Pepin County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Pepin County bail and bond: the small jail in Durand and the rules that apply
Adults arrested in Pepin County are held in the Pepin County Jail in Durand, which the Sheriff's Office runs. Look up your family member with Pepin County Inmate Search to see whether they are in custody and what the bail is. Wisconsin bans bail bondsmen, so bail here is money paid to the county, never a fee to a company. The Sheriff's Office phone is 715-672-5945.
Does Pepin County really have its own jail in Durand?
Yes. The Pepin County Jail is run by the Pepin County Sheriff's Office in Durand, and the Sheriff's Office is at 740 7th Avenue West, Durand, WI 54736. The jail is small, and some of the people in it are on Huber or electronic monitoring.
Use Pepin County Inmate Search to see whether a booking is on file and what the bail is. If you need a person, call the Sheriff's Office at 715-672-5945.
How do I find out if bail has been set?
The lookup at Pepin County Inmate Search shows bail once a judge or a warrant has set it. In a small county the first appearance often follows quickly, so look again after the hearing.
For the hearing date, call the Clerk of Circuit Court at 715-672-8861. Give the full name and, if you know it, the case number.
How do I pay bail in a county this small?
Call the Sheriff's Office at 715-672-5945 before you leave home and ask how the jail takes bail payments. Wisconsin law allows an officer to accept bail at a sheriff's office, and the officer must write you a numbered receipt.
The money then goes to the Clerk of Circuit Court, who holds it until the case is over. A clerk may also take a credit or debit card in place of cash, so ask whether the clerk's office takes payments directly.
Is there a bail bondsman in Durand or Eau Claire I can call?
No one can legally post a Pepin County bond for a fee. Wis. Stat. 969.12 limits a surety to a person living in Wisconsin and says no surety may be paid for it.
That rule applies to Eau Claire companies, too. A caller who says otherwise is selling something the law does not allow.
When will a judge look at the case?
The law asks for an appearance before a judge in a reasonable time, and the courts treat 48 hours as the limit for a probable cause review after an arrest without a warrant. A phone or video link can stand in for the courtroom.
The Clerk of Circuit Court in Durand, at 715-672-8861, can give you the time and the courtroom.
What is the Buffalo/Pepin pretrial program?
Buffalo and Pepin counties share a pretrial program. Programs like it offer an option other than cash bail: a person is released and supervised in the community while the case goes forward.
A judge decides who is placed in it. Wisconsin courts may not require pretrial program participation of every defendant without an individual decision.
What does a signed promise to appear mean?
It means no cash is posted. Under Wis. Stat. 969.02 the judge may let a misdemeanor defendant sign an unsecured appearance bond for a stated sum. The defendant pays only if the bond terms are broken.
The same statute lets the judge release a person with no bail at all, or place the person in the custody of a designated person or organization that agrees to supervise.
How does the judge choose a dollar amount?
Cash bail needs a finding that it is necessary. The finding is either that money is needed to bring the person back to court or, for an accused violent crime, that it is needed given everything in the case.
Then the judge looks at ability to pay, the charge, prior convictions, health, residence, other open cases, and how strong the evidence is. An excessive amount is not allowed.
Is misdemeanor bail capped?
Yes. For any misdemeanor the cap is the biggest fine the law permits for that crime. The state publishes a Uniform Misdemeanor Bail Schedule that officers follow.
Under that schedule an officer releases a misdemeanor arrest without cash unless the person has no proper ID, appears dangerous, has weak local ties, failed to appear before, or must be held to carry out an investigation.
What should I know if the charge is domestic abuse?
Officers must arrest if the grounds in Wis. Stat. 968.075 are met, and they cannot release the person before bail is posted or a judge hears the case.
Release comes with a 72-hour order to stay out of the victim's home and avoid contact. The person signs a form saying so, and a refusal to sign means the person is not released.
Can a Pepin County judge keep someone in jail with no bail?
Yes, in a narrow group of cases, after a hearing that must begin within 10 days. The charge must be on the statute's list, or it must be a violent crime with a prior violent conviction, and the prosecutor must allege that no release terms can protect the public.
If the state proves that by clear and convincing evidence, the judge can deny release for up to 60 days after the hearing.
My relative takes medication. What does the jail do?
The county jail has a nursing arrangement. When a nurse practitioner prescribes a medicine, the jail provides a 30-day supply to fill at a pharmacy, giving the person a month to see a physician.
People held 14 days or more get a health appraisal with life-skills suggestions and resources for after release. Departing inmates get harm reduction kits. Raise any medical need with the Sheriff's Office as soon as the person is booked.
What are Huber and electronic monitoring here?
Some inmates in the Pepin County Jail have Huber privileges or wear a monitor. Under Wis. Stat. 303.08, a court may grant Huber to someone sentenced to jail so the person can work, study, or care for family during set hours.
