San Juan County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
San Juan County bail and bond: the Friday Harbor facility and the Yakima jail
Anyone taken into custody in San Juan County is first held at the Sheriff's Office holding facility in Friday Harbor. People who are waiting for trial or serving a sentence are sent to the Yakima County Correctional Facility, across the Cascade Mountains. Because of that split, the first job is to learn which building holds your family member. Use San Juan County Inmate Search, then ask the Sheriff's Office at the Friday Harbor facility. Details on bail and bonds depend on the jail that has him.
Where is my family member held after an arrest in the San Juans?
Everyone taken into custody is held at the Friday Harbor holding facility, which the Sheriff's Office operates. It is a temporary facility, not a full jail.
People who are awaiting trial or serving a sentence go to the Yakima County Correctional Facility. Check San Juan County Inmate Search first, because the answer can change within days.
Why would a San Juan County prisoner be in Yakima?
The islands have a holding facility, not a long-term jail, so the county places its pretrial and sentenced inmates in Yakima. That means bail, visits and phone calls for a long stay run through Yakima County's corrections staff.
How do I contact someone held in Yakima?
San Juan County directs families to the Yakima County Department of Corrections for contact and visits with anyone held there. Give the full name and ask about their rules for mail, calls and money.
Can I visit someone at the Friday Harbor facility?
Visits there are limited to family members, and only when staffing allows. The facility also runs work programs seven days a week, so ask the Sheriff's Office whether your relative qualifies for one.
How can a hearing happen when the jail is hundreds of miles away?
Court rules let first appearances, arraignments and bail hearings take place by video if everyone can see and hear each other, and any party may ask for an in-person hearing. The San Juan County Superior Court also offers remote access by Teams or telephone.
A lawyer's confidential access to the client must be kept during video hearings.
How fast does a judge look at the arrest?
A judge must find probable cause within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest, and weekends and holidays count. The person must also appear before the court as soon as practicable, and no later than the close of business the next court day.
After that appearance, charges must be filed within 72 hours, not counting weekends and holidays, or the person is freed.
What will the judge decide at the first hearing?
The judge provides a lawyer, tells the person the charge and the right to remain silent, and considers release. Washington's starting point is release on a promise to appear. If that will not secure the person's return, the judge uses the least restrictive conditions, and bail only if needed.
Any bail must take the person's finances into account.
How do I pay bail for a person held in Yakima?
First ask the court that set the bail for the amount and the case number. A licensed bail bond agent can then arrange a bond with the jail holding the person. Ask the agent which jail will receive it and what proof the court needs.
What should I know about hiring a bail agent?
Washington requires bail bond agents to be licensed by the Department of Licensing. The agent's fee is not returned. Check a license or report trouble at the Bail Bond Program, 360-664-1809, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Washington's constitution protects the option of a surety, so a court cannot insist that the only choice is cash.
Can bail be refused?
Yes, in a few situations. Domestic violence arrests and drunk-driving arrests with a prior offense inside ten years stay in custody until a judge acts. For offenses that carry a possible life sentence, including class A felonies, a judge may order detention after a hearing that proves dangerousness by clear and convincing evidence.
Could a boat, house or land secure a bond?
Property bond agents are licensed in Washington, and they must list the courts that approved their property bonds. Ask the agent which court accepted it before you hand over any deed or title.
Who is the lawyer if the family cannot pay?
The court must provide a lawyer at the first appearance. Ask the judge to appoint one and be ready to describe your income. Court staff can direct you to the county's public defense program.
What conditions can come with release?
A judge may bar contact with named people or places, limit travel or where the person lives, require reporting to a supervisor, ban weapons, alcohol or non-prescribed drugs with testing, or order electronic monitoring. In a drunk-driving case with a prior alcohol offense, an ignition interlock or 24/7 sobriety monitoring is required.
Release orders must state each condition in plain terms and warn that a violation can lead to an immediate arrest warrant.
What does a no-contact order mean in a domestic violence case?
When a judge releases someone arrested for domestic violence, the judge can bar direct and indirect contact with the victim and family members, exclude the person from a shared home, workplace, school or child care, and set a minimum distance. Contact with the protected person is a crime even if that person invites it.
Only the court can change the order.
Where would a teenager be held?
San Juan County does not have its own juvenile detention center. Youth who need secure detention are served by detention centers in Clallam, Skagit and Whatcom Counties. The Sheriff's Office can tell you where a young person was taken.
What happens if a hearing is missed?
A judge can order a warrant. A surety bond may be forfeited for an unexplained failure to appear, but the bondsman must get written notice within 30 days of the missed date or the forfeiture is void. Cash bail is held by the court, and the court, not the jail, handles any refund.
How do I keep away from bail scams?
Pay only to a licensed agent you chose or to a court. A call demanding gift cards or an app transfer in return for release is a scam.
Key contacts
- Holding facility
- San Juan County holding facility, Friday Harbor, run by the Sheriff's Office
- Bond instructions
- Bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- San Juan County Inmate Search
- Long-term jail
- Yakima County Correctional Facility, Yakima County Department of Corrections
- Bail bond licensing
- Department of Licensing Bail Bond Program, 360-664-1809
Jail locations and rules can change, so confirm every detail with the Sheriff's Office or the court before you send money. This is plain-language guidance and not legal advice.
San Juan County Jail
Address:
96 Second Street
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
Phone:
206-257-6200
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in San Juan County
Does San Juan County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in San Juan County?
Who can set bail in San Juan County?
When is bail set in San Juan County Washington?
Does San Juan County have bail?
Yes, San Juan County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in San Juan County?
Bonds in San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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, San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan County have bail?
Yes, San Juan County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in San Juan County?
Bonds in San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan County Washington?
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to reduce or modify bail.
In San Juan 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 San Juan County Washington?
Yes, Washington does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the San Juan County Jail for more information about the jails in San Juan County.
What options are there to pay bail in San Juan 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 San Juan County Jail for more information about posting bail in San Juan 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 San Juan 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 San Juan 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.