RSW Regional Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
RSW Regional Jail: getting someone out on bail
RSW Regional Jail near Front Royal is shared by Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren counties. Each county has its own magistrate and its own courts, so the steps depend on where the arrest happened. This guide covers bail, payment, court levels and who to call.
What does RSW stand for, and who uses it?
RSW stands for Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren, the three counties that built and share the RSW Regional Jail. It sits on Winchester Road just north of Front Royal. Adults arrested by Front Royal police, by the three sheriffs' offices, or by town police in Strasburg, Woodstock, New Market, Mount Jackson and Edinburg are held here.
Who sets bail for an RSW inmate?
A state magistrate, never the jail. After an arrest, the officer must bring the person to a magistrate right away (Va. Code § 19.2-80), and the magistrate holds a bail hearing on the spot. Which magistrate depends on the county of arrest.
Where is the magistrate for each county?
• Warren County and Front Royal: Suite A in the jail building, 6601 Winchester Road (540-636-2017).
• Shenandoah County: 109 West Court Street, Woodstock, VA 22664 (540-459-6117).
• Rappahannock County: a video station at 383 Porter Street in the town of Washington, linked to the staffed office at 78 West Lee Street, Warrenton, VA 20186 (540-422-8680).
Why does a Shenandoah or Rappahannock arrest take longer?
Those counties see the magistrate first, near home. If the person isn't released, deputies then drive them to Front Royal, about 35 minutes from Woodstock or from Washington. That ride can add time before the person shows up in the jail's records.
How is the bail amount picked?
There's no state chart of prices. The magistrate looks at the person and the case: the charge, any firearm, the evidence, work and family ties, years in the area, criminal history and court attendance in the past (Va. Code § 19.2-120). The amount must also be reasonable for that person's finances (Va. Code § 19.2-121).
Can a magistrate refuse bail?
Only with probable cause that the person will skip court or that their release would be an unreasonable danger to someone, including themselves (Va. Code § 19.2-120). Otherwise Virginia law requires bail. Since 2021, no charge carries an automatic presumption against release.
What kinds of release are used?
• Recognizance, a signed promise to appear.
• Unsecured bond, a dollar amount owed only if the person misses court.
• Secured bond, which must be paid or guaranteed before release (Va. Code § 19.2-123).
Quiet first offenses in these rural counties often get one of the first two.
How do families pay a secured bond?
Take cash, or the deed to a Virginia home or land, to the magistrate who set the bond, or post at the RSW building. For property, only the owner's real equity counts. You can also hire a bail bondsman. Bonds can be posted around the clock, but call the magistrate first to make sure someone is on duty and to ask about payment.
How much is a bondsman's fee?
Virginia caps it between 10% and 15% of the bond (Va. Code § 9.1-185.8). On a $2,500 bond, that's $250 to $375, and it's not refundable. Only use a bondsman with a DCJS license (Va. Code § 9.1-185).
Where are Warren County and Front Royal cases heard?
At the Warren courthouse on East Main Street in Front Royal. The General District Court is at Courthouse Square (540-635-2335), the Circuit Court is at 1 East Main Street (540-635-2435), and JDR is on the courthouse's second floor (540-635-4107). Front Royal is a town, so its cases go to the county court (Va. Code § 16.1-123.1).
Where are Shenandoah County cases heard?
In Woodstock. The General District Court is in Suite 128 at 215 Mill Road (540-459-6130), with JDR upstairs in Suite 228 (540-459-6135). Circuit Court is at 112 South Main Street (540-459-6150).
Where are Rappahannock County cases heard?
On Gay Street in the town of Washington. One combined court at number 250 hears both grown-up criminal cases and those involving kids or relatives (540-675-5356). Circuit Court is next door at number 238 (540-675-5350).
How is a misdemeanor case different from a felony case?
A misdemeanor's maximum is 12 months behind bars, and it is decided by a district judge. If found guilty, the person has 10 days to appeal and get a fresh trial in Circuit Court (Va. Code § 16.1-132).
A felony can carry a prison term. The district judge holds a preliminary hearing first (Va. Code § 19.2-218); if the case goes forward, a grand jury looks at it, and the trial takes place in Circuit Court.
When will someone held at RSW see a judge?
On the next day the district court for the county of arrest is in session (Va. Code § 19.2-158). Most of these hearings happen by video from the jail. At that first look, the judge confirms the bail and checks whether counsel is needed. A defense motion to change bail gets a hearing inside three business days; after that, an appeal can go up to Circuit Court (Va. Code § 19.2-124).
Is a court-appointed lawyer available?
Yes, when jail is a possible punishment and the person swears they can't afford counsel (Va. Code § 19.2-159).
