Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Kittitas County bail and bond: the Ellensburg jail, cash rules and court contacts
Adults arrested in Kittitas County are held at the Kittitas County Corrections Center, 205 West 5th Avenue, Ellensburg. The jail desk at 509-962-7527 can give the charge and the bail amount. Check custody first with Kittitas County Inmate Search. At the jail counter bail is paid in cash only, in exact change, and cards work online or by phone. A judge sets the amount and the rules for release.
1. Is my son inside the Ellensburg jail?
Search his name with Kittitas County Inmate Search. The roster covers people inside now and people released in the past three days. You can also sign up for custody alerts through VINE from the roster. If you still cannot tell, call the jail desk at 509-962-7527.
2. How do I learn the charge and the bail amount?
Call the jail at 509-962-7527. Staff can give the charge and the bail figure. If the answer is "no bail," that means the jail cannot release him on money at this time. The roster also carries a bail total, but the jail desk gives the most current number.
3. Where do I take money to bail someone out?
Go to the Corrections Center at 205 West 5th Avenue, Ellensburg, the same address as the county courthouse. In person, the jail takes cash only, in the exact amount, because it cannot make change. Bring the full name and the bail amount. A bond from a bail bond company is also accepted.
4. Can I pay by card?
Yes, through GovPayNet. It takes credit, debit and prepaid debit cards online or by phone at 1-888-604-7888. The fee is seven percent of the bail total. Compare that fee with the cash-only counter before you choose.
5. What does a bail bondsman cost in Kittitas County?
Bond companies in the county write bonds for jail release. Each sets its own fee, and the fee is not refunded. The jail does not point you to any company. Washington licenses agents through the Department of Licensing, so ask to see the license, and get the price and any collateral in writing.
6. Can the jail tell me his court date?
No. Jail staff do not keep court dates. Call the court that has the case. District Court for Ellensburg cases is 509-962-7511, and Superior Court is 509-962-7533.
7. What happens at the first court hearing in Ellensburg?
A judge has to find probable cause within 48 hours for an arrest made without a warrant. Weekends and holidays are included in the count. He must also appear before a judge by the end of the next court day, and the judge must give him a lawyer at that hearing. The judge decides at that point whether he is released and on what terms.
8. Can he be freed without paying?
Yes. Washington judges begin with a promise-to-appear release. If the court fears he will miss hearings, it can add conditions such as check-ins or monitoring. If it fears he is dangerous, it can limit contact or ban weapons. Money bail comes after less strict tools, and the judge has to weigh his ability to pay.
9. Will the court take my land or house as a guarantee?
A property bond goes through the court. Property bond agents must hold a state license and must supply the state with a list of courts that approved their work. The Clerk at 509-962-7531 can tell you what that court needs from the owner.
10. Why does the roster say no bail?
Judges may deny bail for offenses with a possible life term, such as any class A felony, after a hearing. The judge must find clear and convincing evidence of a propensity for violence and that conditions cannot protect people. A hold from probation, another county or another state also blocks release. The person stays until the court resolves it.
11. What if the arrest involved domestic violence?
State law requires a first court appearance within one judicial day for a domestic violence arrest, and the person can be kept until then. At that appearance the judge sets release terms and usually a no-contact order. Contact with the protected person can lead to a new arrest.
12. Do DUI arrests follow special rules in Kittitas County?
A driver with a prior DUI-type offense in the last ten years must be kept in custody until a judge orders release. Without a prior, the usual release rules apply.
13. Which police agencies bring people to this jail?
The Kittitas County Corrections Center is the county's only jail, so arrests by the Sheriff's Office and by city officers in Ellensburg, Cle Elum and Roslyn end up here. City cases go to city courts. Ellensburg's court is part of Lower Kittitas District Court. Cle Elum and Roslyn cases are heard at 700 East 1st Street, Cle Elum, 509-674-5533.
14. Where is the courthouse?
The courthouse is at 205 West 5th Avenue, Ellensburg. Superior Court is in Suite 207, the Clerk in Suite 210, Juvenile Court in Suite 211, and Lower Kittitas District Court in Room 180. Upper Kittitas District Court is in Cle Elum.
15. How does a person with no money get a lawyer in Kittitas County?
Ask the judge for one at the first appearance. The Kittitas County Department of Public Defense is in Suite 212 of the courthouse and takes calls at 509-962-7042. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
16. Where is a teenager held after an arrest?
Kittitas County has no youth detention center. Youth who must be held go to the Grant County or Yakima County center, and Kittitas County Juvenile Court at 509-962-7516 confirms which one.
