Knox County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Knox County bail and bond: two payment doors, one arraignment court
Adults arrested in Knox County are booked into the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility, 5001 Maloneyville Road, Knoxville, run by the Knox County Sheriff's Office. Call 865-281-6700. Knox County also runs the Knox County Jail at 400 West Main Street, 865-342-9620, and a Work Release Center. Check Knox County Inmate Search first to see which building holds the person, the bond type, and any release. Bond money can be paid at two places: the jail, in cash, or the Criminal Court Clerk's cashier counter in the City-County Building.
1. Which Knox County building is my family member in?
Use Knox County Inmate Search to see the booking. Knox County has three adult sites: the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility, 865-281-6700; the Knox County Jail at 400 West Main Street, 865-342-9620; and the Work Release Center at 4900 Maloneyville Road. The Sheriff's Office also posts a 24-hour arrest list and a list of everyone now in custody. If the search shows nothing, call the Detention Facility first.
2. What does the bond type on the Sheriff's list mean?
Each person on the list carries a bond type. Common ones are appearance, release on recognizance, pretrial, cash, to be set, denied, and none. Release on recognizance and pretrial release involve no money. Cash and appearance bonds have a dollar amount. To be set means a judge has not finished. Denied means no bond is allowed. None is used for holds, such as an immigration detainer.
3. Where can I pay a bond, and what forms are accepted?
There are two doors. At the jail and Detention Facility, the full amount is paid in cash only. At the Criminal Court Clerk's cashier counter, City-County Building, 400 Main Street, 865-215-2375, the full amount can be paid in cash, a cashier's check, or a money order. The clerk keeps weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After hours, cash goes to the Detention Facility on Maloneyville Road.
4. Is paying money at the lobby machine the same as paying bond?
No. The cash machines in the jail lobbies put money on an inmate's account for phone time and store items. Deposits made there never count toward bond. Pay bond at the clerk's counter or at the jail, and ask for a bond receipt that shows the case.
5. Who sets the bond amount?
A judge or magistrate. Tennessee law says each person arrested on a bailable offense must be admitted to bail, and the amount must come from that person's own facts. The Sheriff's Office cannot lower it. After a judge sets it, the number may still change at a hearing. Ask the General Sessions Court at 865-215-2370.
6. How much will I pay a bonding company?
The clerk's page puts the fee at 10 percent of the bond plus $37 for a Tennessee resident, and 15 percent plus $37 for someone who lives outside the state. State statute sets these maximums. The money goes to the company, and the clerk does not hold or refund it or apply it to court costs.
7. How do I know a bonding company is legal in Knox County?
Every company must hold a state license and be approved by the courts. The Criminal Court Clerk posts Local Bond Company Rules and an Active Court-Approved Bonding Company List on its website. Check the name there.
8. Is cash bond better than hiring a bondsman?
Cash costs more up front, but it can come back. The clerk holds cash bond until the case ends. If costs are assessed, the cash is applied to them and the rest is refunded. Cash paid at the jail or the clerk's counter may be applied to court costs. A bonding company fee is gone whatever the outcome. If you can raise the full amount, cash is usually cheaper in the end.
9. Can I use land in place of money?
Yes. Land can serve as collateral for a bond in Knox County. Property bonds are handled through the Criminal Court Clerk's Office, 865-215-2375, and the clerk can tell you what papers are required. A lawyer can help with title and valuation. The judge must accept the property, and the review takes time, so release is slower than with cash.
10. What is bonded arraignment court?
It is a General Sessions session held each day at 10:00 a.m. in the Fourth Sessions courtroom, main floor of the City-County Building. People released on bond before seeing a judge must come on the date and time set by the release officer. If they fail to appear as scheduled, they are subject to immediate arrest. Mark the date on every release paper.
11. Which court will hear the case?
General Sessions has a misdemeanor court (First Sessions), a DUI court (Second Sessions), a felony court (Third Sessions), and a traffic and bonded arraignment court (Fourth Sessions). Criminal Court takes felonies that go forward. Courts open at 8:30 a.m. in General Sessions and 9:00 a.m. in Criminal Court. The Sessions clerk, 865-215-2370, keeps weekday hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
12. What if the charge is domestic violence?
Tennessee law bars release within 12 hours of an arrest for stalking, child or elder abuse, and many domestic offenses unless an official finds no threat to the victim. If strangulation, serious injury, or a weapon is involved, the hold can last 24 hours. A no-contact order must be set before bond. Knox General Sessions hears domestic violence cases at the start of its misdemeanor docket each day.
13. What if the charge is a DUI?
DUI cases are heard in Second Sessions Court. For alcohol-related driving offenses with a crash, a child in the car, or a prior record, state law tells the judge to require an ignition interlock device as a bond condition unless it would not serve justice. Repeat cases can add alcohol monitoring that the defendant pays for. Ask a lawyer about these conditions before release.
