Oneida County bail and bond: the Rhinelander jail and the courthouse steps that follow
Adults arrested anywhere in Oneida County, from Rhinelander to Minocqua, are held at the Oneida County Jail, 2000 East Winnebago Street, Rhinelander. The jail desk is 715-361-5180. First, run the name through Oneida County Inmate Search. Wisconsin bans paid bail bondsmen, so the cash bail you may be asked for goes to the court system, and some people are released on a signed promise with no money at all.
Is the person in the Rhinelander jail or somewhere else?
Use Oneida County Inmate Search to see whether the person is booked. If the name does not appear, call the jail at 715-361-5180 and ask if another agency has a hold. The Sheriff's Office headquarters shares the address, 2000 East Winnebago Street, and its main line is 715-361-5100.
Searching the Oneida County name matters. The Oneida Nation near Green Bay is a different place with a different court.
Can I still use a bondsman?
Many families expect to call a bondsman because other states work that way. Wisconsin ended it in 1979. A surety here must be a person living in Wisconsin, never a company, and the statute says that person may not be paid.
So no one in Rhinelander can charge you a fee to post bail. What you can do is wait for the judge's decision, then pay any cash directly or sign a promise.
What time are bail decisions made?
A judge decides at the first appearance, which has to take place within a reasonable time after arrest. Court decisions treat about 48 hours as the limit for a warrantless arrest. Appearances can be held on video.
The Clerk of Circuit Court, in the courthouse at 1 South Oneida Avenue, third floor, answers at 715-369-6120 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ask there for the date once a case number exists.
What is the difference between cash bail and a signature bond?
Cash bail means money is paid in. A signature bond, which the statute calls an unsecured appearance bond, means the person signs and owes the amount only after breaking the terms.
The third path is release with conditions and no bail. Under Wisconsin law the word bail means money only, so a curfew or no-contact order is a condition, not bail.
What can the judge consider, and what is the ceiling?
The judge may order bail only after finding a reasonable basis that it is needed to assure appearance. For a violent charge, the judge may consider the whole picture, including prior violent convictions and the need to protect others.
The judge looks at the offense, the person's ability to pay, the evidence, and whether the person was on probation. A misdemeanor bail cannot be more than the maximum fine for that crime.
Where do I pay at the jail or the courthouse?
Call the jail at 715-361-5180 to confirm the amount and the way to pay before driving to Rhinelander. Officers may take bail only at a sheriff's office or a police station, and they give a numbered receipt. A court clerk may also take a card.
The receipt, with the case number on it, is your proof for a refund.
Can an arrest in Minocqua or Three Lakes end up at the same jail?
Yes. Oneida County runs one county jail for all of its towns, so the booking for a county arrest takes place on East Winnebago Street in Rhinelander. The Rhinelander Police Department, 201 North Brown Street, 715-365-5300, can tell you whether its officers made the arrest.
What does a no-bail hold mean in Oneida County?
Wisconsin's constitution starts from release on reasonable terms. A judge can set that aside only for charges the law lists, such as certain homicides and sex offenses, or a violent charge against someone with a violent conviction. The District Attorney asks for it, a hearing begins within 10 days, and the state must meet a clear and convincing standard. The longest a hold can last is 60 days after the hearing.
Does a domestic abuse charge change how release works?
Yes. An officer has to arrest when the statute applies, and cannot let the person go until bail is posted or a judge has reviewed the case. For the first 72 hours after release the person must avoid the alleged victim and the victim's residence, and must sign an acknowledgment before leaving. Anyone who knowingly violates this faces up to $10,000 in fines, up to nine months in jail, or both.
My husband has to be at work. Can he leave jail early?
If he is sentenced to county jail, the court may grant Huber work release so he can go to a job at set hours. Huber is not for people waiting for trial and cannot be used in place of bail. Ask the jail desk at 715-361-5180 about eligibility after a sentence.
Who gets the cash when the case ends?
The person who made the deposit, if the case is dismissed or ends in acquittal. After a conviction, the leftover after costs goes first to restitution, then to the judgment. Forfeited cash is not returned. Report a new address to the Clerk within 48 hours.
What if a court date slips by?
The bond can be forfeited, a notice mailed, and a judgment entered if there is no reply within 30 days. Bail jumping can also be charged, a Class A misdemeanor on a misdemeanor case and a Class H felony on a felony case. Have the lawyer call the Clerk the day it happens.
Does Oneida County accept land for security?
Wisconsin law lays out no property steps. A signer must be a person living in Wisconsin who can cover the amount, and the judge decides what proof is enough. Ask the Clerk at 715-369-6120 before pledging anything.
Where is the public defender in Rhinelander?
The State Public Defender's Rhinelander office, 158 South Anderson Street, Suite 1, takes Oneida County appointments. Call 715-750-2170. Counsel can be requested from the judge at the first appearance, and the office decides eligibility.
What if my teenager is the one arrested?
A teenager is handled through juvenile court and an intake worker, and Oneida County Inmate Search leaves minors off. Call the Clerk of Circuit Court at 715-369-6120 for the court date, and the Sheriff's Office at 715-361-5100 to ask where the young person is being held.
Is a deposit for phone time the same as bail?
No. Money placed for calls or store items does not release anyone. Anyone demanding a gift card or wire to free a relative is a scammer, because bail goes only to the court or Sheriff's Office.
Oneida County bail contacts
- County jail
- Oneida County Jail, 2000 East Winnebago Street, Rhinelander, WI 54501; 715-361-5180
- Bail and bond
- Pay bail as directed by the jail, 715-361-5180
- Sheriff's Office
- 2000 East Winnebago Street, Rhinelander; 715-361-5100
- Clerk of Circuit Court
- Oneida County Courthouse, 1 South Oneida Avenue, third floor, Rhinelander; 715-369-6120
- District Attorney
- 715-369-6133
- Police
- Rhinelander Police Department, 201 North Brown Street; 715-365-5300
- Custody lookup
- Oneida County Inmate Search
- Public defender
- 158 South Anderson Street, Suite 1, Rhinelander; 715-750-2170
Hours, amounts, and payment steps can change, so call before you drive to Rhinelander or send money. A lawyer, not this page, gives legal advice.