St. Croix County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
St. Croix County bail and bond: the Hudson jail, JailATM and the $10,000 clerk rule
Adults arrested in St. Croix County are held in the St. Croix County Jail, 1101 Carmichael Road in Hudson. Use St. Croix County Inmate Search to see if a person is in custody and what bail was set. Wisconsin bans bondsmen, so you pay the court's cash bail: online after a call to 715-386-4753, at the lobby kiosk any hour, or at the Clerk of Courts for bonds over $10,000.
Who is held at the St. Croix County Jail in Hudson?
Adults arrested in St. Croix County are booked into the St. Croix County Jail, 1101 Carmichael Road, Suite G200, Hudson, WI 54016. The jail is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 715-386-4752.
Check St. Croix County Inmate Search for custody and bail before you call.
Why must I call the jail before paying online?
The jail has to load the bond into the payment system first. Phone 715-386-4753 and give the person's name, and staff will upload the bond information so it shows up when you search.
After that you can pay by card. The call comes before the card payment.
What are the steps for paying through JailATM?
Register an account on JailATM.com, enter your information and card, choose St. Croix County Jail, WI as the facility, select the inmate and check the bond amount.
A confirmation email follows, and the payment is not processed until you confirm it. If something goes wrong, JailATM help is 866-933-6386.
What does the lobby kiosk accept at night?
The kiosk in the jail lobby takes cash or a credit card at any hour, day or night.
Cash carries an extra $3 fee, and a credit card carries a 10 percent fee. A $5,000 bond paid by card adds $500, so cash costs far less.
Is there a bond amount that must be paid at the Clerk instead?
Yes. A bond over $10,000 must be paid at the Clerk of Courts office during business hours. A cashier's check must also go through the clerk's office during regular hours.
The Clerk of Circuit Court is at 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, and the number is 715-386-4630. Government Center operators are at 715-386-4600.
Does a bondsman in Hudson or New Richmond serve St. Croix County?
No. Wisconsin has banned paid bail bondsmen. Wis. Stat. 969.12 says a surety must be an individual living in Wisconsin and that no surety may be compensated.
Whatever you pay is the court's own bail. Do not send money to a person who phones and says a fee will release your relative.
Will I get the bond back if my cousin is convicted?
No. St. Croix County states that after a conviction the bond is applied to restitution, fines and costs under Wis. Stat. 969.03(4), and is not returned to the person who paid.
A dismissal or an acquittal does return the deposit to the person who paid. The court makes that call when the case ends.
What can make a bond be forfeited?
Missing a required court date, contacting someone under a no-contact order, committing a new crime, or drinking or driving when it is prohibited.
A forfeited bond can be set aside if justice does not require enforcing it, but the court gives notice by mail and judgment can be entered if the defendant does not appear within 30 days.
How soon does a judge review a St. Croix County arrest?
A judge must see the person within a reasonable time. For an arrest without a warrant, the court decisions treat 48 hours as the limit for a probable cause review.
Initial appearances can be conducted by video. The judge sets bail and conditions at that hearing.
What does the pretrial program in St. Croix County do?
St. Croix County runs a pretrial program. A judge can order it as a release condition instead of cash, or alongside cash.
A judge cannot require it for everyone charged and must decide case by case. The Clerk of Circuit Court, 715-386-4630, can tell you whether an order exists in your relative's file.
Is there a limit on bail for a misdemeanor in St. Croix County?
Yes. A misdemeanor bail cannot exceed the maximum fine for that offense. A statewide schedule guides officers, who release many misdemeanor arrests without cash.
No such cap applies to a felony, so the judge weighs the charge, the record, the evidence and the person's means.
Can a St. Croix County judge refuse bail?
Under Wis. Stat. 969.035, in narrow cases. The prosecutor must request it, and the judge must find clear and convincing evidence that no conditions will protect the community.
The hearing is held within 10 days, and a denial can last up to 60 days after it.
What happens after a domestic abuse arrest in Hudson or River Falls?
Officers must arrest in many domestic cases. Wis. Stat. 968.075 says the person stays in custody until bail is posted or a judge sees the case.
After release a 72-hour no-contact period applies to the victim and the home. The person must sign an acknowledgment. A knowing violation can bring a fine up to $10,000 or nine months in jail.
Where does the jail deposit money go?
Money you put on an inmate's account pays for commissary goods and phone time. A deposit is not bond, and it does not release anyone.
Ask the jail at 715-386-4752 how an account deposit differs from a bond payment before you pay either.
How do I get a public defender?
The State Public Defender's Hudson office serves St. Croix County. The office sits at 2100 O'Neil Road, Suite 400, Hudson, WI 54016, and its number is 715-650-9777.
Request one from the judge at the first appearance. A person held 72 hours afterward may ask the judge to review bail.
What if the person arrested is a teenager?
Juvenile files are separate from the adult search. The Clerk of Circuit Court, 715-386-4630, gives juvenile hearing dates and the court's placement.
Call the jail at 715-386-4752 to learn which agency took the youth into custody.
St. Croix County bail contacts
- Jail
- St. Croix County Jail, 1101 Carmichael Road, Suite G200, Hudson, WI 54016; 715-386-4752 (24 hours)
- Bond setup line
- 715-386-4753 (call before paying online)
- Custody lookup
- St. Croix County Inmate Search
- Online bond help
- JailATM, 866-933-6386
- Clerk of Circuit Court
- 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson; 715-386-4630
- Government Center
- 715-386-4600
- Public defender
- State Public Defender, Hudson, 2100 O'Neil Road, Suite 400; 715-650-9777
St. Croix County can change its fees, its dollar thresholds and its phone lines, and a judge may set terms that differ from the general rules above. Confirm with the jail before you pay. General information only; this page is not legal advice.
St. Croix County Jail
Address:
1101 Carmichael Road
Hudson, WI 54016
Phone:
715-386-4752
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in St. Croix County
Does St. Croix County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in St. Croix County?
Who can set bail in St. Croix County?
When is bail set in St. Croix County Wisconsin?
Does St. Croix County have bail?
Yes, St. Croix 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 St. Croix County?
The St. Croix County courts recognize cash bail or10% cash percentage bonds. In some cases, a property bond will be considered.
Who can set bail in St. Croix County?
Bail is set by a judge in St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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 St. Croix County have bail?
Yes, St. Croix 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 St. Croix County?
The St. Croix County courts recognize cash bail or10% cash percentage bonds. In some cases, a property bond will be considered.
Who can set bail in St. Croix County?
Bail is set by a judge in St. Croix 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 St. Croix County Wisconsin?
Yes, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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 St. Croix County Jail for more information about the jails in St. Croix County.
What options are there to pay bail in St. Croix 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 St. Croix County Jail for more information about posting bail in St. Croix 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 St. Croix 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.