If someone has been arrested in Nashville, the first step is to find out where the person is being held and whether a bond has been set. The Davidson County Sheriff's Office maintains an active inmate search and a 24-hour Offender Information Center. Once you know the charges and current bond, you can determine whether the person can be released through pretrial release, a cash bond, a professional bonding company, or another form of release ordered by the court.
Bond can change, and some people are not immediately eligible for release. The charge, criminal history, outstanding warrants, probation or parole status, domestic-violence conditions, and other holds can all affect when and how someone gets out of jail.
Nashville Criminal Defense Lawyer & Former Prosecutor Kevin Kennedy. 615-205-7311. Call or text for a free consultation.
Step 1: Find the Person in the Davidson County Jail System
The Davidson County Sheriff's Office provides an online Active Inmate Search for people currently in custody. The Sheriff's Office also operates a 24-hour Offender Information Center at 615-862-8123 for information concerning current and released offenders.
The online inmate search may display a bond amount, but the Sheriff's Office warns that bond amounts can be changed by the court. The Criminal Court Clerk should be contacted when an updated official bond amount is needed.
Step 2: Find Out Whether a Bond Has Been Set
Not every arrest results in the same release process. A magistrate or judge may release a qualifying defendant on recognizance or under non-financial conditions. If the court determines that recognizance or conditional release will not reasonably ensure public safety and the defendant's appearance, Tennessee law permits the court to require bail.
The amount of bail is not supposed to be arbitrary. Tennessee law requires consideration of factors related to appearance and public safety, including community ties, employment, financial condition, family relationships, criminal history, prior court appearances, and other circumstances relevant to the case.
Step 3: Determine How the Bond Can Be Posted
Depending on the bond and the court's order, release may occur in several ways. A person may qualify for pretrial release without posting the full monetary bond. A cash bond may be posted with the appropriate clerk. A professional bail bonding company may also be used when permitted.
Before paying anyone, confirm the current bond and make sure there is not another hold preventing release. Posting one bond does not necessarily result in immediate release if the person has additional cases, warrants, probation violations, parole issues, immigration consequences, or another jurisdiction's hold.
What Is a Cash Bond?
A cash bond generally requires the full amount of the monetary bail to be deposited with the clerk. Tennessee law permits a defendant for whom bail has been set to deposit cash equal to the bail amount with the clerk of the court where the proceeding is pending.
In Davidson County, the Criminal Court Clerk explains that a cash-bond refund may be issued after the case reaches final disposition. The refund is issued to the person who posted the bond. If the defendant posted the defendant's own cash bond, outstanding court costs may first be deducted.
What Is a Bail Bonding Company?
A professional bonding company can post a surety bond for a defendant in exchange for the company's fee and any collateral or conditions the company requires. The bondsman then becomes financially responsible for the bond under the applicable Tennessee bonding laws.
Using a bonding company is different from posting the full amount as a cash bond. The money paid as a bondsman's fee is generally payment for the bonding service, while a cash bond is money deposited with the court and potentially refundable after the case ends, subject to the applicable rules.
Can Someone Be Released Without Paying a Bondsman?
Yes. Davidson County operates a Pretrial Services Program designed to identify qualified defendants who can be released on non-financial conditions. The Sheriff's Office states that Pretrial Services operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and screens defendants in the booking area of the Downtown Detention Center.
Eligibility is case-specific. Pretrial release is not something a family member can simply choose instead of paying a bond. The release decision depends on the court and the pretrial screening process.
How Long Does It Take to Get Someone Out After Bond Is Posted?
There is no guaranteed release time. Even after the financial part of a bond is satisfied, jail staff must process the release and determine whether any other hold prevents the person from leaving custody.
If a person appears to remain in custody after a bond has been posted, the first question should be whether another case, warrant, probation violation, parole hold, or out-of-county matter is keeping the person in jail.
What If the Bond Is Too High?
A defendant can seek a change in the amount or conditions of release. The appropriate procedure depends on where the case is pending and what order has already been entered. Tennessee appellate rules also provide a mechanism for review of trial-court orders granting, denying, setting, or altering release conditions after the issue has first been presented to the trial court.
A bond-reduction request should address the factors the court is required to consider, rather than simply arguing that the family cannot afford the existing amount. Employment, residence, family support, history of appearing in court, lack of flight, proposed supervision, treatment, and other facts may be relevant depending on the case.
What If There Is No Bond?
Do not assume that a person listed as having no bond can never be released. The reason matters. The person may be awaiting a hearing, have a probation or parole hold, be subject to another warrant, or face a charge or procedural circumstance requiring judicial action before release.
An attorney can review the cases and holds to determine whether a bond hearing or other request for release is available.
What If the Arrest Is for Domestic Assault?
Domestic-violence arrests can involve additional release conditions. A court may impose no-contact requirements and other conditions designed to protect the alleged victim. The person being released must follow the written conditions even if the alleged victim wants contact.
The family should therefore focus not only on getting the person released, but also on understanding the exact conditions of release before the defendant leaves custody.
What Information Should I Have When Trying to Help Someone Get Out?
It helps to have the person's full legal name, date of birth, booking information if available, the charges, the bond amount, and information about any other pending cases or supervision status. If a lawyer is being contacted, provide the lawyer with as much accurate information as possible about when and where the arrest occurred.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out someone's bond in Nashville?
Start with the Davidson County Sheriff's Office Active Inmate Search or the 24-hour Offender Information Center. Because a court can change the bond, confirm the current amount when necessary with the Criminal Court Clerk.
Do I have to pay the entire bond amount?
Not always. A cash bond generally involves depositing the full amount, while a professional bondsman may post a surety bond for a fee. Some defendants may qualify for non-financial pretrial release.
Can I get my cash bond money back?
The Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk states that cash-bond refunds may be issued after final disposition and are paid to the person who posted the bond, subject to applicable deductions when the defendant posted the bond.
Why is the person still in jail after the bond was posted?
Release processing takes time, and another hold or case may prevent release. Additional warrants, probation or parole matters, and out-of-county holds are common issues that need to be checked.
Can a lawyer help get a bond lowered?
A lawyer can seek review or modification of bond when the law and procedural posture allow it and can present the facts relevant to the court's release decision.
Talk With a Nashville Criminal Defense Lawyer
When a family member is in jail, the immediate goal is usually getting the person home. But the fastest way to understand the situation is to identify every charge and hold, confirm the current bond, determine what release options are actually available, and make sure the defendant understands the conditions that will apply after release.
Kevin Kennedy Law Firm represents people charged with criminal offenses in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. If someone you care about has been arrested, a defense lawyer can review the charges, bond status, and available options for seeking release while also beginning the defense of the underlying case.