If your friend or family member is arrested in Maricopa County, Arizona, he or she may be booked into jail. After he or she arrives at the jail, he or she will be processed and then will either wait in jail to appear in court or until someone bails him or her out of jail.
People who are arrested for misdemeanor offenses might be booked into the 4th Avenue Jail while those who are arrested for felony offenses will likely be booked into that facility.
Below is information from the Shah Law Firm about posting bail at the 4th Avenue Jail in Phoenix.
What are Bail and Bond?
Bail is a conditional release of a defendant in exchange for a financial arrangement that someone else makes for the defendant. To secure the release of the defendant, a person or bail bonds agent will post the money or collateral. Bail is set by the court.
The person who posts bail for a defendant will be responsible for ensuring that he or she attends his or her court appearances. A bond is an agreement that the full bail amount will be paid. Some courts will accept a 10% down payment of the total bail amount.
Posting a Bond for someone at the 4th Avenue Jail
To post a bond for someone at the 4th Avenue Jail, you will want to know the forms of payment that the facility accepts. The 4th Avenue Jail only accepts the following types of payments for bond:
- Cashier’s check
- Postal money order
- Western Union money order
- U.S. currency in the exact amount of the bond
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover
Whichever of these forms of payment you choose, they must be made out to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. If the transaction is for $10,000 or more, your Social Security number will be required because of Internal Revenue Service rules.
If you pay by credit card, you will also have to pay a credit card processing fee. You can purchase a Western Union money order at multiple locations. Do not purchase a Moneygram at the Circle K. This store does not offer Western Union money orders, and the jail does not accept Moneygram money orders. Fry’s Stores offer Western Union money orders in $750 increments.
If you purchase a money order of $3,000 or more, you will need to show your driver’s license, state identification, or passport. A manager’s approval might be needed if you are purchasing a money order for more than $10,000. Any money order must be paid for with a debit card or cash, and credit cards are not accepted.
7-Eleven also sells Western Union money orders as long as you have a Social Security number and identification. It only accepts cash in increments of $500. Between 8 pm and 6 am, you can only purchase a money order for up to $2,000.
Safeway on Osborn Road also sells Western Union money orders in $500 increments. There is no limit on the money order amount, but any amount of $3,000 or more will require you to show a state identification card. Safeway only accepts cash for money order purchases.
What Are 4th ave Bail Bonds?
Bail bonds are another option that you have for securing your loved one’s release from the 4th Avenue Jail. A bail bonds person is a company or person who serves as a surety and guarantees property or money as bail to ensure that defendants will appear in court. A bail bonds agent can normally get someone released from the 4th Avenue Jail within several hours.
The fees that you pay to the bail bonds company or agency in Arizona amount to 10% of the set bail. You cannot negotiate these rates, and they are typically not refundable even if the charges are dismissed. The Shah Law Firm can argue with the court to have the total bail amount reduced or try to get the court to agree that bail should not be required for a defendant. If we are successful, this could help reduce the deposit that you might have to pay to a bail bonds company. Bail bonds companies offer many different types of bonds, depending on your ability to pay and the type of offense.
For example, they might accept credit or debit cards or require GPS monitoring. If you choose to work with a bail bonds agent, you should understand that ensuring the defendant follows the bond conditions is important. If the defendant fails to show up for court or otherwise violates his or her bond conditions, the bond can be revoked.
If the bonds agent is not able to find the defendant to bring him back to jail, any collateral that you put up for the bail could be seized.
Where to Post Bail at the 4th Ave Jail?
The 4th Avenue Jail is located at 201 S. 4th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. To post a bond, you will need to enter through the entrance doors at the building’s northwest corner at the corner of Madison St. and 4th Avenue. Once you enter the jail, go to the basement.
If you have a warrant for your arrest or are an undocumented immigrant, you should not go to jail to post bond. You could be arrested and thrown in jail. If you have been previously convicted of a felony or have been incarcerated in a jail in Maricopa County in the past 12 months, you will be denied entry. If your loved one has an immigration hold, posting his or her bond may not secure his or her release because of an immigration detainer.
When can the Bond be Posted?
You can post bond for someone at 4th Avenue any day between the following hours:
- Between 6:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
- Between 2:45 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
- Between 10:45 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.
If you show up to post bond during the off-periods, you will have to wait until the window reopens. No one will help you at times other than the posted hours. If you arrive at the jail after hours, you will find a button to press outside of the double entrance doors. Tell them that you are there to post a bond for someone. You will be allowed in so that you can go downstairs to the jail’s bonds and fines area in the basement.
If you need to post a bond during the week for the City of Phoenix Municipal Court, you will need to post it at 300 W. Washington Street between 8 am and 5 p.m. The Municipal Court takes credit and cash. If it is a weekend or a holiday, you will post it at the 4th Avenue Jail at the former bonds and fines location behind the double doors.
Bonds are accepted at that window between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. on holidays and weekends. To verify this information, you can call the jail information line of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office at 602.876.0322.
What to do After you Post a Bond?
If your loved one was booked into the 4th Avenue Jail, he or she is probably suspected of a serious criminal offense. You should call a lawyer at the Shah Law Firm to ask for a case evaluation so that you can learn about the case against your loved one.
Arja Shaw at the Shaw Law Firm has more than 15 years of experience defending more than 3,000 clients in the Phoenix metro area. She is a top-rated defense attorney who has received recognition from numerous organizations and has a 10 out of 10 Rating on Avvo.
Ms. Shaw was named Rising Star by Super Lawyers and was among the top 40 under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers and was listed as a top lawyer by Phoenix Magazine in 2015.
When you meet with us, we can review your loved one’s case and explain the legal options that might be available. If you are accused of a crime and have recently bonded out of jail, you should contact us today to schedule an appointment.
To schedule an appointment to discuss your case with an experienced criminal defense attorney at the Shah Law Firm, contact us today by filling out your information on our online contact form or by calling us at 602-560-7408.
