Mason County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Mason County bail and bond: the Shelton jail, the Nisqually jail and the courts
Adults arrested in Mason County are held at the Mason County Jail in Shelton, or, for some Shelton city arrests, at the Nisqually Corrections Center in Olympia. Check the county jail with Mason County Inmate Search and the Nisqually jail with Nisqually Corrections Inmate Search. The county number is 360-427-9670. A judge sets bail, and Nisqually takes cash bail around the clock.
Where do I look for someone arrested in Mason County?
Try Mason County Inmate Search first. If the name is not there, the person may have been booked at the Nisqually Corrections Center in Olympia, which holds some arrests from the City of Shelton. Search that jail with Nisqually Corrections Inmate Search. Still nothing? Call the county at 360-427-9670 and ask for the jail.
How do I reach the Mason County Jail?
The jail is in Shelton, near the courthouse. Dial the county's main number, 360-427-9670, and ask for the jail or the Sheriff's Office. Ask for the charge, the bail amount and the court that has the case. Keep the person's full name and birth date close.
Why might a Shelton arrest end up in Olympia?
The City of Shelton has an agreement to send people to the Nisqually Corrections Center, 11702 Yelm Highway SE, Olympia. Shelton does not run a jail. The Nisqually facility holds people for the Nisqually Tribe, other tribes and local governments in Western Washington.
How is bail paid at the Nisqually jail?
Cash bail is accepted there 24 hours a day, and so are bonds from bond companies. Cash is the only form of money; the jail takes no credit cards or personal checks. Waits can be long. Cash found on the arrested person can be applied to bail. Call 360-413-3019 for the bail desk, or 360-459-9603 for the main jail line. The money goes to the court that ordered it.
Who picks the bail amount for a Mason County arrest?
A judge, in the court that has the charge. County misdemeanors belong to Mason County District Court. Felony charges are heard in Superior Court. Shelton city charges belong to Shelton Municipal Court. A jail officer does not set the number.
What does Washington require in the first 48 hours?
If police arrest without a warrant, a judge must find probable cause within 48 hours, and weekends and holidays count. The arrested person must also be brought to court by the end of the next court day. The court gives a lawyer to anyone who needs one and decides at that point about release.
Is there a way out without paying money?
There is. The judge's starting point is a release on a written promise to return. The judge may add conditions, such as staying away from someone or checking in. Bail in money is for cases where lesser steps will not work. The judge must also consider the person's finances.
How does a bail bond agent work?
The agent promises the court the full bail and charges you a fee. Washington licenses these agents through the Department of Licensing. Ask for the fee amount, the collateral and the rules for missed hearings in writing. Do not expect the fee back.
Will the court take a house or land?
Courts decide property bonds one at a time. Property bond agents need a separate license and must give the state a list of courts that approved their bonds. Call Mason County Superior Court at 360-427-9670 with your questions before you collect deeds.
What if the screen says the person cannot get bail?
A judge can hold a person without bail on an offense that carries possible life in prison, including a class A felony, after a hearing and clear and convincing proof of a propensity for violence. A probation hold or a warrant from another county can also stop release. Ask the court that has the case.
What is different about domestic violence and DUI arrests?
A domestic violence arrestee goes before a judge within one judicial day, and the court can hold the person until then. A DUI arrest with a prior offense in the last ten years must be held until a judge orders release.
Which Mason County courts do I contact?
Superior Court is at 419 North 4th Street, second floor, Shelton. District Court is at 414 West Franklin Street, Shelton; ask for extension 339 at 360-427-9670. The Clerk is extension 346. Shelton Municipal Court is in the Civic Center, 525 West Cota Street, 360-426-9772.
What if I cannot afford an attorney in Mason County?
Ask for one at the first hearing. Mason County Public Defense is at 411 North Fifth Street, Shelton, and takes calls at 360-427-9670. The court reviews your income before it appoints a lawyer.
Where does Mason County hold teenagers?
Mason County has its own Juvenile Detention Facility. Juvenile Court is at 426 West Cedar Street, Shelton. Call 360-427-9670 to learn where a young person is held and when the hearing will take place.
Are the state prisons near Shelton part of this process?
No. The Washington Corrections Center and the Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women are state prisons run by the Department of Corrections. People there are serving sentences, so there is no bail to post. Call the department's headquarters at 360-725-8213 for help.
Can a judge change the bail or the conditions later?
Yes. A judge can amend a release order when circumstances change or new information comes in. A person who cannot afford the bail that was set can ask the court to look at it again, through a lawyer. Bring proof of work, housing and family ties. Courts must pick the least strict condition that still works.
Who should I pay, and who is a scammer?
Pay only the jail desk, a licensed bond company, or the court. The Nisqually jail does not refer anyone to a bondsman. Treat any caller who wants gift cards, wire transfers or app payments as a scam. Hang up and call the county line, 360-427-9670, or the Nisqually jail at 360-459-9603.
What if the person skips a hearing, and who returns bail?
A warrant can be issued and the bond forfeited. A bonding company must receive written notice within thirty days of an unexplained failure to appear, or the forfeiture is void. Call a lawyer right away. Bail goes to the court that ordered it, so ask that court how to claim the money after the case. A bond agent's fee is kept by the agent.
Key contacts for Mason County bond questions
- County jail
- Mason County Jail, Shelton, WA; county line 360-427-9670
- Bond help
- Mason County bail and bond help
- Custody lookup
- Mason County Inmate Search
- Nisqually jail
- 11702 Yelm Highway SE, Olympia; 360-459-9603; bail 360-413-3019; Nisqually Corrections Inmate Search
- Superior Court
- 419 North 4th Street, Shelton; 360-427-9670
- District Court
- 414 West Franklin Street, Shelton; 360-427-9670 ext. 339
- Shelton Municipal Court
- 525 West Cota Street; 360-426-9772
- Public defense
- 411 North Fifth Street, Shelton; 360-427-9670
- Juvenile Court
- 426 West Cedar Street, Shelton; 360-427-9670
Fees, hours and local practice change from time to time, so call before you pay. This page is a plain guide to common steps. It is not a lawyer's advice.
Mason County Jail
Address:
411 N 4th Street
Shelton, WA 98584
Phone:
360-427-9670
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Mason County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Mason County?
Who can set bail in Mason County?
When is bail set in Mason County Washington?
Does Mason County have bail?
Yes, Mason County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Mason County?
Bonds in Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason 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, Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason County have bail?
Yes, Mason County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Mason County?
Bonds in Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason County Washington?
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to reduce or modify bail.
In Mason 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 Mason County Washington?
Yes, Washington does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Mason County Jail for more information about the jails in Mason County.
What options are there to pay bail in Mason 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 Mason County Jail for more information about posting bail in Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason 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.