Sevier County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Sevier County bail and bond: arrests in Sevierville, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge
People arrested in Sevier County, including visitors, are held at the Sevier County jail in Sevierville. The Sheriff's Office is at 106 West Bruce Street, Sevierville, TN 37862, and answers at 865-453-4668. Search Sevier County Inmate Search first to confirm custody and see the charge and bond.
Out-of-state families should read the questions on premiums and on proving ties to the area. A bondsman's premium for a nonresident can differ from the premium for a Tennessee resident.
How do I check whether someone is in the Sevier County jail?
Search the person's legal name in Sevier County Inmate Search. A booking made within the last few hours can take time to show up, so check again later. For a hold from another agency, or an arrest that is not on the search yet, call the Sheriff's Office at 865-453-4668.
Having a date of birth helps tell people with similar names apart.
Does Sevier County have more than one jail facility?
Yes. The Tennessee Corrections Institute certifies two Sevier County facilities, the main jail, certified for 202 inmates, and a minimum-security facility certified for 356. Which building holds a given person depends on classification.
Ask the Sheriff's Office at 865-453-4668 where your relative is housed before you plan a visit or send mail.
My relative was arrested in Gatlinburg. Where are they?
The Gatlinburg Police Department keeps a small city holding facility, certified for six people. The county jail in Sevierville is the main facility for everyone else.
If the inmate search shows nothing, call the Sheriff's Office and ask whether Gatlinburg police still hold the person. Do the same for an arrest in Pigeon Forge or Sevierville.
Where is the Sheriff's Office, and who runs the jail?
The Sheriff's Office is at 106 West Bruce Street in Sevierville. The elected sheriff controls the county's jail operations, and a sheriff may only release a person on bail after a judicial officer has set it.
Deputies cannot reduce an amount. A request to change bail goes to a judge.
Who sets bail in Sevier County?
Sevier County has two General Sessions judges, Part I and Part II, and that court also hears juvenile cases and probate matters. A judge or another officer with the power to take bail sets the amount, and each person gets an individual decision.
The General Sessions Court has its own elected clerk. Call the Sheriff's Office at 865-453-4668 to ask for the clerk's direct line and the next docket.
Can I pay the whole bail in cash?
Yes. Cash bail is the entire amount. A defendant with bail set may leave a cash deposit equal to that amount with the court clerk, and the clerk may take debit cards or mobile cash apps and pass its fee on.
The deposit comes back after the case ends and the person is discharged. Fines and costs are deducted first.
What does a bondsman charge in Sevier County?
A Tennessee resident should pay a premium of about 10 percent of the bond. The law allows a $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax on top of that. Nonresidents may be charged 10 to 15 percent, and that range applies to visitors who live outside Tennessee.
Always collect receipts. Collateral beyond the premium needs a written receipt that lists the items and how you reclaim them.
Can a visitor from another state get a bond?
Yes, but the court looks closely at ties to the area. Tennessee judges may weigh length of residence, employment, family, record of appearances and lawful presence in the state when they set bail.
If your relative lives elsewhere, gather proof of a home address, a job and relatives who will make sure the person returns.
How are bondsmen approved to work in Sevier County?
A bondsman must have a license from the Board of Professional Bondsmen and approval from the court in each judicial district where he or she posts bonds. Sevier County is in the 4th Judicial District, along with Cocke, Grainger and Jefferson counties.
A bondsman cannot surrender or re-arrest your relative arbitrarily. Good cause is required.
Is a property bond possible for a Sevier County case?
Tennessee accepts a bond secured by real estate in the state. It also accepts a bond signed by two sufficient sureties who are not professional bondsmen or lawyers.
Property in another state is not covered by that rule. Ask the court clerk what documents Sevier County wants before you pay for an appraisal or title work.
Can my relative be released without a bondsman?
A court must consider release on the defendant's own promise to appear, or an unsecured bond, before it asks for money. If that is not enough, it must choose the least demanding conditions that make a return to court likely.
