Walla Walla County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Walla Walla County bail and bond: the Alder Street jail, the courthouse clerk, and after-hours bail
Adults arrested in Walla Walla County are held at the Walla Walla County Jail, 300 West Alder Street, run by the county Corrections Department. The office answers at 509-524-5431. Look up custody and the bail amount with Walla Walla County Inmate Search. On weekdays, local bail is posted at the court clerk's counter. After hours, the jail takes it. Bail is cash or a bond from a court-approved company.
1. Is she in the jail at Fifth and Alder?
Enter her name in Walla Walla County Inmate Search. The jail's main entrance is at the corner of 5th and Alder, and its mailing address is 300 West Alder Street. A booking from the past hour may not show yet. Questions the search cannot answer go to the Corrections Department office at 509-524-5431.
2. Which police departments send people to this jail?
The county jail, built in 1982, serves the Walla Walla Police Department, the College Place Police Department and the Sheriff's Office. It is the jail that serves Walla Walla County. The Sheriff, Mark Crider, keeps an office at 240 West Alder Street, 509-524-5400, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
3. Is the State Penitentiary the same thing as the county jail?
No. The Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla is a state prison run by the Department of Corrections for people already sentenced. It is not a place to post bail. The county jail holds people arrested and waiting for court. For the prison, the department's headquarters answer at 360-725-8213.
4. What is the clock after an arrest in Walla Walla?
The law sets two deadlines. A judge must find probable cause within 48 hours of an arrest made without a warrant, with weekends and holidays counted. The first court appearance follows as soon as practicable and by the end of the next court day. A lawyer is provided there and the judge decides release.
5. Can she come home without posting anything?
Often. Washington starts with release on a written promise to appear. The judge refuses it only after finding the promise will not assure a return to court, or that a violent crime or witness threats are likely. Then the judge adds rules such as no contact or check-ins, or sets bail.
6. Where do I post bail on a weekday?
During regular business hours, bail on local charges is posted at the court that holds the case. Superior Court cases go to the clerk at 315 W. Main Street, 509-524-2780. District Court cases go to 317 W. Rose Street, 509-524-2760. The clerk's office is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
7. Where do I post bail after hours?
After the courts close, bail is posted at the county jail. Call 509-524-5431 before you leave home. The jail's lobby kiosk and online account system run around the clock, but those are for money on an inmate account, which never counts as bail. For bond steps, see the jail's bail guide.
8. What kind of payment is accepted?
Bail must be cash or a bond from a bonding company the court has approved. That rule applies at the court and at the jail. Phone the clerk or the jail before you bring anything other than cash, and keep the receipt with the case number on it.
9. What if he also has a warrant from another county?
Bail on an out-of-county warrant is accepted in cash only, at any time. A bond cannot satisfy it. Ask the jail desk to name every hold before you bring money, so you pay all of it in one trip.
10. Which bail bond agent can I use?
Pick one the court approves, because bonds from other companies are refused. Washington requires a Department of Licensing license for every agent, and the department answers at 360-664-1809. Ask for the fee, the collateral and the contract in writing. Washington guarantees your right to use a surety.
11. What do I lose if the case goes badly?
The agent always keeps the fee. If the person misses court, the judge can forfeit the bond, and the surety is owed written notice within 30 days or the forfeiture is void. Cash paid to the court comes back through the court after the case, less any fines.
12. When is bail denied in Walla Walla County?
Washington allows denial only for capital offenses and for offenses punishable by life in prison, which covers every class A felony. A hearing is needed, and the proof of violent propensity must be clear and convincing. Quick review by the court of appeals is available.
13. What happens to bail after a family-violence arrest?
The person is held until a judge sees the case at the first appearance, so nobody can post bail beforehand. The judge commonly issues a no-contact order that covers calls, texts and messages through others. Contact is a crime even when the protected person is the one who starts it.
14. How do DUI arrests work in the county?
If the officer knows of a prior offense within ten years, or a pending charge that would count as one, the driver must be held until a judicial officer releases him. A person who needs urgent care and is admitted to a hospital need not be held.
15. Will the court give her a free lawyer?
The court appoints one at the first appearance if the person cannot afford a lawyer. District Court, 509-524-2760, and the Superior Court clerk, 509-524-2780, can tell you who was appointed. Do not wait for the next hearing to raise it.
16. Which court hears the case if the arrest was in College Place or Prescott?
Walla Walla County District Court, 317 W. Rose Street, serves Burbank, College Place, Prescott, Waitsburg and the city of Walla Walla. Felonies go to Superior Court on the third floor of the courthouse at 315 W. Main Street.
17. Where does the county keep young people in custody?
The Walla Walla and Columbia County Juvenile Detention Center sits inside the Juvenile Justice Center at 455 W. Rose Street. It runs 24 hours a day at 509-524-2825. The Justice Center's main line is 509-524-2800. A youth whose case is declined by juvenile court is brought before an adult court by the end of the next court day.
Walla Walla County bond contacts
- County jail
- Walla Walla County Jail, 300 West Alder Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362; 509-524-5431
- Bond instructions
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Walla Walla County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 240 West Alder Street; 509-524-5400
- Superior Court
- 315 W. Main Street; clerk 509-524-2780
- District Court
- 317 W. Rose Street; 509-524-2760
- Public defense
- Appointed at first appearance; ask the court clerk, 509-524-2780
- Juvenile
- Juvenile Detention, 455 W. Rose Street; 509-524-2825
Court hours, jail procedures and approved-bondsman rules change. Call before you bring cash to the courthouse or the jail. The page describes common practice and is not legal advice for any single case.
Walla Walla County Jail
Address:
300 West Alder Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone:
509-524-5431
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Walla Walla County
Does Walla Walla County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Walla Walla County?
Who can set bail in Walla Walla County?
When is bail set in Walla Walla County Washington?
Does Walla Walla County have bail?
Yes, Walla Walla County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Walla Walla County?
Bonds in Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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, Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla County have bail?
Yes, Walla Walla County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Walla Walla County?
Bonds in Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla County Washington?
Yes, your attorney can file a motion to reduce or modify bail.
In Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla County Washington?
Yes, Washington does offer online bail payment. Contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Walla Walla County Jail for more information about the jails in Walla Walla County.
What options are there to pay bail in Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla County Jail for more information about posting bail in Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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 Walla Walla 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.