Monroe County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Monroe County bail and bond: the Madisonville Justice Center
In Monroe County the jail, the Sheriff's Office and the courtrooms share one campus: the Justice Center at 4500 New Highway 68 in Madisonville. Adults arrested anywhere in the county, from Sweetwater to Tellico Plains, are held in the Monroe County jail there. Check Monroe County Inmate Search to see whether a name is booked, the charge and the bail amount. For court dates, call the Circuit Court Clerk at 423-442-2396, whose office also serves Criminal, General Sessions and Juvenile Courts.
A Sweetwater officer arrested my son. Is he at the Madisonville Justice Center?
Adults arrested in Monroe County go to the Monroe County jail at the Justice Center, 4500 New Highway 68, Madisonville, TN 37354. Confirm it on Monroe County Inmate Search, which shows booking, charges and bond.
If the search comes up empty, wait a few hours and try again, then ask the arresting department for a report number.
What is at the Justice Center besides the jail?
The same address houses the Sheriff's Office, the Circuit Court Clerk, who also serves Criminal, General Sessions and Juvenile Courts, and the General Sessions courtroom. You can reach the Clerk at 423-442-2396 and the General Sessions Court at 423-442-1382. A visit to one building handles the jail question and the court question.
Whose job is it to name the bail figure?
A judge or magistrate decides, and the decision has to be made for the person arrested. Tennessee Code 40-11-105 entitles a defendant on a bailable offense to bail, and an officer may take bail only after it has been set (40-11-106). Jail staff do not release people from a posted price list.
The amount can change at a later hearing in General Sessions Court.
Where do I take cash, and how much do I need?
You need the full bail figure. Tennessee Code 40-11-118(a)(1) lets a defendant deposit the amount in cash with the court clerk, and the clerk may accept debit cards or mobile apps and bill the payer its processing fee. Call the Clerk at 423-442-2396 to ask the hours at the window and which payment types are taken.
Keep the written receipt in a safe place; you will need it for the refund.
What will a bondsman cost me, and what do I get for it?
You buy a guarantee. If the defendant misses court, the bondsman answers to the court for the bond. Tennessee Code 40-11-151 says the premium should be about 10 percent for a Tennessee resident, plus a $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax, and none of it comes back.
Request a receipt for every charge. If the agent wants collateral, the receipt must describe every item and say how it is redeemed.
Is every bonding company in the phone book allowed to write bonds here?
No. A bondsman needs a license from the Board of Professional Bondsmen (40-11-321) and approval from the courts in the judicial district. Monroe County falls in the Tenth Judicial District with Bradley, McMinn and Polk counties.
Ask for both before you pay.
Our family owns land near Tellico Plains. Can it secure the bond?
Yes, so long as the land is in Tennessee. The state recognizes cash, Tennessee real estate, two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or attorneys, and a professional bondsman. The court examines ownership and any liens before it accepts land, so expect a delay compared with cash. Ask the Circuit Court Clerk, 423-442-2396, what documents to bring.
What does the judge look at?
The list in 40-11-118(b) covers length of local residence, work and finances, family ties, character and mental condition, prior record and court attendance, the nature of the charge, the likely sentence and any danger shown by the record. A community member may vouch for a defendant, but no one can vouch for more than two at the same time.
Is a no-money release ever granted?
Yes. The court must consider release on a promise to appear or an unsecured bond first (40-11-115(b)), then choose the least onerous conditions (40-11-116). Money bail comes in only when those would not reasonably assure the person returns (40-11-117). Ask for it at the first appearance.
Why would bail not be allowed or release be delayed?
Capital offenses are not bailable under Article I, section 15 of the Tennessee Constitution. A hold from another jurisdiction blocks release. And stalking and domestic arrests can bring a 12-hour wait, up to 24 hours when an aggravated assault involves strangulation or a weapon (40-11-150), with no-contact orders and sometimes GPS monitoring.
He faces a DUI charge. What conditions may be added?
The court may order an ignition interlock device in cases involving a crash with property damage, a minor in the vehicle, a previous suspension or a prior listed conviction (40-11-118(d)). A third or later alcohol DUI calls for transdermal alcohol monitoring that the defendant pays for.
What should I expect at the first hearing?
Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 5 directs that a magistrate see him without unnecessary delay. The magistrate states the charge, the right to counsel and the right to silence. In a felony case the preliminary hearing is set within 14 days if he is in custody, or within 30 days if he is out. General Sessions can tell you the date at 423-442-1382.
Where do I find the free lawyer?
The public defender's office for Monroe County has a P.O. Box 1115 mailing address in Madisonville and a phone line at 423-442-3162. Ask the judge to appoint counsel at the first appearance, then call with the case number.
Which police department made the arrest?
Madisonville, Sweetwater, Tellico Plains and Vonore are the county's incorporated towns, and each has officers who can arrest within its limits, along with county deputies. The booking should appear on Monroe County Inmate Search regardless of who arrested him. If it does not, ask that department for a report number.
What about a minor?
Juvenile Court shares the Circuit Court Clerk's office. Call 423-442-2396 to learn where a child is held and when the detention hearing is. The adult search will not list him, because juvenile records are not public.
I sent money for commissary. Is that the bond?
No. Commissary and phone deposits stay on the inmate's account and never reach the court. The bond goes to the clerk, a bondsman or through property. Do not pay a stranger who offers to post bail for a fee.
What if he does not come back for court, and when is the deposit returned?
The judge may forfeit the bond (40-11-139 and 40-11-201) and order an arrest, and a surety may surrender the defendant (40-11-132).
After discharge, a cash deposit is returned (40-11-119), reduced first by fines and court costs (40-11-121). A surety is not responsible for fines, costs or restitution unless the bond says so and the surety consents (40-11-118(c)).
Monroe County contacts
- Jail
- Monroe County jail, Justice Center, 4500 New Highway 68, Madisonville, TN 37354
- Custody lookup
- Monroe County Inmate Search
- Circuit Court Clerk (Criminal, Sessions, Juvenile)
- 423-442-2396
- General Sessions Court
- 423-442-1382
- Public defender
- 423-442-3162, P.O. Box 1115, Madisonville
- Bond help
- Monroe County bail and bond instructions
Individual cases can end up with different terms, and offices change their hours and numbers. Ask before you bring cash. This page gives general information only and is not legal advice.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Monroe County
The Monroe County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County Jail, or the courthouse in Monroe County where the offense took place.
Call 423-442-3911 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Monroe County inmate locator.
Monroe County Jail
Address:
4500 New Hwy 68
Madisonville, TN 37354
Phone:
423-442-3911
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Monroe County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Monroe County?
Who can set bail in Monroe County?
When is bail set in Monroe County Tennessee?
Does Monroe County have bail?
Yes, Monroe County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Monroe County?
Monroe 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 Monroe County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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, Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County have bail?
Yes, Monroe County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Monroe County?
Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Monroe 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 Monroe County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Monroe County Jail for more information about the jails in Monroe County.
What options are there to pay bail in Monroe 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 Monroe County Jail for more information about posting bail in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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.