Uintah County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Uintah County bail and bond: the Vernal jail, payment, and the public defender
The Uintah County Jail is on the first floor of the Public Safety Complex, 641 East 300 South, Suite 150, in Vernal. Use Uintah County Inmate Search to check whether a person is booked, what the charges are, and what bail has been set. The jail line is 435-781-1300. The Sheriff's Office has its own suite, Suite 250 in the same building, and answers at 435-789-2511. The county public defender's office is separate from both and sits at the Uintah County Building.
1. How do I know my person is in the Vernal jail?
Search the name with Uintah County Inmate Search. If nothing appears, the booking may be fresh, or the person may be held under a different spelling. Phone the jail at 435-781-1300 and ask the desk to check by date of birth.
Know which agency made the arrest. If a Vernal city officer, a state trooper or a deputy made it, the jail desk can tell you which agency holds the report.
2. Which building is the jail in?
The jail is at 641 East 300 South, Suite 150, Public Safety Complex, Vernal, UT 84078. The Sheriff's Office is at Suite 250 of the same complex. Do not go to the Uintah County Building at 152 East 100 North for jail business; that building houses county offices and the public defender.
Park at the complex, bring ID, and ask at the Suite 150 entrance.
3. Who leads the Sheriff's Office, and who runs the jail day to day?
Sheriff Steve Labrum leads the Uintah County Sheriff's Office, and a chief deputy supports him. Jail operations fall under the Sheriff's Office, so any custody, release or visitation rule traces back to that office.
The Sheriff's Office also handles civil papers, evidence and expungement requests through its front office staff.
4. Who sets bail for a new Uintah County arrest?
A county jail official, meaning the sheriff or a designee, may release an eligible arrestee on a written promise to return under the Sheriff's release policy, and may set a money amount for some charges.
The judge takes the lead at first appearance. The judge issues a pretrial status order, chooses any financial condition from the state schedule, and looks at the person's ties, work, health, record and ability to pay.
5. How high can the jail set the amount?
The state ceiling for a jail official is $5,000 for an eligible felony, $1,950 for a class A misdemeanor, $680 for class B and $340 for class C. Ordinance violations stop at $150 or $80.
If a person is booked on many charges, the jail sets a single amount that cannot exceed the highest ceiling among them. Anything larger is the judge's decision.
6. What counts as payment at the jail?
Utah law lets a county jail take cash, a cashier's or certified check, a money order, a personal check with a check guarantee card, or a credit card where the jail has chosen to accept cards. A court can also take a surety bond, or a card at its discretion.
Call the jail at 435-781-1300 and ask which of those forms the Vernal jail takes, then bring ID and the person's booking name.
7. Does the bail bond agent route make sense?
It can, when the full amount is out of reach. The Utah Insurance Department licenses agents, and by rule the premium falls between 10 and 20 percent of the bond. Add-ons such as document prep are capped at $20 a set and card fees at 5 percent.
Get the one-page disclosure before release. It must itemize fees, collateral and co-signer duties, and say when collateral comes back.
8. What court will handle the case?
Felony and most misdemeanor matters go to the Eighth District Court for Uintah County in Vernal. The Eighth District Juvenile Court is at 920 East Highway 40, Vernal, phone 435-781-9344.
Ask the jail desk at 435-781-1300 for the case number, the judge and the date. Courts do not take payment by text message.
9. Can the court deny bail?
In three situations the Utah constitution allows it: a capital offense, a new felony committed on probation, parole or bail for an older felony, and listed crimes when the court finds by clear and convincing evidence danger or flight risk.
A protective-order arrest means no release before first appearance. The defense gets a lawyer at the detention hearing and may appeal quickly.
10. Release is possible, but only with conditions. What might they be?
A judge may order electronic monitoring, treatment, a curfew or firearm restrictions, instead of or along with money. The judge must explain the reasons in writing when ordering detention.
Release cannot depend only on the type of offense or a risk score. Share job letters and housing proof with the lawyer so the judge hears the full picture.
11. Can we ask for a change if the family cannot pay?
Seven days after arrest, a defendant who still cannot pay may ask the court to modify the amount. The court presumes the person cannot pay and may lower the sum or release on other conditions.
A later motion needs a material change in circumstances.
12. Where is the public defender in Uintah County?
The Public Defender Office is on the third floor of the Uintah County Building, 152 East 100 North, Vernal, UT 84078, phone 435-781-5350. It serves both Uintah and Daggett counties.
Ask the judge to appoint counsel at the first appearance, then call the office to be sure it has the case.
13. Where do Vernal teenagers go if they are detained?
The state runs the Split Mountain Youth Center at 830 East Main Street, Vernal, phone 435-789-2045. Locked detention is for youth charged with felonies, weapons offenses, assaults and similar matters; it is not for truancy.
A juvenile will not show up in the adult inmate search. Call the youth center or the juvenile court.
14. Are jail account deposits the same as bail?
No. A deposit adds money for the inmate to use inside. It will not release anyone or reduce the bail. Use only the jail desk, the court or a licensed agent for release money.
Keep deposit receipts and bail receipts separate.
15. What if he or she misses court?
Expect a bench warrant. If the failure was willful or repeated, the judge must consider whether a bail bond would help the next appearance.
Call the defense lawyer or the court the same day.
16. How do we tell a real call from a scam?
Real offices do not demand gift cards, wires or app payments. Hang up and phone the jail yourself at 435-781-1300, or look up the booking at Uintah County Inmate Search.
Do not give card numbers to anyone who says to hurry.
Key contacts for Uintah County bond questions
- County jail
- Uintah County Jail, Public Safety Complex, 641 East 300 South, Suite 150, Vernal, UT 84078; 435-781-1300
- Bail and bond guide
- Bail and bond instructions for the Uintah County jail
- Custody lookup
- Uintah County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- Suite 250, same complex; 435-789-2511
- County Building
- 152 East 100 North, Vernal, UT 84078; 435-781-0770
- Public defender
- Third floor, County Building; 435-781-5350
- Juvenile court
- 920 East Highway 40, Vernal; 435-781-9344
- Youth detention
- Split Mountain Youth Center, 830 East Main Street, Vernal; 435-789-2045
Amounts, hours and phone lines are updated by the county from time to time. Verify them with the Vernal jail desk before you pay. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Uintah County Jail
The Uintah County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah County Jail, or the courthouse in Uintah County where the offense took place.
Call 435-781-1300 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Uintah County inmate locator.
Uintah County Jail
Address:
641 East 300 South
Vernal, UT 84078
Phone:
435-781-1300
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Uintah County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Uintah County?
Who can set bail in Uintah County?
When is bail set in Uintah County Utah?
Does Uintah County have bail?
Yes, Uintah County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Uintah County?
Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah 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, Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah County have bail?
Yes, Uintah County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Uintah County?
Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah County Utah?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Uintah 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 Uintah County Utah?
Yes, Utah does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Uintah County Jail for more information about the jails in Uintah County.
What options are there to pay bail in Uintah 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 Uintah County Jail for more information about posting bail in Uintah 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 Uintah 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 Uintah 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.