Listed below are the procedures for bonding an arrested person out
of the Towns County Detention Center.  A criminal bond is a
financial guarantee that the arrested person will appear in court on
the specified date.  A BOND IS NOT A FINE!  A person released on
bond must appear before a judge to answer criminal charges.

Cash Bond
A cash bond may be posted by anyone.  The amount of cash is the
amount of the bond, i.e., if the bond is $500.00, then $500.00
CASH must be posted.  This cash will be returned to the person
posting the money at the conclusion of the criminal trial or plea.  
When a cash bond is posted you must have the exact amount.  The
Sheriff's Office DOES NOT MAKE CHANGE, AND DOES NOT
ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS OR CHECKS DRAWN ON PERSONAL OR
BUSINESS ACCOUNTS. The Sheriff's Office will accept POSTAL
MONEY ORDERS ONLY, CASHIERS CHECKS AND CERTIFIED
CHECKS.

Professional Bondsmen
A professional Bondsman is in the business of posting bonds for
criminal charges.  The bondsman will charge a fee, usually 12% of
the bond amount under $10,000 and 15% of the bond amount over
$10,000.  This fee is non-refundable.  A list of approved bondsman
is located in the booking area of the Towns County Detention
Center.  The Sheriff's Office WILL NOT recommend one bondsman
over another; please do not ask.  The bondsman you choose and the
arrangements made are between you and the professional
bondsman.

Property Bond
A property bond may be posted by individuals who own property
inside Towns County.  To post a property bond, you MUST have
your warranty deed; a current tax statement; a property appraisal
report and all persons must be present whose names appear on the
deed.  In the case of the death of a named person on the deed, you
MUST be able to show proof of the death (i.e., death certificate).  A
QUIT CLAIM DEED may be accepted if accompanied with the
original warranty deed and you are able to show a line of
ownership, (i.e., a divorce petition giving one party the entire claim
to the property.)  YOU MUST HAVE TWICE THE BOND AMOUNT
PLUS THE $2000.00 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IN CLEAR,
UNENCUMBERED EQUITY IN THE PROPERTY, (i.e., if the bond is
$1,000.00 you must have $2,000.00 in equity, plus the $2,000.00
homestead exemption, for a total of $4,000.00 of unencumbered
equity.)

Other Requirements
The individual property owner must sign an affidavit indicating
that he/she is the owner of said property.  

The individual property owner cannot require a fee in any amount
or thing of value from the principal in return for signing said bond.

A lien for the amount of the bond will be recorded against your
property through the Office of the Clerk, conditioned upon the
appearance of the defendant as required by law and satisfying all
other bond obligations.

At this time, Towns County Detention Center does not accept
property bonds on property located in another county.
No property with second mortgages, tax or other liens is permitted
for use to post property bonds.

Surrenders
If, after making a property bond, you change your mind, and want
to get off the bond before the case has been settled:

a)        You must return the person you bonded out back to the
Towns County Detention Center.

b)        You can surrender that person in open court to a Towns
County Deputy Sheriff.

c)        You must obtain a commitment slip from the Towns County
Detention Center, or the Deputy Sheriff on the person you
surrendered, and bring that slip to the Towns County Detention
Center.

Property Bond Worksheet
Property Bond Application
Towns County
Sheriff's Office
Sheriff Chris Clinton
Inmate Bonding Procedures