Lawrence County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Lawrence County bail and bond: the Lawrenceburg jail and the steps to release
Adults arrested in Lawrence County are held at the Lawrence County Jail, which the Sheriff's Department runs from Lawrenceburg. Begin with Lawrence County Inmate Search to learn who is in custody, the charge, and the bond amount. Call the Sheriff's Department at 931-762-3626 for anything the search cannot answer. The rest of this page explains how a bond works and which court office to call.
1. How can I see whether Lawrenceburg has my family member in custody?
Type the name into Lawrence County Inmate Search. You will see the custody status, the charges, and the bond amount when one exists. If a fresh booking is not there yet, call the Sheriff's Department at 931-762-3626 and give the legal name and birth date.
2. Who runs the Lawrence County jail, and where are its offices?
The Sheriff's Department runs the Lawrence County Jail. Its offices are on the lower floor of the courthouse at 240 West Gaines Street, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464. John Myers is the sheriff. The main courthouse number is 931-766-4100.
3. Which judge reviews a Lawrence County bond?
The General Sessions judge hears misdemeanors, reviews bonds, and holds preliminary hearings on felonies. That court's number is 931-766-4139. Ask the judge's office how to set a bond hearing.
4. Who is allowed to write bonds here, and what is the fee?
Only a bondsman licensed by the Board of Professional Bondsmen and approved by the court may write a surety bond. For Tennessee residents the usual premium is about 10 percent of the bond, plus a $25 start-up fee and a $12 tax.
5. How does a cash deposit differ from paying a bondsman?
A cash bond means the full bail sits with the court clerk until the case closes. A bondsman bond costs a fraction up front but cannot be refunded. Choose based on how much you can spare and how long the case may take.
6. Can I pay a Lawrence County bond with a card or at a window?
Tennessee law lets a court clerk accept debit cards or payment apps for a cash deposit, with the fee passed to the payer. Which counter in Lawrenceburg handles it should be confirmed by phone. Start with the Circuit Court Clerk at 931-244-8540.
7. Can I use property instead of money?
Property in the state can back a bond when the court accepts its value. Plan on extra time for review and signatures. Cash or a bondsman is quicker at night.
8. How can I ask for a no-money release?
Tell the judge about the person's job, home, and family nearby. A lawyer, or the public defender if the person qualifies, can make that request at the first court date.
9. Why do Circuit Court judges in the 22nd District keep changing?
Lawrence shares a judicial district with Wayne, Giles, and Maury counties. Each Circuit judge moves to a different county for felony cases after a year, then returns to Lawrence for probation and parole violation cases. Ask the clerk which judge has the case now.
10. Where do I look up a case and pay court costs?
The county runs an online court records system where you can search by name or case number and pay costs or traffic tickets. Search for Lawrence County online court records. For anything about bond, call the clerk at 931-244-8540.
11. Does a stalking or child-abuse charge change the bond process?
Yes. These charges carry a 12-hour hold unless an official finds no threat to the victim. The magistrate must make findings and order conditions in writing before anyone is released.
12. My teenager was picked up. Which court handles that?
Lawrence County Juvenile Court meets at the courthouse, 200 West Gaines Street, and a magistrate hears delinquent and unruly child cases. Call the courthouse at 931-766-4100 or the Sheriff's Department to learn where a minor is held.
13. Does an arrest by Loretto, St. Joseph, or Ethridge police change anything?
Those towns and Lawrenceburg are all within the county. State the arresting agency when you call so the record and any hold line up. Bond works the same way.
14. Can a judge refuse to set a bond?
Only a capital charge takes bail off the table under the current Constitution. In every other case the person is entitled to have bail set after an individual review.
15. Can a bondsman take the person back to jail?
A bondsman may surrender the person to the court, but the bondsman may not do so arbitrarily or without good cause. Missing court or breaking the contract can be good cause.
16. Who gets the refund, the payer or the defendant?
Tell the clerk who paid when the deposit is made. Fines and costs owed on the case can be deducted, so a payer who is not the defendant should plan for that.
17. Does paying for jail phone time help the person get out?
No. Phone and commissary funds are for the inmate's use inside. They are not bail and are not credited to a bond.
18. Where do I turn if we cannot hire an attorney?
Ask the court for appointed counsel. The public defender's office serving this district answers at 931-380-2598.
Lawrence County bond contacts
- Jail
- Lawrence County Jail, run by the Sheriff's Department, 240 West Gaines Street, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464; 931-762-3626
- Bail and bond guide
- Jail bail and bond page
- Custody lookup
- Lawrence County Inmate Search
- Courthouse
- 200 West Gaines Street, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464; 931-766-4100
- General Sessions judge
- 931-766-4139
- Circuit Court Clerk
- 931-244-8540
- County Clerk
- 931-766-4176
- Public defender
- 22nd Judicial District, 931-380-2598
Fees, bond amounts, and hours are subject to court orders. Before paying, verify the facts of your case with the Sheriff's Department or a clerk. This page shares general information only and is not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Lawrence County Jail
The Lawrence County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County Jail, or the courthouse in Lawrence County where the offense took place.
Call 931-766-4177 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Lawrence County inmate locator.
Lawrence County Jail
Address:
240 West Gaines Street
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
Phone:
931-766-4177
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Lawrence County
Does Lawrence County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lawrence County?
Who can set bail in Lawrence County?
When is bail set in Lawrence County Tennessee?
Does Lawrence County have bail?
Yes, Lawrence County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lawrence County?
Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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, Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County have bail?
Yes, Lawrence County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lawrence County?
Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Lawrence 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 Lawrence County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Lawrence County Jail for more information about the jails in Lawrence County.
What options are there to pay bail in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County Jail for more information about posting bail in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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.