What conditions might be added?
Curfews, no drinking, drug testing, no contact with certain people, and GPS on secured bonds (Va. Code § 19.2-123). I-81 and I-66 meet near Front Royal and Strasburg, so DUI and drug-stop arrests are common, and testing terms follow. Arrests for family violence bring an emergency protective order, usually good for roughly 72 hours (Va. Code § 16.1-253.4).
How are juvenile arrests handled?
Anyone under 18 goes to the JDR court of the county of arrest (Va. Code § 16.1-241), not to adult court, and is not held at RSW. Court intake staff and the judge choose between sending the teen home and a juvenile detention stay.
Where do federal charges go?
Federal cases from Warren and Shenandoah go to Harrisonburg, and federal cases from Rappahannock go to Charlottesville. Both are courts of the Western District of Virginia. Release in those courts is set by a federal magistrate judge (18 U.S.C. § 3142), and state bondsmen are not involved.
What if the person skips court?
The court issues a capias for arrest and can forfeit the bond. Missing court can also be charged as its own offense (Va. Code § 19.2-128). When the person returns to custody inside 150 days, the court may toss the forfeiture on a motion (Va. Code § 19.2-143).
What does signing the bond mean for a family member?
You become a surety and may have to pay the whole bond if the person runs. You can get off the bond by surrendering the person to the jail or court (Va. Code § 19.2-149). Cash comes back after the case, as long as every hearing was attended.
Who can confirm bail before I head to Front Royal?
Jail: 540-622-6097. Magistrates: Warren 540-636-2017, Shenandoah 540-459-6117, Rappahannock (Warrenton office) 540-422-8680. District courts: Warren 540-635-2335, Shenandoah 540-459-6130, Rappahannock 540-675-5356. Search first with the RSW Regional Jail Inmate Search.
RSW Regional Jail contacts
- Jail
- RSW Regional Jail, 6601 Winchester Road, Front Royal, VA 22630; 540-622-6097
- Warren magistrate
- 6601 Winchester Road, Suite A, Front Royal, VA 22630; 540-636-2017
- Shenandoah magistrate
- 109 West Court Street, Woodstock, VA 22664; 540-459-6117
- Rappahannock magistrate
- Video site: 383 Porter Street, Washington, VA 22747. Staffed office: 78 West Lee Street, Warrenton, VA 20186; 540-422-8680
- Warren courts
- Front Royal, VA 22630. District, Courthouse Square, One East Main St.: 540-635-2335. JDR, 1 East Main Street, 2nd Floor: 540-635-4107. Circuit, 1 East Main Street: 540-635-2435
- Shenandoah courts
- Woodstock, VA 22664. District, 215 Mill Road, Suite 128: 540-459-6130. JDR, 215 Mill Road, Suite 228: 540-459-6135. Circuit, 112 South Main Street: 540-459-6150
- Rappahannock courts
- Washington, VA 22747. District and JDR, 250 Gay Street: 540-675-5356. Circuit, 238 Gay Street: 540-675-5350
- Inmate search
- RSW Regional Jail Inmate Search
This page is not legal advice.
RSW Regional Jail
Address:
6601 Winchester Road
Front Royal, VA 22630
Phone:
540-622-6097
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Warren County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Warren County?
Who can set bail in Warren County?
When is bail set in Warren County Virginia?
Does Warren County have bail?
Yes, Warren County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Warren County?
There are three types of bail available in Warren County: release on own recognizance, unsecured bail, and secured bail.
Who can set bail in Warren County?
Bail is set by a magistrate at the first court date, also known as first appearance.
When is bail set in Warren County Virginia?
The first court date, or first appearance is generally scheduled within 1-3 days of arrest.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Warren 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 Warren 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 will be detained in the RSW Regional 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, Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County have bail?
Yes, Warren County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Warren County?
There are three types of bail available in Warren County: release on own recognizance, unsecured bail, and secured bail.
Who can set bail in Warren County?
Bail is set by a magistrate at the first court date, also known as first appearance.
When is bail set in Virginia?
The first court date, or first appearance is generally scheduled within 1-3 days of arrest.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Warren County Virginia?
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to request a reduction or modification of bail.
In Warren County Virginia, 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 Virginia could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Warren County Virginia?
Virginia counties do not currently offer online bail payments. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the RSW Regional Jail for more information about the jails in Warren County.
What options are there to pay bail in Warren County Virginia?
Cash, check, money order, or surety. Use of a surety may require hiring a bail bond agent. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted: Go to the RSW Regional Jail for more information about posting bail in Warren County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Virginia?
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 Warren 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 Virginia?
The RSW Regional 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.