Humphreys County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Humphreys County bail and bond: what to do after an arrest in Waverly
People arrested in Humphreys County are booked into the Humphreys County Jail in Waverly, which the Sheriff's Office runs from 112 Thompson Avenue. The office number is 931-296-2301. To read the charge and the bond amount, search Humphreys County Inmate Search first. The same clerk handles both Circuit Court and General Sessions, so one phone call usually answers the court side of your questions.
My son is missing and may have been arrested. What should I check?
Search Humphreys County Inmate Search by last name. If the name appears, you will see the charge and any bond. If it does not, wait an hour and search again, because new bookings take time to post.
Then call the Sheriff's Office at 931-296-2301 with his full name and birth date.
Who chooses the bail amount?
A judge or magistrate. Tennessee Code 40-11-105 entitles a person arrested for a bailable offense to be admitted to bail, and the amount must be set for that person. Deputies can release only after bail exists (40-11-106).
A deputy cannot change the number. Only the court can.
Where does a cash payment go?
To the court clerk. Under 40-11-118 the deposit equals the full bail, and the clerk may accept debit cards or mobile cash apps and charge the payer the processing fee.
The Circuit Court and General Sessions Clerk answers at 931-296-2461, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ask how cash is taken when the office is closed.
What fees come with a bondsman?
A Tennessee resident should pay about 10 percent of the bond. A person from another state can pay 10 to 15 percent. Statute 40-11-151 also permits a $25 one-time initiation fee and a $12 bail tax.
Keep every receipt. The premium is the bondsman's fee for taking on the risk and is not returned.
Which bondsmen may write bonds in this county?
Only licensed ones. The Board of Professional Bondsmen licenses them (40-11-321), and the courts in each judicial district approve them for that district. Humphreys County belongs to the Twenty-Third Judicial District.
Ask to see both approvals before you sign anything. Collateral beyond the fee must be documented on a written receipt that explains how to get the items back.
Can I offer land to secure the bond?
Tennessee accepts real estate located in Tennessee. The court reviews the title first, so plan on a slower release than with cash. The clerk at 931-296-2461 can explain what a Humphreys County property bond needs. A fourth route is a written promise from two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or attorneys.
What matters to the judge when the number is chosen?
Under 40-11-118(b): time in the community, job and finances, family ties, character and mental condition, record and attendance at past hearings, the seriousness of the charge, the sentence the person faces, and danger shown by the record. Immigration-related lawful presence is weighed as well.
Anyone who vouches for a defendant counts toward a limit of two defendants at one time.
Can he walk out on a promise to appear?
The court has to consider it first. Section 40-11-115(b) puts release on recognizance or an unsecured bond at the front of the line, weighing ties, work and record. Money bail comes only if lesser conditions will not reasonably assure appearance (40-11-117).
Ask at the first appearance, and bring paperwork proving a home and a job.
What can keep a person in even after the money is paid?
A hold from another county, a probation matter, or a 12-hour wait in a domestic or stalking arrest under 40-11-150. A capital charge cannot be bailed at all under Article I, section 15 of the state constitution.
The Sheriff's Office at 931-296-2301 can tell you which applies.
What does the 12-hour domestic hold involve?
Certain domestic, stalking and abuse arrests cannot lead to release within 12 hours unless the official finds no threat to the victim. If there is strangulation, serious injury or a deadly weapon in an aggravated assault, the hold can last up to 24 hours, and a no-contact order and GPS monitoring come before bond.
What added conditions follow an alcohol-related arrest?
Possibly an ignition interlock under 40-11-118(d), for example after a crash with property damage, with a minor in the car, or with a prior listed conviction. Third or later alcohol offenses can bring transdermal monitoring paid for by the defendant.
What does the first hearing look like, and who can I call for a free lawyer?
The person is taken before a magistrate "without unnecessary delay." The judge explains the charge and the rights to counsel and silence. Felony preliminary hearings are set within 14 days for a person in jail or within 30 days for one who is out.
To ask for a court-appointed lawyer, tell the judge. The Twenty-Third Judicial District public defender is at 615-792-1308.
Where are the court offices?
The Circuit Court and General Sessions Clerk is the main stop and can be reached at 931-296-2461. The General Sessions judge uses the same number. The Probate and Juvenile judge answers at 931-296-2004 and the county clerk at 931-296-7671.
Call before you drive. Hearing rooms can change.
An officer from McEwen, Waverly or New Johnsonville made the arrest. Where is the person now?
Ask the department for the report number and the name of the facility, then run the name through Humphreys County Inmate Search. A hold from another jurisdiction can delay release even after bail is paid.
My daughter is 16 and was picked up. Where does that go?
To Juvenile Court. Call 931-296-2004 to ask where she is being held and when the detention hearing is. Parents are expected to take part.
Juvenile records are confidential, so the adult search will not list a minor.
If I add money to his commissary, does that free him?
No. Money for phone time or the store stays on the account. Real bail moves through the clerk, a bondsman or a property bond only. Delete texts or messages that promise a fast release for a fee.
What if he does not come to court?
Missing court lets the judge declare the bond forfeited under 40-11-139 and 40-11-201 and issue an arrest order. A cash depositor risks the deposit, and a bondsman may surrender the defendant under 40-11-132. Call the clerk at 931-296-2461 immediately.
How does a refund work?
After the conditions are met and the defendant is discharged, the clerk returns the cash (40-11-119). Fines and court costs are taken first (40-11-121). The 40-11-118(c) rule protects sureties: fines, costs and restitution are theirs to pay only if the bond says so and they agreed.
Humphreys County bail contacts
- Jail
- Humphreys County Jail, 112 Thompson Avenue, Waverly, TN 37185; 931-296-2301
- Custody lookup
- Humphreys County Inmate Search
- Circuit and Sessions Clerk
- Waverly; 931-296-2461; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Probate and Juvenile judge
- 931-296-2004
- County Clerk
- 931-296-7671
- Public defender
- Twenty-Third Judicial District, 615-792-1308
- Bond help
- bail instructions for the Humphreys County jail
Phone numbers, hours and costs can change, and each judge decides each case on its facts. Check with the clerk or the Sheriff's Office before handing over money. The information here is not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Humphreys County Jail
The Humphreys County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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 Humphreys County Jail, or the courthouse in Humphreys County where the offense took place.
Call 931-296-2867 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Humphreys County inmate locator.
Humphreys County Jail
Address:
112 Thompson Street
Waverly, TN 37185
Phone:
931-296-2867
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Humphreys County
Does Humphreys County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Humphreys County?
Who can set bail in Humphreys County?
When is bail set in Humphreys County Tennessee?
Does Humphreys County have bail?
Yes, Humphreys County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Humphreys County?
Humphreys 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 Humphreys County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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, Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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 Humphreys County have bail?
Yes, Humphreys County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Humphreys County?
Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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 Humphreys County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Humphreys 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 Humphreys County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Humphreys County Jail for more information about the jails in Humphreys County.
What options are there to pay bail in Humphreys 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 Humphreys County Jail for more information about posting bail in Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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 Humphreys 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.