Lewis County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Lewis County bail and bond: the Chehalis jail and its 24-hour bail kiosk
Adults arrested in Lewis County are held at the Lewis County Jail in Chehalis. The county line is 360-748-9121. Check custody with Lewis County Inmate Search. Cash bail is accepted around the clock at a kiosk, and bonds from approved bail bond companies are accepted too. A judge sets the amount, and the jail forwards the money to that judge's court.
1. Is my daughter in the Lewis County Jail in Chehalis?
Look her up with Lewis County Inmate Search. If she is not there, she may have been booked somewhere else after a city arrest, so call 360-748-9121 and ask the desk where she is. Keep her full name and birth date handy.
2. Can I post bail at night or on a weekend?
Yes. The jail accepts cash bail 24 hours a day. During business hours the cash kiosk is in the main lobby. After hours it is in the release lobby. Bond company paperwork is also accepted. The jail accepts bail for whichever court holds the charge.
3. What kind of cash does the kiosk take?
The kiosk takes paper bills in $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations. Bring enough bills for the full bail amount. If the amount is large, a bond may be easier. Save the kiosk receipt, since it is your proof that the court's money was paid.
4. How do I choose a bail bond company?
Several bail bond companies are approved for Lewis County courts, and the jail keeps a yearly approved list. The Department of Licensing licenses every agent in Washington. The jail does not recommend one. Compare fees and ask for collateral terms in writing. The fee you pay the agent is not returned.
5. Who decides the amount, and can the jail change it?
The court that has the charge decides the amount and the type of bail. The jail only takes the payment and passes it on. A lawyer must ask the judge for any change.
6. When will a judge see my daughter?
A judge must determine probable cause within 48 hours of an arrest without a warrant, counting weekends and holidays. She must also have a hearing by the close of business on the next court day, and the court must offer her a lawyer there. At that hearing the judge picks the release terms.
7. Might she be released without paying anything?
Yes. Washington courts begin with release on a personal promise to appear. If that is not enough, the judge may add conditions such as electronic monitoring, a curfew or a ban on alcohol. Money bail is a later step, and the judge considers what she can afford.
8. Is there a way to post land or a house?
A court has to approve a property bond. Washington licenses property bond agents separately, and they must give the state a list of courts that approved their bonds. Call Superior Court at 360-740-1333 in the Law and Justice Center and ask how that court handles property.
9. The record says no bail. Is that final?
It may only mean no judge has acted yet. A judge can deny bail for offenses with a possible life sentence, including every class A felony, after a hearing and clear and convincing proof of a propensity for violence. Probation or out-of-county holds also stop release.
10. What is the rule for domestic violence arrests?
A judge must see the person within one judicial day. Courts may hold the person until then. The first hearing often brings a no-contact order that stays in force even if the other person wants contact.
11. Do DUI arrests have their own rules?
A DUI arrest with a prior alcohol-related offense in the past ten years means the driver stays in custody until a judge orders release. Other DUI arrests follow the ordinary release rules.
12. Does the Chehalis Tribal Jail ever hold Lewis County arrests?
Centralia police have an agreement to book arrested people at the Chehalis Tribal Jail, 30 Niederman Road, Oakville, in Grays Harbor County. If the county search shows nothing for a Centralia arrest, call the tribal jail at 360-709-1603. That is the tribal jail's line for housed inmates.
13. What about arrests by Centralia or Chehalis police?
City police charges go to the city's municipal court, in Centralia or Chehalis. County public defense does not cover Chehalis or Centralia municipal court, so ask the city court about a lawyer. County misdemeanors go to Lewis County District Court.
14. How do I request a public defender?
Fill out a financial statement at your first court appearance, or while in custody. The county Public Defense office, Room 210 at 351 NW North Street, Chehalis, reviews it. Call 360-740-3346, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The judge may order repayment of the cost at the end of a case.
15. Where is a teenager held in Lewis County?
Lewis County runs a 24-hour Juvenile Detention Center. Its number is 360-740-2632. Juvenile Court is at 1255 SW Pacific Avenue, Chehalis, 360-740-1178. Visiting hours for the center are posted on the county's juvenile court page.
16. What if she misses a hearing, and who refunds bail?
The court can issue a warrant and forfeit the bond. A surety must be told in writing within thirty days of an unexplained failure to appear, or the forfeiture is void. Contact a lawyer the same day. When the case ends, refund questions go to the court that ordered bail, because the jail forwards every dollar of bail to that court.
17. What do the legal words on the paperwork mean?
Recognizance means a signed promise to return. Surety means a company or person who backs that promise with money, as a licensed bond agent does. Forfeiture means the court keeps the money after a missed hearing. Exoneration means the court releases the bond because the case ended. Ask the clerk to explain any word you do not know.
18. Can I trust a caller who says they can free someone for a fee?
No. Real bail goes to the jail, to an approved bond company, or to the court. Do not send gift cards, wire transfers or app payments to a stranger. Hang up and call the county line, 360-748-9121, to check.
Key contacts for Lewis County bond questions
- County jail
- Lewis County Jail, Chehalis, WA; 360-748-9121
- Bond help
- Lewis County bail and bond help
- Custody lookup
- Lewis County Inmate Search
- Bail kiosk
- 24 hours; main lobby in business hours, release lobby after hours
- Superior Court
- Law and Justice Center, 4th Floor, 345 West Main Street, Chehalis; 360-740-1333
- Public defense
- 351 NW North Street, Room 210, Chehalis; 360-740-3346
- Juvenile Court
- 1255 SW Pacific Avenue, Chehalis; 360-740-1178
- Juvenile detention
- 360-740-2632
- Chehalis Tribal Jail
- 30 Niederman Road, Oakville; 360-709-1603
Courts and jails update their rules often, so call before you travel or pay. Nothing here is legal advice. A lawyer can answer questions about one case.
Lewis County Jail
Address:
28 SW Chehalis Avenue
Chehalis, WA 98532
Phone:
360-748-9241
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Lewis County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lewis County?
Who can set bail in Lewis County?
When is bail set in Lewis County Washington?
Does Lewis County have bail?
Yes, Lewis County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lewis County?
Bonds in Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis 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, Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County have bail?
Yes, Lewis County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lewis County?
Bonds in Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County Washington?
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to reduce or modify bail.
In Lewis 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 Lewis County Washington?
Yes, Washington does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Lewis County Jail for more information about the jails in Lewis County.
What options are there to pay bail in Lewis 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 Lewis County Jail for more information about posting bail in Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis 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 at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.