Overton County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Overton County bail and bond: a guide for families in Livingston
Adults arrested in Overton County go to the Overton County jail in Livingston. The Sheriff's Office is at 1010 John T. Poindexter Drive, and its number is 931-403-0075. Open Overton County Inmate Search first to see if the person is in custody and which charges and bond are attached.
The Circuit Court Clerk is on the same street, at 1000 John T. Poindexter Drive. The jail handles custody, and the clerk handles court paperwork.
How do I see if my loved one is in the Overton County jail?
Search the name on Overton County Inmate Search. Bookings from the past few hours can lag, so try again before dinner. If the name is still missing, call the Sheriff's Office at 931-403-0075 and ask for the booking record.
Ask about outside holds while you have someone on the line.
Does Overton County hold its own prisoners?
Yes. Overton County operates its own jail, and the Tennessee Corrections Institute certifies it for 143 inmates. Your relative should not be sitting in a different county's jail on an Overton County charge.
The jail is on the same street as the circuit clerk, John T. Poindexter Drive.
Who is in charge of the jail?
Sheriff John Garrett leads the Sheriff's Office, which operates the county jail. A sheriff in Tennessee may release a prisoner on bail only after bail has been fixed by someone entitled to fix it.
If you think the number is too high, the place to argue is in front of the judge, not at the jail window.
Where is the Circuit Court Clerk, and when can I go?
The office is at 1000 John T. Poindexter Drive, Livingston, TN 38570, and the phone is 931-823-2312. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and it stays open through lunch.
The Clerk and Master, who is also the juvenile clerk, answers at 931-823-2536.
Can I pay bail at the clerk's office?
Tennessee law lets a defendant whose bail has been set leave a cash deposit equal to the whole amount with the court clerk. The clerk may accept debit cards or mobile cash apps and pass the fee on to you.
Call 931-823-2312 to ask what payments Overton County takes, and get a receipt with the case number.
Is a cash bond only a part of the bail?
No. A cash bond is all of the bail. The court keeps it until the case closes, then refunds it once the defendant is discharged, after taking out fines and costs.
What people call 10 percent is a bondsman's premium. It is a fee, so it is not returned.
What are the charges for a bondsman?
For a Tennessee resident the premium is about 10 percent of the bond. The law lets the bondsman add a $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax. The charge for a nonresident can reach 15 percent.
You are owed a receipt every time. If you leave collateral, the receipt must describe it and say how to redeem it.
How do I know the bondsman is approved for Overton County?
A bondsman has to hold a license from the Board of Professional Bondsmen and has to be approved by the courts in the judicial district. Overton County is in the 13th Judicial District, with Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Pickett, Putnam and White counties.
Ask the circuit clerk whether the company's name is on the district's approved list.
Can my family offer land, a home or a co-signer?
Real estate in Tennessee can secure a bond, and two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or lawyers can sign one together. The court decides whether the security is good enough for the amount.
Bring the deed and the owners' IDs to the clerk's office, and ask for the list of what the court requires.
What do judges look for when they set bail?
Judges weigh length of residence, work, finances, family ties, character, past record, record of showing up, the offense, and any risk to others. Respected local people may speak for the defendant, and each one may vouch for only two defendants at a time.
A short letter from an employer or a pastor can carry weight at the hearing.
Is there any release that costs nothing?
The court has to look at a promise to appear, or an unsecured bond, before it asks for money. If that does not suffice, the court sets the least demanding conditions that make a return to court likely.
A lawyer can press this point at the first hearing. Money bail is meant to be a last step.
Why is the hold still in place after bail was set?
Arrests for domestic abuse, stalking, child abuse and elder abuse can bring a 12-hour hold, and up to 24 hours when an aggravated assault involves strangulation or a weapon. A no-contact order must be entered before release.
Capital offenses cannot be bailed now.
How quickly does an arrested person go before a judge?
The rules call for an appearance before a magistrate without unnecessary delay. General Sessions Judge Daryl Colson hears early stages of Overton County cases, and the clerk can tell you the next date.
A felony preliminary hearing is held within 14 days if the person stays in jail, and within 30 days if the person is released.
How do I request a public defender?
Ask the judge at the first court date. The District Public Defender for the 13th Judicial District answers at 931-526-9141.
Have the charge, case number and next date ready when you call.
What if the person arrested is a minor?
The Clerk and Master serves as juvenile clerk, and the number is 931-823-2536. Call to learn where the young person is and when the detention hearing is.
The adult inmate search does not show juveniles.
What if my relative misses a court date?
The judge may declare the bail forfeited. A bondsman who wrote the bond can lose the money, and a warrant can follow.
Call the circuit clerk and a lawyer the same day.
How can I tell a real bail request from a fake one?
No office takes gift cards, wire transfers or payment-app transfers to release someone. Find the Sheriff's Office at 931-403-0075 or the clerk at 931-823-2312 on your own.
Money placed on an inmate account does not count as bail.
Key contacts for Overton County bond questions
- County jail
- Overton County jail, Livingston, TN
- Bond instructions
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Sheriff's Office
- 1010 John T. Poindexter Drive, Livingston, TN 38570; 931-403-0075
- Custody lookup
- Overton County Inmate Search
- Circuit Court Clerk
- 1000 John T. Poindexter Drive, Livingston, TN 38570; 931-823-2312; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Clerk and Master, juvenile clerk
- 931-823-2536
- County offices
- 306 West Main Street, Livingston, TN 38570
- Public defender
- 13th Judicial District, 931-526-9141
Court and jail procedures in Overton County, including fees and hours, can change. Call the clerk or the Sheriff's Office to confirm before you pay. This is general information and not a substitute for legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Overton County Jail
The Overton County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Overton 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 Overton 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 Overton 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 Overton County Jail, or the courthouse in Overton County where the offense took place.
Call 931-823-5635 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Overton County inmate locator.
Overton County Jail
Address:
1010 John T. Poindexter Drive
Livingston, TN 38570
Phone:
931-823-5635
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Overton County
Does Overton County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Overton County?
Who can set bail in Overton County?
When is bail set in Overton County Tennessee?
Does Overton County have bail?
Yes, Overton County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Overton County?
Overton 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 Overton County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Overton 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 Overton 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 Overton 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, Overton 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 Overton 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 Overton County have bail?
Yes, Overton County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Overton County?
Overton 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 Overton 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 Overton County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Overton 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 Overton County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Overton County Jail for more information about the jails in Overton County.
What options are there to pay bail in Overton 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 Overton County Jail for more information about posting bail in Overton 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 Overton 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 Overton 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.