Money bail is for cases where those conditions would not work.
What do judges weigh at a bail hearing?
They look at residence, job history and finances, family, character, the person's record, past failures to appear, the offense, and danger to others. Community members can vouch for a defendant, but a person may vouch for only two defendants at a time.
Prepare names and phone numbers of people who can speak for the defendant.
Why is the person still locked up after bond was posted?
Arrests for domestic abuse, stalking, child abuse and abuse of older adults trigger a 12-hour hold, and the hold can reach 24 hours in an aggravated assault involving strangulation or a weapon. A no-contact order comes first.
A second reason is a hold from another county or agency. A third is a capital charge, which the current constitution does not allow to be bailed.
How many General Sessions judges hear cases in Sevier County?
Two, Part I and Part II. That court also hears juvenile cases and probate matters, and it has its own elected clerk. The Sheriff's Office at 865-453-4668 can give you the clerk's direct line and the next docket.
What if the arrest involved drinking and driving?
A court must usually order an ignition interlock device as a bond condition for many alcohol-related driving offenses, unless it finds that would not serve justice. Proof of installation goes to the District Attorney within 10 days.
A third or later offense can add transdermal alcohol monitoring that the defendant pays for.
How quickly does the person see a judge?
Under the state's criminal rules, a magistrate must see an arrested person promptly. For a felony the preliminary hearing falls within 14 days if the person stays in jail, or within 30 days if the person is released.
The Sheriff's Office can confirm the first court date.
How do I get a free lawyer?
Ask the judge to appoint one. The District Public Defender for the 4th Judicial District, which covers Sevier County, answers at 865-397-0108.
The sooner the office hears the charge and the court date, the sooner it can argue for a lower bond.
Where are children held after an arrest in Sevier County?
The Sevier County Juvenile Services Center is at 157 W. Main Street, Sevierville, and its phone is 865-774-3800. Juvenile cases are heard in General Sessions Court.
The adult inmate search does not list juveniles, so call the center.
What happens if the defendant misses court?
The court may declare the bail forfeited, and a warrant may be issued. A bondsman who wrote the bond may surrender the person to the jail before that.
This is a bigger problem for visitors who have left Tennessee. Call a lawyer before leaving the state.
How can I spot a bail scam?
Anyone who asks for gift cards, wire transfers or payment apps to free an inmate is a scam. Look up the Sheriff's Office on your own and call 865-453-4668.
Money on an inmate account for phone calls or store items is not bail.
Key contacts for Sevier County bond questions
- County jail
- Sevier County jail, Sevierville, TN
- Bond instructions
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Sheriff's Office
- 106 West Bruce Street, Sevierville, TN 37862; 865-453-4668
- Custody lookup
- Sevier County Inmate Search
- General Sessions Court
- Two judges and an elected clerk; call the Sheriff's Office for the clerk's direct line
- Juvenile
- Sevier County Juvenile Services Center, 157 W. Main Street, Sevierville; 865-774-3800
- City holding
- Gatlinburg Police Department holding facility
- Public defender
- 4th Judicial District, 865-397-0108
Sevier County bond amounts, fees, hours, and payment methods can change, and each case is different. Confirm your steps with the Sheriff's Office before you pay. General information only, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Sevier County Jail
The Sevier County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier County Jail, or the courthouse in Sevier County where the offense took place.
Call 865-453-4668 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Sevier County inmate locator.
Sevier County Jail
Address:
137 West Commerce Street
Sevierville, TN 37862
Phone:
865-453-4668
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Sevier County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Sevier County?
Who can set bail in Sevier County?
When is bail set in Sevier County Tennessee?
Does Sevier County have bail?
Yes, Sevier County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Sevier County?
Sevier 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 Sevier County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier 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, Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier County have bail?
Yes, Sevier County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Sevier County?
Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Sevier 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 Sevier County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Sevier County Jail for more information about the jails in Sevier County.
What options are there to pay bail in Sevier 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 Sevier County Jail for more information about posting bail in Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier 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.