Pierce County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Pierce County

Wisconsin • Pierce County • Bail & bond help

Pierce County bail and bond: the Ellsworth jail and your three ways to pay

When someone is arrested in Pierce County, they go to the Pierce County Jail, 555 West Overlook Drive, Ellsworth, WI 54011, at the Law Enforcement Center. There are three ways to pay a bond here. This page walks through each one, plus first hearings and refunds.

The Pierce County jail search shows if a person is held and the bail set. Use our Pierce County Inmate Lists page to see the latest arrests, check for warrants or learn who gives free legal help.

Ring the jail at 715-273-1124 and ask which way of paying will be fastest today. Court steps in Ellsworth are on our Pierce County court page.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Pierce County

1. How do I check whether someone is in the Pierce County Jail in Ellsworth?

Enter the name on Pierce County Inmate Search. People arrested in Pierce County are held in the Pierce County Jail inside the Law Enforcement Center, 555 West Overlook Drive, Ellsworth, WI 54011. It shows custody status and any bail that was set.

You can also call the jail at 715-273-1124 and choose option 9 to ask whether a person is in custody.

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2. What are my choices for paying a Pierce County bond?

There are three. You can use the inmate's own account funds, pay at the Clerk of Courts during business hours, or pay through GovPayNet online or by phone.

Each route has its own limits and fees, so choose before you start. The questions below walk through them.

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3. How does paying from the inmate's account work?

Money in the account can be used for bond through the lobby kiosk or the Inmate Canteen website. A credit card bond payment is capped at $150 per transaction and $500 per day, and an $8.95 fee is added.

For a larger bond, use the clerk or GovPayNet instead. Tell the jail that the money is meant as bond when you deposit it.

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4. How do I pay through GovPayNet?

Go to govpaynow.com and use pay location a002v5, or call 877-392-2455. Credit card payments carry an 8 percent fee.

Have the defendant's name, the case number and the bond amount in front of you. This route saves a trip when you live outside Ellsworth.

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5. When can I pay at the Clerk of Courts?

During business hours, at the clerk's office in the Pierce County Courthouse, 414 West Main Street, Ellsworth, WI 54011. The courthouse number is 715-273-3531.

The Sheriff's Office keeps hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on legal holidays. Dispatch picks up at any hour.

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6. Is there a bondsman in Ellsworth or River Falls who will post for a fee?

No. Wisconsin prohibits it. Wis. Stat. 969.12 requires a surety to be a natural person living in the state and says nobody may be paid to act as one.

So the only money that frees someone is the court's own cash bail. If a caller promises release for a fee, that is a scam.

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7. What will the judge do at the first hearing?

At the initial appearance the judge tells the person the charges and the bond needed to assure court appearances. In a misdemeanor, a plea can be entered then. In a felony, pleas wait until after the preliminary hearing.

A judge must see an arrested person within a reasonable time. For a warrantless arrest, court decisions treat 48 hours as the limit for a probable cause review.

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8. Can bail be refused outright?

Only under Wis. Stat. 969.035, and only for serious charges on the statute's list or for violent-crime charges where the person has a prior violent conviction.

The prosecutor must request it, a hearing is held within 10 days, and the state needs clear and convincing evidence. A denial runs at most 60 days after the hearing.

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9. Does Pierce County bail have an upper limit for a misdemeanor?

Yes: the top fine the law allows for the offense. A felony has no such limit and no statewide chart.

For a felony the judge weighs the charge, the person's record, the proof, ability to pay and any probation. A lawyer can ask for a lower amount.

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10. What happens to the bond if the case ends?

If the defendant breaks a bond term or misses court, the bond may be forfeited. If the defendant is found guilty, the court may apply the bond to restitution, fines or costs.

A dismissal or acquittal returns the deposit to the person who paid. Send any address change to the clerk in writing within 48 hours.

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11. Does Pierce County have home monitoring or a day report program?

The Sheriff's Office publishes information on a Day Report Center and a home monitoring program. Both are separate from bail.

Huber release and electronic monitoring are for people serving a sentence, and a court must allow them. Ask the jail at 715-273-1124 which program fits.

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12. Can I call or write to my brother in the jail?

Calls cost 18 cents a minute and last up to 20 minutes, and the inmate needs money in the account. Collect calls are not allowed.

Mail goes to the inmate's name, Pierce County Jail, 555 West Overlook Drive, P.O. Box 9, Ellsworth, WI 54011, with your name and return address on it. Do not enclose personal checks, stamps or envelopes.

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13. How do domestic abuse arrests affect release from the Ellsworth jail?

Deputies must arrest when the legal tests are met. Wis. Stat. 968.075 says the person cannot be let out until bail is posted or a judge sees the case.

A 72-hour no-contact period follows, covering the alleged victim and the residence. A knowing violation can bring up to $10,000 in fines or nine months in jail.

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14. Who handles a free lawyer for Pierce County?

The State Public Defender's Hudson office serves Pierce County at 2100 O'Neil Road, Suite 400, Hudson, WI 54016, phone 715-650-9777.

Ask the judge for a public defender at the first appearance. If the person is still held 72 hours later, the judge can be asked to review bail.

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15. Whom do I contact about a teenager?

The Sheriff's Office has a juvenile officer; call dispatch at 715-273-5051 and ask for that officer. The Clerk of Circuit Court, 715-273-3531, gives juvenile hearing dates.

Have the youth's full name and birth date ready, because a youth may not appear in the adult search.

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Pierce County bail contacts

Jail
Pierce County Jail, Law Enforcement Center, 555 West Overlook Drive, P.O. Box 9, Ellsworth, WI 54011; 715-273-1124
Sheriff's Office
Same address; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 24-hour dispatch 715-273-5051
Custody lookup
Pierce County Inmate Search
Clerk of Circuit Court
414 West Main Street, Ellsworth, WI 54011; 715-273-3531
Online or phone bond
GovPayNet, 877-392-2455
Public defender
State Public Defender, Hudson, 2100 O'Neil Road, Suite 400; 715-650-9777
Juvenile cases
Clerk of Circuit Court, 715-273-3531

Fees, caps and phone options in Pierce County are subject to change, and a judge can order terms that differ from the general rules here. Confirm with the jail or the clerk before you send a payment. The page is general information, and it is not legal advice.

Pay an Inmate's Bond Online

Pierce County Jail uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPayNet) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.

Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.


To make a payment, you will need the following:

  • Court of Jurisdiction
  • Payment Amount
  • The Pay Location Code (PLC #) if you can get it. Call 715-273-1124 ext. 9 to ask for this.
  • Name of Arrestee/Defendant for whom payment is being made
  • Arrestee/Defendant's Date of Birth
  • Arrestee/Defendant's Booking Number

Pierce County Jail

Address:
555 West Overlook Drive
Ellsworth, WI 54011

Phone:

715-273-1124 ext. 9

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay a Pierce County Jail inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Pierce County Jail inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Pierce County Jail or Pierce County, input the inmate's name, and then use your credit or debit card to deposit the bond amount. As soon as the payment is processed and the information is sent to the Pierce County Jail, the jail will begin the release process. You do not have to be present for all of this to take place. Learn more about how to bail or bond out an inmate in the Pierce County Jail, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 715-273-1124 ext. 9.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Pierce County