Grand County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Grand County bail and bond: what to do after an arrest in Moab
Adults arrested in Grand County are held at the Grand County Jail, 125 East Center Street, Moab, which the Sheriff's Office operates around the clock. Look up the person with Grand County Inmate Search to see custody, charges, and the bail amount. Jail staff answer at 435-259-8115. The jail does not take credit cards for bail, but the district court and the justice court do on weekdays. Bonds are handled at the North Door off 100 North Street.
Who runs the Moab jail and how do I reach it?
The Grand County Sheriff's Office runs the jail, and Sheriff Jamison Wiggins heads the office. The jail is at 125 East Center Street, Moab, UT 84532, and the phone, 435-259-8115, is answered at all hours. The Sheriff's Office itself sits at 25 South 100 East.
Check Grand County Inmate Search first. Then call if you need to ask about something the search does not show.
Where exactly do I go to post a bond?
Go to the North Door, which you reach from the 100 North Street entrance. That door is where bonds are handled. The jail desk at 435-259-8115 can tell you who will meet you there and when.
If you live outside Moab, call before you travel so you are not standing at a locked door.
The jail will not take my card. What are my choices?
The jail cannot accept credit card bail or bond. The Seventh District Court, 435-259-1350, and the Grand County Justice Court, 435-259-1334, take credit card bail Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Justice Court bail can also be paid online through a link on the county site.
Outside those hours, cash or a surety bond are the usual ways. Utah law also lets a jail accept cashier's or certified checks and money orders.
Does Grand County have bail bond agents?
The Utah Insurance Department licenses bail bond agents and keeps an online list of approved companies. Grand County points families to that list.
State rule sets the premium at 10 to 20 percent of the bond. The agent must give you a written disclosure of fees, collateral, and your duties before the person leaves jail.
Is the person eligible for bail at all?
Most are. The Utah Constitution makes three exceptions: capital offenses, a new felony committed while on probation, parole, or bail for a prior felony, and other crimes the law makes non-bailable when a judge finds clear and convincing evidence of danger or flight. In every case the state needs substantial evidence behind the charge.
A person arrested for breaking a protective order stays in custody until the first court appearance.
What can the jail officer decide, and what must a judge decide?
A county jail official, meaning the sheriff or a designee, may release some people on their own promise to appear under the sheriff's written policy. Lower-level charges can also come with a financial condition set by that official.
Once a magistrate reviews the case, the magistrate sets a single amount and the jail official's number no longer controls. Only a judge can order the person held with no bail.
Where is court held and who do I call?
The Seventh District Court is at 125 East Center Street, Moab, the same building as the jail, 435-259-1349. Felonies are heard there. The Justice Court, 435-259-1334, handles lower misdemeanors and tickets.
Ask the clerk which court the booking paperwork points to before you pay anything.
How do we get a public defender?
Ask the judge to appoint one at the first appearance. Grand County's contract defenders include a district public defender, 801-332-9217, and conflict counsel, 801-458-2285, on the court's public defender sheet. Juvenile parental-defense attorneys are on the same sheet.
Utah counties contract for defense work, and the state Indigent Defense Commission supports them. The judge will ask about your income, bills, and dependents.
Is it faster to ask for a lower amount or to pay a bondsman?
It depends on the case. A lawyer can ask the court to change a financial condition after a real change in circumstances. A defendant who cannot pay within seven days may also file a motion to modify, and the law presumes the person cannot pay.
A bondsman can post quickly, but you owe the premium whether or not the court later lowers the bond.
What does a hold mean on the jail record?
A hold means another agency or a judge wants the person kept. It may come from probation or parole, a warrant elsewhere, or a no-bail order. Paying bail on one charge does not remove a hold on another.
Ask the jail desk which holds are on the record, then ask the lawyer who has to clear each one.
Can visitors and out-of-state families do this remotely?
Mostly yes. Check Grand County Inmate Search, phone the jail at 435-259-8115, and pay by card at the court on weekdays or through the Justice Court's online link. Jail visits run through NCIC video visitation.
