Williamson County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Williamson County bail and bond: Franklin jail, 24-hour magistrates, and how to post
Adults arrested in Williamson County are held at the Williamson County Jail at 408 Century Court in Franklin. The magistrates who set bond work in the same building at every hour. Start with Williamson County Inmate Search to see whether the person is in custody, the charges, and the bond amount. Call the jail booking line at 615-790-5560 for anything the search cannot show. The sections below explain who sets bond, how to post it, and what a bond costs.
Is my relative in the Franklin jail right now?
Look the name up at Williamson County Inmate Search. It shows custody status, charges, and the bond amount. For booking questions the jail's line is 615-790-5560, staffed 24 hours a day, and the Sheriff's non-emergency line is 615-790-5550, also around the clock.
Where is the Williamson County jail?
The Williamson County Jail is at 408 Century Court, Franklin, TN 37064, in the Criminal Justice Center. Williamson County holds its own pretrial inmates there. Sheriff Jeff Hughes leads the office, and the rest of this page calls it the Sheriff's Office.
Who sets the bond, and when are they on duty?
Magistrates, also called judicial commissioners, set bonds. Their office is at 408 Century Court and is open and staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 615-790-5813. They hold the first appearance soon after an arrested person reaches the jail, and they set the first court date.
Can I pay the magistrate directly?
No. Magistrates do not accept payments. To post a bond, go to 408 Century Court and speak with the Jail Intake and Booking staff, or hire a bail bonding agent.
Can I ask the magistrate to lower a bond that is already set?
No. Magistrates determine the bond, but only a judge can amend it afterward. Ask the presiding judge of the court where the case will be heard to change the bond or its conditions. A lawyer or the public defender can file the request.
Will deputies recommend a bondsman?
No. Choosing the person or company to write the bond is the responsibility of the inmate, family, or friends, and deputies are not permitted to recommend one. Ask the bonding agent for license proof and get a receipt for every charge.
Why is a bondsman cheaper up front than cash?
You hand over about a tenth of the bond instead of all of it. In return, you accept that the premium is gone for good and that the bondsman may ask for collateral or a co-signer. Weigh that trade before you choose.
Does the jail take the whole bond in one payment?
A cash bond is paid in full, not in installments. Ask the jail or clerk what forms of payment they take before you come. Keep the receipt, because you will need it to claim the money back later.
How do I post a cash bond in Franklin?
Go to the jail at 408 Century Court and speak with the intake and booking staff. Call 615-790-5560 first, because the jail line is staffed around the clock. Bring ID, the person's full name, and the bond amount from the search.
Can relatives with good standing sign for the bond?
Two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or lawyers may sign a written agreement that secures the bond. The court decides if they qualify. The process is slower than posting cash.
What helps a request for release without bail?
Proof of a job, a stable address, and family living nearby all help. So does a short record. A lawyer or public defender can present those facts to the judge.
What does a magistrate do besides set bond?
Magistrates issue warrants and criminal summonses when they find probable cause. They can also issue temporary protection orders in domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, exploitation of a minor, and human trafficking cases. They do not investigate or make arrests.
What happens if the person breaks a no-contact order?
Police can arrest the person at once. If it also violates a protection order, a new criminal charge follows, and the court may revoke the bond.
Which court office handles dockets for General Sessions and Circuit Court?
The Circuit Court Clerk's Office, 615-790-5454, handles General Sessions and Circuit dockets and case questions. The General Sessions judges' chambers are at 615-790-5455. The County Clerk at 615-790-5712 handles licenses and records.
My relative has a warrant from another state. How do I ask about it?
The Sheriff's criminal warrants and extraditions unit answers at 615-790-5565. An out-of-county hold may stop a bond from releasing the person, even after a local bond is paid.
Where is a juvenile held in Franklin?
The Williamson County Juvenile Detention Center is at 408 Century Court, Franklin, and its number is 615-790-5812. The juvenile court clerk is at 615-790-5814. Juvenile cases are private, so the adult search may not show a minor.
Why does the amount field stay blank?
A blank amount usually means no judge has set one yet. Give it time, then check the search again or call the clerk.
When does the bondsman owe the court money?
If the defendant fails to appear and the forfeiture is not set aside, the surety owes the bond amount. That is why bondsmen follow up on court dates so closely.
Can the jail ask for gift cards?
No. Gift cards are never a legal form of bail. Anyone asking for them is a fraud.
What should I ask the public defender?
Ask whether the office has the case, when the next hearing is, and whether a bond review can be requested. The number for this district is 615-790-5519.
Williamson County bond contacts
- Jail and Criminal Justice Center
- Williamson County Jail, 408 Century Court, Franklin, TN 37064; booking information 615-790-5560 (24 hours)
- Bail and bond guide
- Jail bail and bond page
- Sheriff's Office
- Non-emergency 615-790-5550 (24 hours); criminal warrants and extraditions 615-790-5565
- Custody lookup
- Williamson County Inmate Search
- Magistrates (judicial commissioners)
- 408 Century Court; open 24 hours; 615-790-5813
- General Sessions judges
- 615-790-5455
- Circuit Court Clerk (dockets)
- 615-790-5454
- County Clerk
- 615-790-5712
- Juvenile detention
- 408 Century Court, Franklin; 615-790-5812; juvenile court clerk 615-790-5814
- Public defender
- 21st Judicial District, 615-790-5519
A court may change bond amounts, fees, and hours by order. Confirm your own case with the jail intake staff or a clerk before you pay anyone. Consider this a plain-language overview and not a legal opinion.
How do Bail Bonds work at Williamson County Jail
The Williamson County Sheriff recommends that you use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in the county.
You can pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Williamson 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 Williamson County, and if they don't, then they take the responsibility.
The typical fee for a bond will be between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15%.
So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1500.00.
Call 615-790-5570 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Williamson County inmate locator.
Williamson County Jail
Address:
408 Century Court
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone:
615-790-5570
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Williamson County
Does Williamson County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Williamson County?
Who can set bail in Williamson County?
When is bail set in Williamson County Tennessee?
Does Williamson County have bail?
Yes, Williamson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Williamson County?
Williamson 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 Williamson County?
Bail is set by a magistrate or judge.
When is bail set in Williamson 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 Williamson 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 Williamson 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, Williamson 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 Williamson 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 Williamson County have bail?
Yes, Williamson County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Williamson County?
Williamson 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 Williamson 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 Williamson County Tennessee?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Williamson 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 Williamson County Tennessee?
Yes, Tennessee does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Williamson County Jail for more information about the jails in Williamson County.
What options are there to pay bail in Williamson 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 Williamson County Jail for more information about posting bail in Williamson 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 Williamson 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 Williamson 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.