17. Does putting money on his jail account get him out?
No. Money for phone time, commissary and stamps goes to the inmate account by money order, lobby kiosk, or the jail's online service. It does not buy release. Only a bail payment or bond to the court's order does that.
18. What if he skips court, and do I get bail back?
A warrant can be issued and the bond lost. Call a lawyer and the Clerk right away. Cash paid for bail goes with the court case, so ask the court how to claim it when the case ends. A bondsman's fee stays with the company.
Key contacts for Kittitas County bond questions
- County jail
- Kittitas County Corrections Center, 205 West 5th Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926; 509-962-7527
- Bond help
- Kittitas County bail and bond help
- Custody lookup
- Kittitas County Inmate Search
- Card payments
- GovPayNet, 1-888-604-7888
- Superior Court
- Suite 207, 509-962-7533; Clerk, Suite 210, 509-962-7531
- District Courts
- Lower Kittitas, Room 180, 509-962-7511; Upper Kittitas, 700 East 1st Street, Cle Elum, 509-674-5533
- Public defense
- Suite 212; 509-962-7042
- Juvenile Court
- Suite 211; 509-962-7516
Fees, hours and court orders can change. Call the jail or the clerk before you pay or travel. This is general guidance and is not a substitute for legal advice.
Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility Remote Bail Deposits
There are five choices for putting money on an inmate's books that may be used for paying an inmate's Bond or Bail.
Check with Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility by calling (509) 754-5690 prior to paying a bond online as this is being rolled out to different facilities slowly.
1. Commissary money in the form of a money order may be mailed to:
AdvancePay Service Department
P.O. Box 911722
Denver, CO 80291-1722
2. You may use cash or credit/debit cards at any time by using the kiosk located in the front lobby. The fee for the use of the ATM is generally $1.50 per transaction for cash and 10% fee for credit/debit cards.
3. Commissary money can also be added to an inmates account at any time using any of these methods online.
4. Cash deposits to ConnectNetwork are now available at 26,000 retail locations nationwide including Walmart, ACE, Kmart, Kroger, and more. You’ll start the payment process online in your ConnectNetwork account, then complete your transaction with cash at a participating local retail store. Plus, many of these stores are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Find a retail store near you.
5. You can call customer service 24/7 at 877-650-4249 and get instructions for depositing money over the phone using a debit or credit card.
Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility
Address:
303 Abel Road
P.O. Box 818
Ephrata, WA 98823
Phone:
(509) 754-5690
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Kittitas County
Does Kittitas County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Kittitas County?
Who can set bail in Kittitas County?
When is bail set in Kittitas County Washington?
Does Kittitas County have bail?
Yes, Kittitas County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Kittitas County?
Bonds in Kittitas County are available in several forms including release on own recognizance, citation release, cash bail, property bond, and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Kittitas County?
For minor, non-violent crimes bail is set according to a bail schedule. For more serious offenses a judge will set the bond following a hearing.
When is bail set in Kittitas County Washington?
For minor, non-violent offenses when bail is set according to a bail schedule the defendant will be informed of bail during the booking process. For more serious offenses a bail hearing will be scheduled, usually on the next court date not including weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Kittitas 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.
Washington State's suggested bail schedule, though a judge has the authority to set bail above or below the suggested amounts:
If a judge in Washington 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 Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility 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, Kittitas 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 Kittitas 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 Kittitas County have bail?
Yes, Kittitas County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Kittitas County?
Bonds in Kittitas County are available in several forms including release on own recognizance, citation release, cash bail, property bond, and surety bond.
Who can set bail in Kittitas County?
For minor, non-violent crimes bail is set according to a bail schedule. For more serious offenses a judge will set the bond following a hearing.
When is bail set in Washington?
For minor, non-violent offenses when bail is set according to a bail schedule the defendant will be informed of bail during the booking process. For more serious offenses a bail hearing will be scheduled, usually on the next court date not including weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Kittitas County Washington?
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to reduce or modify bail.
In Kittitas County Washington, 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 Washington could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Kittitas County Washington?
Yes, Washington does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility for more information about the jails in Kittitas County.
What options are there to pay bail in Kittitas County Washington?
Cash, cashier’s check, credit card, debit card, surety or via the inmate’s jail account. Contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted and fees involved: Go to the Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility for more information about posting bail in Kittitas County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Washington?
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 Kittitas 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 Washington?
The Grant County Juvenile Detention Facility 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 at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.