14. What does it mean when the list says denied?
It means no bond is allowed on the current record. Capital offenses are not bailable in Tennessee. A hold from another court or agency can also make a person ineligible for release.
15. Can bond be lowered, and who is the free lawyer?
A lawyer can ask the judge for a bond review. The court begins with release on a promise to appear and uses the lightest conditions that will assure attendance. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the judge to appoint one. The Knox County Public Defender, the 6th Judicial District, answers at 865-594-6120.
16. Where is Knox County juvenile detention?
The East Tennessee Juvenile Detention Center is in the Richard L. Bean Building, 3321 Division Street, Knoxville, 865-215-6500. It holds minors aged 12 to 17 accused of delinquent acts or ordered held by the court. The Juvenile Court Office answers at 865-215-6400. Juvenile records are private and will not appear in the adult search.
17. What if my relative misses a Knox County hearing?
After a missed date, the judge may declare the bond forfeited and issue a warrant. A bondsman may return the defendant to custody. Each reset or continuance costs $10 per case at the clerk's office. Call the Criminal Court Clerk, 865-215-2375, the same day and speak with a lawyer.
18. When do I get my cash bond back?
The Clerk's Office holds cash bond until the case ends. Court costs are subtracted first, and the remainder is refunded. Bring the receipt from the jail or the cashier counter when you ask. Bonding company fees are never refunded by the clerk.
19. How do I avoid bond scams in Knoxville?
No Knox County office accepts gift cards, wire transfers, or payment apps in return for a release. Callers who claim to be deputies and demand money in minutes are lying. Hang up and call the Detention Facility at 865-281-6700 or the clerk at 865-215-2375 yourself.
Knox County bond contacts
- Main jail
- Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility, 5001 Maloneyville Road, Knoxville, TN 37918; 865-281-6700
- Bond guide
- Knox County jails and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Knox County Inmate Search
- Knox County Jail
- 400 West Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902; 865-342-9620
- Work Release Center
- 4900 Maloneyville Road, Knoxville, TN 37918; 865-281-6700
- Criminal Court Clerk
- Cashier counter, City-County Building, 400 Main Street, Knoxville, TN 37902; 865-215-2375
- General Sessions
- City-County Building, 400 Main Street; 865-215-2370
- Public defender
- 6th Judicial District Public Defender 865-594-6120
- Juvenile
- East Tennessee Juvenile Detention Center, 3321 Division Street, Knoxville, TN 37919; 865-215-6500; Juvenile Court 865-215-6400
Fees, hours, and phone numbers can change. Call the Detention Facility or the Criminal Court Clerk about your own case before you pay. Nothing here is legal advice.
Knox County Jail Bonding Instructions
Knox County Jail uses the services of correctpay (aka JailFunds) for you to deposit money so that your inmate can bond himself out.
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You can deposit money four ways:
- Deposit online at correctpay.com.
- Deposit at the correctpay kiosk in the jail lobby.
- Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 855-836-3364
- Deposit through their iOS or Android app.
Cost to Send Money
To deposit between $1.00 and $300.00 the fee ranges from $1.50-$2.95, plus an additional 5%. *Rates are subject to change.
Examples:
- Deposit $100.00, your fee will be as high as $7.95 - Your inmate will receive $92.05.
- Deposit $300.00, your fee will be as high as $17.95 - Your inmate will receive $282.05.
correctpay.com Help
24/7 Customer Service - 855-836-3364
Frequently Asked Questions
Knox County Jail
Address:
400 Main Street
City-County Building
Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone:
865-342-9620
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Knox County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Knox County?
Who can set bail in Knox County?
When is bail set in Knox County Tennessee?
Does Knox County have bail?
Yes, Knox County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Knox County?
Knox 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 Knox County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox 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, Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox County have bail?
Yes, Knox County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Knox County?
Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Knox 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 Knox County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Knox County Jail for more information about the jails in Knox County.
What options are there to pay bail in Knox 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 Knox County Jail for more information about posting bail in Knox 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 Knox 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 Knox 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.
Paying an Inmate's Bond in Cash in Knox County, Tennessee
- An individual can post the bond by paying the total amount of the bond in cash or online using CorrectPay.
- The payment of a bond in cash can be made to the Clerk of the General Sessions Court, Criminal Division - 400 Main St SW, Knoxville, TN - during office hours (Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm), or after hours, to the Knox County Detention Facility located on Maloneyville Road.
- If the bond is paid in cash, then that money will be held by the Court Clerk's Office until the disposition of your case.
- If court costs are assessed, then the cash bond will be applied to those costs and any amount remaining would be refunded.
- A second method to post bond is through a bail bonding company. A bonding company will charge a fee for the service of posting the bond, usually 10-15% of the amount. Any money paid to a bonding company is not held by the Court Clerk’s Office and will not be refunded to you by the Court Clerk’s Office. Any money paid to a bonding company will not be applied to your court costs, so that will cost you extra.
- A third method of posting bond is by using land as collateral. If a property bond is the method you choose, you are advised to contact an attorney for more details.