If someone is traveling to Moab for a bond, plan around the North Door and the weekday court hours.
Where do teenagers go?
Juvenile detention comes through the state Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services. Grand County youth are served by its Castle Country Youth Center, 1395 South Carbon Avenue, Price, 435-636-4720, and the Canyonlands Youth Center, 244 West Old Ruin Road, Blanding, 435-678-3140.
The juvenile court sets the detention hearing. Juvenile names are private, so the adult search will not show them.
What if a court date is missed?
A no-show lets the judge issue a bench warrant and forfeit the bond. When the no-show was willful or happens more than once, Utah law has the judge consider a bail bond as a way to secure attendance.
Phone the court at 435-259-1349 the same day to ask about resetting the hearing.
How is money returned?
Cash paid to the court can be refunded to a card or in cash when the matter ends, but the court may first apply it to fines or other debts. Keep the receipt and the case number.
Ask any bondsman in writing about premium and collateral before you sign.
How do I avoid being cheated?
Do not pay anyone who asks for a gift card, crypto, or a wire. Confirm payments by calling the jail at 435-259-8115 or the district court at 435-259-1349 yourself.
Key contacts for Grand County bond questions
- County jail
- Grand County Jail, 125 East Center Street, Moab, UT 84532; 435-259-8115
- Bond information
- Bail and bond guide for the jail
- Bond window
- North Door, 100 North Street entrance, Moab
- Sheriff's office
- 25 South 100 East, Moab, UT 84532
- Custody lookup
- Grand County Inmate Search
- District court
- 125 East Center Street, Moab; 435-259-1349; card bail 435-259-1350
- Justice court
- 435-259-1334; weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Public defender
- District defender 801-332-9217; conflict counsel 801-458-2285
- Youth detention
- Castle Country Youth Center, Price, 435-636-4720
Hours, fees, and payment rules can change by judge and by case. Call the jail or the court before you pay to make sure your plan works. This page is a general guide, not legal advice for any one case.
How do Bail Bonds work at Grand County Jail
The Grand County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Grand 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 Grand County, or in some cases the state of Utah, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Grand County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Utah 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 Grand County Jail, or the courthouse in Grand County where the offense took place.
Call 435-259-8115 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Grand County inmate locator.
Grand County Jail
Address:
125 East Center
Moab, UT 84532
Phone:
435-259-8115
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Grand County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Grand County?
Who can set bail in Grand County?
When is bail set in Grand County Utah?
Does Grand County have bail?
Yes, Grand County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Grand County?
Grand 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 Grand County?
For most less serious, non-violent crimes bail is set according to a bail schedule. More serious offenses require the bail be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Grand County Utah?
If the offenders are charged, the charges are listed along with the bond amount per the established bail schedule.
This information is made known during booking, and the defendant will be informed as to the amount needed for bail.
For more serious offenses the defendant will need to see a judge at what is known as a bail hearing. This hearing is scheduled within 48 hrs. of arrest, not counting weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Grand 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 Grand County 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 detained in a jail or prison 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, Grand 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 Grand 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.
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 Grand County have bail?
Yes, Grand County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Grand County?
Grand 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 Grand County?
For most less serious, non-violent crimes bail is set according to a bail schedule. More serious offenses require the bail be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Utah?
If the offense charges is listed on the established bail schedule this information is known during booking and the defendant will be informed as to the amount needed for bail. For more serious offenses the defendant will need to see at judge at what is known as a bail hearing. This hearing is scheduled within 48 hrs. of arrest, not counting weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Grand County Utah?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Grand County Utah, 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 Utah could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Grand County Utah?
Yes, Utah does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Grand County Jail for more information about the jails in Grand County.
What options are there to pay bail in Grand County Utah?
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 Grand County Jail for more information about posting bail in Grand County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Utah?
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 Grand County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
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.
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 to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Utah?
The Grand 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.