Putnam County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Putnam County bail and bond: one Cookeville building holds the jail and the courts
Adults arrested in Putnam County are held at the Putnam County Jail inside the Putnam County Justice Center, 421 East Spring Street, Cookeville. The Sheriff's Office answers at 931-528-8484. General Sessions Court and the court clerks work in that same building. Check Putnam County Inmate Search to see the booking, the charges, and any bond. Because everything is under one roof, you can often finish paperwork in a single trip.
1. Is the person I am looking for inside the Cookeville jail?
Check Putnam County Inmate Search first. It shows current inmates and their charges. If the name does not appear, a booking may still be in progress. The Sheriff's Office at 931-528-8484 can speak to the jail staff when you need a person to confirm.
2. What is inside the Justice Center besides the jail?
The building at 421 East Spring Street holds General Sessions Court in Suite 1C07, the Circuit Court Clerk in Room 1C49A, and the Clerk and Master in Room 1C38. The jail and the Sheriff's Office are there as well. Bring photo ID and the case number to any counter.
3. Who sets bond in Putnam County, and who runs the jail?
A judge or magistrate sets bond for each person on the facts of the arrest. The Sheriff's Office runs the jail, and its Jail Administrator oversees the corrections staff, but the Sheriff's Office cannot reduce a bond. A lawyer asks the court to change it.
4. What do the Putnam County judges look at before setting bond?
They consider how long the person has lived here, job history, family ties, any past failures to appear, the seriousness of the charge, and public safety. People who vouch for the defendant count, but no one may vouch for more than two defendants at once. Whether the person is lawfully in Tennessee also counts.
5. How much does it cost to use a bondsman?
State law expects a bondsman to charge a Tennessee resident roughly 10 percent of the bond, and permits one $25 fee and a $12 tax as well. Ask for a written receipt for each charge and for any collateral.
6. How do I know a Cookeville bondsman is legal?
The Board of Professional Bondsmen issues the state license, and the court in the 13th Judicial District must approve the bondsman for this area. A bondsman may not surrender your relative without good cause. Ask to see the license before you sign.
7. Should I pay cash to the clerk instead?
That works when you can afford the full amount. A cash bond is the entire bond, and the clerk returns it when the person is discharged, after fines and court costs. A clerk can accept a debit card or payment app for a cash deposit and may pass the fee on to you.
8. Can I use property to bond someone out?
Tennessee land or a home can serve as security for the bond. So can a written agreement of two people who are not professional bondsmen or lawyers. Property bonds are slower. Call the Circuit Court Clerk at 931-528-1508 for the court's forms and rules before you gather deeds.
9. Where do I call about court dates?
The General Sessions judges' office takes calls at 931-528-5541 and 931-526-1833, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Circuit Court Clerk, at 931-528-1508, can give court costs and dates. Have the full name and birth date ready.
10. Can I pay court costs online?
For court payments, yes. The General Sessions office links to a county payment portal. Before you pay online for anything tied to an arrest, ask the clerk at 931-528-1508 which charge the payment applies to, and save the confirmation with the case number.
11. What does a no-bond entry mean?
Capital offenses are the only charges the state constitution removes from bail. A no-bond line may also reflect a hold from another court, a probation violation, or a bond not yet set. The clerk can tell you which court made the entry.
12. Why does a domestic case move slower?
Tennessee law holds a person arrested for stalking, child abuse, elder abuse, and some domestic offenses for 12 hours unless the official finds no threat to the victim. A hold of up to 24 hours applies in aggravated assault cases involving strangulation or a weapon. Before release the person must accept no-contact conditions, and GPS can be added.
13. How are DUI releases different?
For many DUI charges the court may order an ignition interlock device, with proof of installation sent to the District Attorney within 10 days. Certain repeat cases also require alcohol monitoring that the defendant pays for. A lawyer can tell you which rule fits.
14. Who can argue for a smaller bond in Putnam County?
The 13th Judicial District Public Defender is at 230 North Washington Avenue, Cookeville, 931-526-9141. Tell the judge at the first appearance that you need appointed counsel. A lawyer can ask for release on a promise to appear or for a smaller bond.
15. Where is a teenager held after arrest?
The Putnam County Juvenile Detention Center is at 25 North Washington Avenue, Cookeville. Reach juvenile corrections through 931-528-8681. Juvenile files are private, so Putnam County Inmate Search may not list a minor.
16. How does a missed date affect a Putnam County bond?
The bond can be forfeited and a warrant issued when a defendant misses court. A surety does not owe fines, costs, or restitution unless the bond spells it out and the surety agreed. Call the clerk at 931-528-1508 the same day.
17. What should I carry into the Justice Center on East Spring Street?
Bring a government photo ID, the full legal name and birth date of the person, and the case number from Putnam County Inmate Search. Add proof of where the person lives and works, because a judge reviewing bond looks at residence and employment. If you plan to pledge property, bring the deed. Then go to Suite 1C07 for General Sessions questions or Room 1C49A for the Circuit Court Clerk.
18. How do I avoid a bail payment scam?
No official asks for gift cards or an urgent wire to a stranger. Deposits for commissary or phone time are not bail payments. Hang up and call 931-528-8484 yourself.
Putnam County bond contacts
- County jail
- Putnam County Jail, Putnam County Justice Center, 421 East Spring Street, Cookeville, TN 38501; 931-528-8484
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond page
- Custody lookup
- Putnam County Inmate Search
- General Sessions Court
- Justice Center, Suite 1C07; 931-528-5541 or 931-526-1833
- Circuit Court Clerk
- Justice Center, Room 1C49A; 931-528-1508
- Clerk and Master
- Justice Center, Room 1C38; 931-526-6321
- Public defender
- 230 North Washington Avenue, Cookeville; 931-526-9141
- Juvenile detention
- 25 North Washington Avenue, Cookeville; 931-528-8681
Bond amounts, fees, and hours can change with a court order. Confirm the figures for your own case with a clerk or the Sheriff's Office before paying. This page is not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Putnam County Jail
The Putnam County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County Jail, or the courthouse in Putnam County where the offense took place.
Call 931-372-7250 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Putnam County inmate locator.
Putnam County Jail
Address:
421 East Spring Street
Cookeville, TN 38501
Phone:
931-372-7250
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Putnam County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Putnam County?
Who can set bail in Putnam County?
When is bail set in Putnam County Tennessee?
Does Putnam County have bail?
Yes, Putnam County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Putnam County?
Putnam 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 Putnam County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam 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, Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County have bail?
Yes, Putnam County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Putnam County?
Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Putnam 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 Putnam County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Putnam County Jail for more information about the jails in Putnam County.
What options are there to pay bail in Putnam 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 Putnam County Jail for more information about posting bail in Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam 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.