If you or someone you know has ever been arrested and taken to jail, then you probably know that jail is not the place you want to spend a long period of time.
Unfortunately, some people end up spending weeks or months in jail (or sometimes even longer) before their trial concludes because they cannot afford to pay their bail amount.
Although this does not always happen, getting stuck in jail longer than necessary is a possibility for those who do not have access to the proper bail bond resources.
The good news is that we at All n One Bail Bonds are a trustworthy resource for bail bonds and have been helping people in Shelby County get out of jail quickly for the last 25 years.
We believe that having access to fast and affordable bail bonds is important, hence why we offer flexible payment plans. All of our plans are smartly designed to help you pay your bail bond premium while also letting you keep up with your other financial obligations.
Want to know more? Feel free to call us anytime at (901) 523-2245. We are available 24/7.
If you are here because you want to learn more about bail bonds, how they work, and also what the different jail facilities in Shelby County, TN are, we have put together some information that may be of interest to you.
What Are Bail Bonds?
Before we dive into other details, we would like to explain what bail bonds are for those who are completely unfamiliar with the subject.
Bail bonds are a form of assurance that courts in the United States require before they will release someone from jail.
The reason courts require bail bonds is because it is easier and more affordable to make someone pay money for a bail bond than it is to track them down when they do not want to honor the requirements of the court.
In this respect, bail bonds act as an incentive to behave correctly for those who would rather not abide by the conditions of their release and thus put a strain on the legal system.
There are many ways in which a person can break a court’s release requirements, but probably the most common way is not showing up for court. This is called skipping bail.
When a person skips bail, it means they will lose the money they have posted for bail rather than get it returned once their trial concludes.
Bail vs. Bond
Now that we have explained what bail bonds are and why they exist, we would like to point out that there is a difference between bail amounts and bail bond premiums.
We have noticed that some people have encountered confusion over this topic, so we want to clear it up here.
Simply put, the bail amount proper is the total amount that the court requires before they will let the defendant out of jail. The bail bond premium, on the other hand, is a payment that a defendant makes to a bail bond company so that the company will post bond for them.
In Tennessee, the cost for a bail bond premium is 10 percent of the total bail amount, but other states have different percentages.
Once the defendant’s bail amount has been set, the defendant can either pay the full amount themselves or, as is most common, work with a bail bond company. Most people choose to work with bail bond companies since their bail is too much to pay by themselves.
If you get a bail bond through a Tennessee bail bond company, just keep in mind that the 10 percent premium you pay for their services is non-refundable.
Paying the premium, though, is usually worth it since bail amounts can often run as high as $10,000 or more.
How Long Do I Have To Stay In Jail If I Can’t Afford Bail?
Unfortunately, if you do not pay your bail amount or get a bail bond, then you will have to wait until your trial ends before you can get out of jail, which can sometimes go on for weeks, months, or in extremely rare cases, even longer.
The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does give defendants the right to a speedy trial, but there are situations in which this standard is not upheld.
One example is the case of DeAndre Davis, who, as of March 2021, has spent well over 600 days locked in a Sacramento County Jail over a murder charge with no trial, no sentencing, and not even a preliminary hearing.
While Mr. Davis’ situation is a serious one, this delay is still a telling sign that no system is perfect and that one should never rely on the legal system to deliver a quick resolution.
Even though most people do not wait in jail nearly that long before getting a trial, even waiting a few weeks can have a negative impact on your life, your job, and your family.
And the truth is, less extreme incidents than that encountered by Mr. Davis are commonplace.
Prison Policy Initiative states that “Over 540,000 people are locked up who haven’t even been convicted or sentenced. Many are detained in local jails because they cannot afford to pay the bail amount set to secure their release.”
Prison Policy Initiative goes on to state that the median felony bail amount is $10,000, which obviously plays a big role in the numbers we see in the stat above. Even paying a percentage of $10,000 is difficult for many people.
The Fastest Way To Get Out Of Jail
The best and fastest way to get out of jail, for most people, is not to wait for your trial to conclude but to get a bail bond premium with a trusted bail bond agency.
If you cannot afford your bail amount or even your bail bond premium, working with a bail bond agency that can offer you a flexible payment plan is a must.
