Meigs County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Meigs County bail and bond: Decatur jail, court contacts, and release steps
People arrested in Meigs County are held at the Meigs County Jail in Decatur, run by the Sheriff's Office. Open Meigs County Inmate Search to see whether someone is in custody and what the bond is. For anything the search cannot show, call the Sheriff's Office at 423-334-5268. Below is a plain-language guide to bond, bondsmen, and the Decatur court offices.
How do I check if someone is in the Meigs County jail in Decatur?
Look the person up with Meigs County Inmate Search. It shows custody status, charges, and a bond amount if a judge has set one. If a new booking is missing, call the Sheriff's Office at 423-334-5268 and ask the desk to check the full legal name.
Who runs the jail, and does Meigs keep its own inmates?
Yes. The Meigs County Jail is run by the Sheriff's Office in Decatur, and Meigs County holds its own pretrial inmates. Sheriff Jackie Melton leads the office. Mail to the office goes to Post Office Box 39 in Decatur.
Why should I call before I travel to Decatur to pay?
Meigs is a small county, and offices keep daytime hours. Call 423-334-5268 to ask how the jail takes a payment and whether a bondsman has to deliver paperwork. It is a short call that can save a long drive.
Which court sets a first bond in Meigs County?
Meigs has a General Sessions judge, whose office answers at 423-745-5674. A magistrate or judge sets bail after an individual review. Jail staff cannot change it.
Why does the bondsman want paperwork and a co-signer?
The bondsman promises the court the full bond if the defendant skips court. That risk is why a bondsman asks for the 10 percent premium, a signed contract, and sometimes collateral. Read the contract line by line and keep your copy.
Can a friend or relative post the cash for someone else?
Yes, the depositor does not have to be the defendant. Fines and costs can be taken from the deposit, so tell the clerk who the money belongs to and keep the receipt.
Which clerk do I call about a bond or a felony case?
Call the Circuit Court Clerk at 423-334-5821. That office keeps felony files and bonds after indictment. The Clerk and Master at 423-334-5243 handles chancery cases, so do not call there for a criminal question.
Who may pledge property for a bond?
The owner must sign. If two people own it, both usually must sign. Ask the clerk before you drive over, because the court will not release anyone until the paperwork is approved.
Could the court choose conditions instead of bail?
Yes. The court may set reporting, travel limits, or no-contact orders in place of cash. Tennessee law prefers the lightest conditions that work.
Is Decatur the only city in Meigs County?
Decatur is the county's only incorporated city, so most arrests are made by the Sheriff's Office or Decatur officers. Say which agency arrested the person when you call so the record matches.
What changes for a domestic charge with strangulation?
The hold may be extended up to 24 hours, a no-contact order is required, and GPS monitoring is ordered before bond. Expect the release to take a full day.
What if the DUI crash hurt someone?
A driver in a crash with death or serious injury, who has no valid license or insurance and is not lawfully in the country, can be treated as a flight risk. Ask a lawyer how the facts apply.
Is a person ever kept without a bond amount?
Yes, briefly. Until a magistrate sets bail, the screen may show no amount. Check the search again later and call the clerk if the amount does not post.
Which district's public defender covers Meigs County?
Meigs sits in the 9th Judicial District with Loudon, Morgan, and Roane. That district's public defender can be reached at 865-376-4040. Ask for appointed counsel at the first court date if the person cannot hire a lawyer.
What should I do if a court notice says the bond is forfeited?
Do not ignore it. Take the notice to a lawyer or to the circuit court clerk. Deadlines to ask the court for relief are short.
Can the court keep my bond money?
The court may apply a cash deposit to fines, costs, and restitution owed in the case. If the person misses court, the deposit may be forfeited. Otherwise it is returned at discharge.
Is it safe to pay someone who texts me about bail?
No. Bond is arranged in person or through the court, or with a licensed bondsman. Texts demanding fast payment should be ignored and reported to the Sheriff's Office.
What property does the jail hold?
Belongings and cash are logged at booking and returned at release. Ask the jail desk how to collect them and what ID the person needs.
Meigs County bond contacts
- Jail
- Meigs County Jail, Decatur, TN; Sheriff's Office 423-334-5268; mail: P.O. Box 39, Decatur, TN 37322
- Bail and bond guide
- Jail bail and bond page
- Custody lookup
- Meigs County Inmate Search
- General Sessions judge
- 423-745-5674
- Circuit Court Clerk
- 423-334-5821
- Clerk and Master
- 423-334-5243
- County Clerk
- 423-334-5747
- County offices
- 356 Able Avenue, Suite 1, Decatur, TN 37322; 423-334-5850
- Public defender
- 9th Judicial District, 865-376-4040
Court orders can change the rules, amounts, and office hours described here. Double-check your own case with the jail or clerk before you pay. The page is a general guide and is no substitute for a lawyer.
How do Bail Bonds work at Meigs County Jail
The Meigs County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County Jail, or the courthouse in Meigs County where the offense took place.
Call 423-334-3163 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Meigs County inmate locator.
Meigs County Jail
Address:
410 River Road
Decatur, TN 37322
Phone:
423-334-3163
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Meigs County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Meigs County?
Who can set bail in Meigs County?
When is bail set in Meigs County Tennessee?
Does Meigs County have bail?
Yes, Meigs County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Meigs County?
Meigs 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 Meigs County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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, Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County have bail?
Yes, Meigs County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Meigs County?
Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Meigs 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 Meigs County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Meigs County Jail for more information about the jails in Meigs County.
What options are there to pay bail in Meigs 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 Meigs County Jail for more information about posting bail in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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.