Lamar County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Lamar County.
County Jail Information
Lamar County Detention Center
Inmate Search
Use the online inmate locator to check booking status, bail amount, and release information.
What to Expect
Booking Process
2-8 hours for processing, fingerprinting, and photographing
Arraignment
Within 24-48 hours, bail set by judge
Release Options
Cash bond, bail bond, or personal recognizance (rare for DUI)
How Bail Bonds Work
Option 1: Cash Bond (Pay Full Amount)
How it works: Pay the full bail amount to the court
Pros: Get full amount back after case concludes (minus court fees)
Cons: Requires full amount upfront
Option 2: Bail Bondsman (Most Common)
How it works: Pay 10-15% fee to bondsman, they post full bail
Cost: Typically 10% of bail amount (non-refundable)
Pros: Only need 10% upfront instead of full amount
Cons: Fee is non-refundable, may require collateral, co-signer assumes liability
Co-Signer Liability Warning
Important for Co-Signers:
- You are 100% liable if defendant does not appear in court
- You must pay the full bail amount if defendant skips
- Bondsman can seize collateral (house, car, etc.)
- You cannot cancel the bond - only the court can
- Liability continues until case is fully resolved
Release Timeline
Arrest & Booking (2-8 hours)
Fingerprinting, photographing, background check, medical screening
Arraignment (Within 24-48 hours)
First court appearance, judge sets bail amount, charges are read
Bail Posted (1-4 hours)
Family contacts bondsman, paperwork signed, fee paid
Release (2-6 hours)
Processing, release paperwork, return of personal property, court date assigned
Total Time Estimate
From arrest to release: 12-48 hours depending on booking workload, time of arrest (weekends take longer), and how quickly bail is posted.
After Release: Critical Deadlines
1. Request MVD Hearing - 30 Days
You have only 30 days from arrest to request your administrative license hearing. This is separate from your criminal case.
2. Retrieve Your Vehicle
Impound fees accrue daily. Get your car as soon as possible to avoid hundreds in storage fees.
Calculate Impound Costs3. Contact a Bail Bondsman
Need fast release in Lamar County? Contact a verified 24/7 Bail Bondsman to start the release process immediately.
Find a Bondsman4. Appear at ALL Court Dates
Missing court will result in bond forfeiture, arrest warrant, and additional charges. Your co-signer will be liable for the full bail amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cash bond at the Lamar County Detention Center has to be paid in cash, a cashier's check, or a postal money order, made out to "Sheriff of Lamar County." Personal checks are refused. There's also a separate $20 processing fee, non-refundable, on top of the bond itself. If you post a cash bond, you only get it back after the case is fully resolved, and you have to bring the receipt and a certified copy of the court disposition to the Sheriff's Office to trigger the refund.
Before any of that, there's the sobriety hold. The jail won't start the bonding process while the arrestee is still impaired, which typically means a 4 to 8 hour wait regardless of who's ready to pay.
The detention center is at 121 Roberta Drive in Barnesville. Every arrest in the county goes there, whether by the Sheriff's Office or Barnesville Police, so there's only one facility to call.
Bond options
A first DUI here almost never stands alone; it comes stacked with charges like failure to maintain lane, open container, or reckless driving, and each adds to the total bond.
A cash bond is the full face value to the Sheriff's Office. A surety bond runs through a bondsman on the Sheriff's approved list for a nonrefundable premium, 12 to 15 percent of the bond by state regulation. A property bond uses Lamar County real estate: a current tax receipt stamped "PAID," equity of roughly twice the bond, and every person named on the deed or tax bill present at the jail to sign. You can find a licensed bondsman through the directory on this site.
A habitual violator or felony charge is often held with no bond until a first appearance in Superior Court.
Money for someone in custody
Deposits to an inmate account go through JailATM, online or by a money order or certified check mailed to the detention center made out to the inmate. No personal checks, and funds can't move between inmates. Any balance left at release comes back on a debit card.