If you are extremely financially tight and cannot even afford a payment plan, we still encourage you to call us at (901) 523-2245, and we can discuss collateral options with you. We are very flexible and are always looking to help those get out of jail quickly.
Released On Your Own Recognizance
If, for some reason, you are unable to afford a payment plan, you might consider asking your attorney to request that you get released on your own recognizance.
When you get released in this manner, it means that the court is trusting you to abide by all of their requirements, show up on time, and not commit any further crimes.
Note: Some requirements that come with being released on OR can include not traveling out of state and staying away from certain areas.
Getting released on OR usually happens when only a minor crime is involved, you do not have a criminal history, you have contributed to the community, you are financially solvent, and you present no danger to the public.
You Can Request A Bail Reduction
If you are unable to get released on OR, another alternative is making a request to get your bail amount reduced. The process for this is very similar to what you would go through when trying to get released on OR.
Whichever option you take, the likelihood of your success hinges on the key factors previously mentioned, as well as other factors, such as your character and reputation and the reason why you committed the offense.
Where To Pay Bail In Memphis
If you or someone you know has been arrested, here is the location where you will most likely need to post bail:
Twenty-Four-Hour Clerk’s Office at 201 Poplar, Suite LL-126.
The above address is where bonds for all courts in Shelby County, TN are processed, with the exception of Juvenile and Federal bonds.
Once your bail bond has been posted, it usually takes a few hours for release to go through.
Jail Locations In Memphis
Did you know that there are not just one or two but multiple jail facilities in Memphis, TN?
With so many jail facilities in the city, it can be a bit overwhelming and confusing for those looking to find a friend or loved one who has been arrested, especially if the person who is looking is not familiar with the court system in Shelby County, TN.
To make things easier for you, we have compiled the different jail facilities here.
Although you can certainly call each facility, in most cases, the place you will want to contact first is Shelby County Jail at 201/225 Poplar Ave., as there is a good chance the person you are looking for will be held here.
Shelby County Jail (Shelby County Division Of Correction) – Located at 201/225 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38103, this is one of the biggest jails in the United States and is capable of holding nearly 3,000 inmates, both male and female. The female facility, however, is not at the same address. Inmates in Shelby County Jail have access to medical, dental, and mental health services 24 hours a day. There is also virtual visitation available to friends and family members of inmates.
Shelby County Jail East Women’s Facility – Located at 6201 Haley Rd, Memphis, TN 38134, this facility is part of Shelby County Jail. Both Shelby County Jail locations not only offer the aforementioned services to inmates but educational and rehabilitative programs, religious services, grief support, and more.
To find an inmate at either 201/225 Poplar Ave or 6201 Haley Rd, you can use the Inmate Lookup tool on the Shelby Sheriff website or call us directly.
Shelby County Juvenile Detention Center – Located at 616 Adams Ave, Memphis, TN 38105, the goal of this detention center is to provide positive programs and services for youths. For more information about the facility, the services provided, and visitation times, please call the Detention Services Bureau directly.
Mark Luttrell Transition Center (Mark H. Luttrell Correctional Center) – Located at 6000 State Rd, Memphis, TN 38134, this smaller facility has a capacity of around 450 people. The goal of this center is to provide offenders with transitional services. This facility places emphasis on helping offenders develop life skills, such as socialization skills and how to be a good employee.
Shelby County Correctional Center (Shelby County Corrections Department) – Located at 1045 Mullins Station Rd Building K, Memphis, TN 38134, this is a maximum security facility with an inmate capacity of approximately 3,700. For more information about the services they provide, please call the center directly.
Shelby Training Center – Located at 3420 Old Getwell Rd, Memphis, TN 38118, this is a close security facility with a capacity of 200 inmates. Little information about this facility is available online, and they do not have a website. For more information about them, we recommend calling the center directly.
Contact Us Or Send An Online Bail Bond Application
If you need to get a bail bond, we are available 24/7. For over two decades, we have been servicing all of Shelby County, including Memphis, Millington, Collierville, Germantown, and Bartlett.
Call us today at (901) 523-2245, or, if you would rather submit a bail bond application online, you can certainly do so!
All you have to do is go to our Bail Bond Online page and fill out the information, and one of our experienced bail bond agents will follow up with you shortly.