Johnson County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Johnson County bail and bond: the Mountain City jail and getting released
People arrested in Johnson County are held at the Johnson County Jail in Mountain City, a Sheriff's Office facility. Use Johnson County Inmate Search to learn whether someone is in custody, what the charges are, and the bail amount. For questions the search cannot answer, call the Sheriff's Office at 423-727-7761. Below you will find how to pay bail, hire a bondsman, use property, and what happens in court.
How can I tell if someone is in the Mountain City jail?
Open Johnson County Inmate Search and search the last name and first name. If the booking has posted, you will see the charge, the date, and the bail, when one is set.
Our advice: if nothing appears, wait an hour and search again, then phone the Sheriff's Office at 423-727-7761.
Is the state prison in Mountain City the same as the county jail?
No. Northeast Correctional Complex, near Mountain City, is a state prison for people already sentenced. People arrested in Johnson County and waiting on court are held in the Johnson County Jail, which the Sheriff's Office runs.
Do not drive to the prison to post bail. Bail is handled through the county court and the county jail.
Where do the Sheriff's Office and the courts sit?
The Sheriff's Office is on Honeysuckle Street in Mountain City, TN 37683, and answers at 423-727-7761. The courthouse is at 222 West Main Street, Mountain City, TN 37683.
The Circuit and General Sessions Court Clerk, at P.O. Box 73, Mountain City, is reached at 423-727-9012. The General Sessions and Juvenile Court judge's office is at 423-727-9486.
Who decides the bail in Johnson County?
A judge or a magistrate with legal authority to set bail makes the decision, one person at a time. The Tennessee Constitution says prisoners are bailable by sufficient sureties unless the offense is capital.
The factors are length of residence, work history, family, record of showing up for court, the seriousness of the charge, and any danger to others. A jail officer cannot release anyone before bail has been set.
What if I cannot find a bail amount on the search?
That usually means a judge has not set it yet. Call the Sheriff's Office at 423-727-7761 and ask whether the person has been in front of a judge. If a hearing is pending, ask when it is.
The General Sessions Court clerk at 423-727-9012 can say the date of the next hearing.
How do I pay a cash bond?
A cash bond is the full bail amount paid to the court clerk or to an officer authorized to take bail. Under state law the clerk may take debit cards or mobile apps and pass the fee to you.
Before traveling, phone the Sheriff's Office at 423-727-7761 to ask where and when bail is taken and which payments are accepted. Carry photo ID.
How much do bondsmen charge here?
Tennessee residents usually pay about 10 percent of the bail as a premium, plus a $37 charge. That premium is a fee and does not come back. On a $2,500 bail the premium would be about $250.
Johnson County is in the 1st Judicial District. Use a bondsman who holds a license from the Tennessee Board of Professional Bondsmen and has been approved by the courts of that district. Get a receipt for all charges, and a written receipt for any collateral.
Is bail with a house or land possible?
Yes. A bond may be secured with real estate in Tennessee, or by the written agreement of two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or attorneys.
A judge must approve the papers first, which takes more time than cash. The court clerk at 423-727-9012 can say what to bring.
Can the court release someone on a promise to appear?
Yes, and it must think about that first. A judge looks at release on the person's own promise or an unsecured bond before ordering money, and imposes the least strict conditions that will bring the person back to court.
Bring proof of a local address, work, and family if you attend the hearing.
What happens at the first appearance?
A person arrested must be brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay. On a felony, the magistrate describes the charge, explains the rights to a lawyer and to silence, and sets conditions. No plea is entered.
A preliminary hearing follows within 14 days if the person remains in jail, or 30 days if released. The clerk at 423-727-9012 can confirm dates.
Why was bail refused or delayed?
In stalking, abuse, and domestic violence arrests, the law requires 12 hours in custody before release unless the official finds no threat to the victim. In a domestic aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon, serious injury, or strangulation, the hold may stretch to 24 hours, and a no-contact order and GPS monitoring come before bond.
A parole, probation, or outside-county hold can also stop release. The Sheriff's Office at 423-727-7761 will say which applies.
What are common release conditions?
Courts often order no contact with a person, no weapons, no alcohol or drugs, reporting, and GPS monitoring. Drunk-driving cases with an accident, a child in the vehicle, or a prior suspension carry a mandatory ignition interlock unless the judge records a reason.
Breaking a condition can mean arrest and loss of the bond.
What if the arrested person is a teenager?
The General Sessions Court judge also serves as juvenile judge in Johnson County. Juvenile files are private, so the adult search may show nothing. Call the judge's office at 423-727-9486 or the clerk at 423-727-9012 for the hearing date.
Ask also where a held child is kept and whether a lawyer has been named.
How do I get a lawyer without paying?
Ask the judge to appoint one at the first appearance if you cannot afford a lawyer. Public defense for Johnson County comes from the 1st Judicial District Public Defender, which also serves Carter, Unicoi, and Washington counties, at 423-434-6845.
A lawyer can ask for lower bail or a faster hearing.
What if the defendant misses a court date?
If he skips a hearing, the judge may declare the bond forfeited and order his arrest. His bondsman can return him to the jail for good cause.
Phone the clerk at 423-727-9012 the same day, and have a lawyer ask the judge to set aside the forfeiture.
How long until the deposit comes back?
Once the case ends and conditions are met, the clerk returns the cash minus fines and court costs. Bondsman premiums are not refunded.
Save the receipt and ask the clerk at 423-727-9012 how to claim the money.
What should I know about bail scams?
Jails and clerks in Tennessee do not collect bail by gift card, cryptocurrency, or app transfers to a person. Callers who press for instant payment are running a scam.
Hang up and use the numbers here: the Sheriff's Office at 423-727-7761 and the County Clerk at 423-727-9633.
Johnson County bail contacts
- Jail
- Johnson County Jail, Honeysuckle Street, Mountain City, TN 37683; 423-727-7761
- Custody lookup
- Johnson County Inmate Search
- Courthouse
- 222 West Main Street, Mountain City, TN 37683
- Circuit and Sessions Clerk
- P.O. Box 73, Mountain City, TN 37683; 423-727-9012
- Sessions and Juvenile Judge
- 423-727-9486
- County Clerk
- 423-727-9633
- Public defender
- 1st Judicial District, 423-434-6845
- Bail help
- Johnson County jail bail instructions
Fees, hours, and phone lines are subject to change, and a judge decides the amount in each case. Call ahead before you spend money. This page gives general guidance only and does not give legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Johnson County Jail
The Johnson County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County Jail, or the courthouse in Johnson County where the offense took place.
Call 423-727-7761 Option 2 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Johnson County inmate locator.
Johnson County Jail
Address:
216 Honeysuckle Street
Mountain City, TN 37683
Phone:
423-727-7761 Option 2
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Johnson County
Does Johnson County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Johnson County?
Who can set bail in Johnson County?
When is bail set in Johnson County Tennessee?
Does Johnson County have bail?
Yes, Johnson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Johnson County?
Johnson 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 Johnson County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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, Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County have bail?
Yes, Johnson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Johnson County?
Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Johnson 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 Johnson County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Johnson County Jail for more information about the jails in Johnson County.
What options are there to pay bail in Johnson 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 Johnson County Jail for more information about posting bail in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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.