Blount County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Blount County.
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 - 20 Days
You have only 20 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 Blount 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
Two things about the Blount County Adult Detention Facility slow every DUI release down. It is certified for 350 inmates and routinely runs far over that, and it operates on rigid 12-hour shifts. Between roughly 5:30 and 6:30, morning and evening, the facility freezes all administrative movement for headcounts and shift handoff. A bondsman who walks in at 5:45 PM waits. Plan any release to finish before 5:00 PM or start after 7:00. Add the overcrowding, which pushes anyone who came in intoxicated to the back of the medical and booking queue, and the realistic window from intake to release is 6 to 14 hours.
Bond for a first-offense DUI without aggravating facts generally runs $1,000 to $2,500. A second offense climbs to $2,500 to $5,000 or more, higher when the prior conviction is recent. The jail is at 940 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville, phone (865) 273-5000, and you can look up an inmate and see the set bail at ils.bcso.com.
You do not have to use a bondsman. The Sheriff's Office keeps cash and card kiosks in the jail lobby, open around the clock, that take deposits straight toward bail and court costs and let you skip the 10 percent premium a bondsman charges. If you do use a bondsman, several have storefronts right on Lamar Alexander Parkway next to the Justice Center; pick one that handles electronic signatures so the paperwork can start before anyone drives over. You can find a licensed bail bondsman through this site's directory.
For late-night cash handoffs, the Sheriff's Office runs a marked "SAFE Zone" in the Justice Center public parking lot, between the administrative building and the jail. It is lit and under 24-hour camera surveillance, which makes it a safer place to meet a bondsman with premium money than a random parking lot.
One point families miss: posting bail does not cancel the sentence. Tennessee sets a mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail for a first DUI conviction, and that jumps to seven straight days if the tested BAC was 0.20 or higher. Bail gets the person out to prepare a defense. It does not touch the minimum if the case ends in a conviction. Personal recognizance release is very rarely granted for DUI here.
Visits before release are limited. All visitation is non-contact, through glass or an online video system, and anyone with an open warrant, a pending case, or a jail stay in the last 60 days is barred entirely.