have a state license and the approval of the court in this judicial district. Ask for the contract in writing, and for a receipt describing any collateral beyond the fee.
Can I pledge a house, a farm, or a lot?
Land in Tennessee can secure a bond when the court agrees. The judge who set the bail decides, usually after the owner proves title and value. Owners sign. Because the review takes time, the person may stay in jail while the paperwork moves. A call to the Circuit Court Clerk at 731-925-1000 tells you what to bring.
Is there a way to guarantee a bond without money or land?
Two sufficient sureties can sign a written bond if neither one is a professional bondsman or a lawyer. The court asks whether they have the means to pay. Signing is a serious promise, since they can owe the bond amount if the defendant misses court.
Why does a Hardin County record show no bond?
Look for the cause before you bring money. A capital charge is not bailable. An unserved warrant from another county, a probation violation, or a federal or immigration hold stops release even after bail here is posted. Or the judge has not yet set an amount. The General Sessions judge's office at 731-925-2228 can explain which applies.
Is there a waiting period for domestic violence arrests?
Yes. Release is delayed 12 hours after an arrest for stalking, child abuse, elder abuse, or a serious domestic offense, unless an official writes that the victim is not at risk. For aggravated assault involving strangulation, serious injury, or a weapon, up to 24 hours. A no-contact order is required first, and GPS tracking may follow.
When will my relative see a judge?
An arrested person goes before a magistrate without unnecessary delay under Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 5. In a felony, the judge reads the charge and the person's rights and explains the preliminary hearing. That hearing is held within 14 days if the person is still in jail and within 30 days if released. Call 731-925-2228 for the docket.
Can bail be reduced?
A lawyer can ask for a hearing. The court is told to prefer release on a promise to appear, then the lightest conditions that still make sure the person returns. Money bail is used only if lighter steps will not do. State law also bars excessive bail. Gather proof of work, address, and family in the county.
What if we cannot hire a lawyer?
Ask the judge to appoint one. Hardin County belongs to the 24th Judicial District, and the Public Defender answers at 731-584-3384. Bring the arrest date and any paper the court gave you.
Does money on a jail account count toward bail?
No. Account deposits buy phone calls and commissary. They do not reduce bail or buy release. Pay bail only to the court clerk or a state-licensed bondsman.
Where do I call about a juvenile arrest in Savannah?
Call the General Sessions judge's office at 731-925-2228 to ask where the young person is held and when the hearing will take place. Juvenile files are private and do not show in the adult search. A parent or guardian should expect to attend.
What if the defendant does not appear in court?
Missing court exposes the defendant to arrest and the bond to forfeiture. A bondsman can end his risk by surrendering the defendant to the jail. Contact the Circuit Court Clerk at 731-925-1000 the same day and speak with a lawyer. Waiting makes the consequences worse.
When does cash come back, and what are the common scams?
After the case ends and the defendant is discharged, the court returns a cash deposit, minus fines and costs. A bondsman's fee is gone for good. Be wary of anyone who asks for gift cards or an app transfer, or says a bond must be paid within the hour. Call 731-925-3377 to check any request.
Hardin County bond contacts
- County jail
- Hardin County Correctional Facility, 525 Water Street, Savannah, TN 38372; 731-925-3377
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Hardin County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 525 Water Street, Savannah, TN 38372; 731-925-3377
- Courthouse
- 465 Main Street, Savannah, TN 38372
- Circuit Court Clerk
- 731-925-1000
- General Sessions
- Judge's office 731-925-2228
- County Clerk
- 731-926-4313
- Public defender
- 24th Judicial District Public Defender 731-584-3384
Fees, hours, and phone numbers can change, so confirm each step with the Sheriff's Office or the Circuit Court Clerk before money moves. Nothing here is legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Hardin County Correctional Facility
The Hardin County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County Correctional Facility, or the courthouse in Hardin County where the offense took place.
Call 731-925-3377 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Hardin County inmate locator.
Hardin County Correctional Facility
Address:
525 Water Street
Savannah, TN 38372
Phone:
731-925-3377
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Hardin County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Hardin County?
Who can set bail in Hardin County?
When is bail set in Hardin County Tennessee?
Does Hardin County have bail?
Yes, Hardin County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Hardin County?
Hardin 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 Hardin County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County Correctional 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, Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County have bail?
Yes, Hardin County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Hardin County?
Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Hardin 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 Hardin County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Hardin County Correctional Facility for more information about the jails in Hardin County.
What options are there to pay bail in Hardin 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 Hardin County Correctional Facility for more information about posting bail in Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County Correctional 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.