Those privileges belong to sentenced inmates. They do not shorten the wait for a defendant who has not posted bail.
What if the arrested person is a teenager?
A youth's case goes through juvenile court, and the record is private, so the adult search may not list the child. Call the Clerk of Circuit Court at 715-672-8861 to learn where the young person is held and when the detention hearing is.
A parent should ask for the hearing date right away and tell the court if the family needs a lawyer.
Who is the free lawyer for Pepin County defendants?
The State Public Defender's Eau Claire office, 21 S Barstow Street, Floor 3, serves Buffalo, Eau Claire and Pepin counties. Call 715-502-1490. Mention that your relative is jailed in Pepin County.
A defendant who is still held 72 hours after the initial appearance may ask the judge to review the release terms.
What if the arrest happened in a different county?
Wis. Stat. 969.11 says a person arrested in another county is brought before a judge there to set release terms, or is returned to the county where the crime was charged.
Ask the arresting agency which jail holds the person. Then check Pepin County Inmate Search again.
How do refunds work, and what if he misses court?
A dismissed complaint or an acquittal means the deposit goes back to the person who paid it. After a conviction, the leftover after bond costs pays restitution first and then the judgment.
A missed hearing can lead to a forfeiture notice by mail, with a judgment on the deposit possible after 30 days. Bail jumping is a separate criminal charge. A released person must report a new address to the Clerk in writing within 48 hours.
Pepin County bail contacts
- Jail
- Pepin County Jail, run by the Sheriff's Office, 740 7th Avenue West, Durand, WI 54736; 715-672-5945
- Custody lookup
- Pepin County Inmate Search
- Clerk of Circuit Court
- 740 7th Avenue West, PO Box 39, Durand, WI 54736; 715-672-8861
- Public defender
- Eau Claire office, 21 S Barstow Street, Floor 3, Eau Claire, WI 54701; 715-502-1490
Phone numbers and payment steps can change, and a judge may set an amount you do not expect. Check with the Sheriff's Office or the Clerk of Circuit Court before paying anyone. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Pepin County Jail
Address:
740 7th Avenue West
Durand, WI 54736
Phone:
715-672-5945
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Pepin County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pepin County?
Who can set bail in Pepin County?
When is bail set in Pepin County Wisconsin?
Does Pepin County have bail?
Yes, Pepin County imposes bail and conditions however Wisconsin is one of a few states that does not allow posting bail for profit, meaning that a court or bondsman cannot charge a percentage of the bond as in other states. There are no licensed bond agencies in Wisconsin.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pepin County?
The Pepin County courts recognize cash bail or10% cash percentage bonds. In some cases, a property bond will be considered.
Who can set bail in Pepin County?
Bail is set by a judge in Pepin County however if the crime is a misdemeanor and a judge not available for an immediate bail hearing, a law enforcement officer can set bail using a bail schedule.
When is bail set in Pepin County Wisconsin?
Bail is set at the first appearance, within 1-2 days following arrest; however, misdemeanor bail is generally processed and released immediately in most cases.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Pepin 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.
If a judge in Pepin County 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 Pepin 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. In April of 2023, Wisconsin legislators voted on a bill that makes release on bail for certain offenses more difficult.
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 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.
Wisconsin courts are trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
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 Pepin County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge 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, clerk of court, bail 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 could 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 a family member or friend. 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 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 Pepin County have bail?
Yes, Pepin County imposes bail and conditions however Wisconsin is one of a few states that does not allow posting bail for profit, meaning that a court or bondsman cannot charge a percentage of the bond as in other states. There are no licensed bond agencies in Wisconsin.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pepin County?
The Pepin County courts recognize cash bail or10% cash percentage bonds. In some cases, a property bond will be considered.
Who can set bail in Pepin County?
Bail is set by a judge in Pepin County however if the crime is a misdemeanor and a judge not available for an immediate bail hearing, a law enforcement officer can set bail using a bail schedule.
When is bail set in Wisconsin?
Bail is set at the first appearance, within 1-2 days following arrest; however, misdemeanor bail is generally processed and released immediately in most cases.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Pepin County Wisconsin?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Pepin County Wisconsin, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail could be the defendant, 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 Wisconsin could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Pepin County Wisconsin?
Yes, Wisconsin does offer online bail payment. For misdemeanor cases, a law enforcement officer can accept bail and the clerk of court can process all bail/bonds. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail: Go to the Pepin County Jail for more information about the jails in Pepin County.
What options are there to pay bail in Pepin County Wisconsin?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Wisconsin accepts credit card payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Pepin County Jail for more information about posting bail in Pepin County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Wisconsin?
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.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Pepin 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin does not permit persons to secure a bond for profit so neither a bondsperson nor a court can charge a fee for executing a bond.