Washington County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Washington 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 Washington 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
Everyone arrested for DUI in Washington County, including people picked up by Johnson City or Jonesborough police, goes to the Washington County Detention Center at 114 West Jackson Boulevard in Jonesborough, phone 423-753-1701. You can check whether someone has been booked at wcso.net.
The release process here is slower than in most counties, and it is by design. A 2019 federal ruling, Hill v. Hall, ended the practice of setting bail from a fixed schedule. A magistrate now has to hold an individual hearing for every defendant and weigh things like local ties, employment, finances, and prior record before setting an amount. That protects people who cannot afford a preset number, but it also means you wait for a magistrate to be available. Release on recognizance, a promise to appear with no money down, essentially does not happen for DUI in Tennessee.
For a first-offense misdemeanor DUI, bonds in this region usually run $1,500 to $2,500. A commercial bondsman charges a non-refundable premium capped by statute at 10 percent of the bond. You can find a licensed bail bondsman through this site's directory.
Two recent changes raise the stakes at the bail hearing. As of July 1, 2024, a first-offense DUI with a BAC of 0.15 or higher carries a mandatory minimum of seven consecutive days in jail, up from 48 hours. Since 0.15 is not hard to reach, magistrates now treat first offenders as facing near-certain jail time, which reads as flight risk. And for a second or subsequent DUI, the magistrate is directed to consider special release conditions, which in Washington County routinely means a SCRAM alcohol monitor or an ignition interlock installed before the person is allowed to bond out at all.
Reaching an inmate by phone takes setup. The jail uses an outside vendor, Inmate Sales, and a family member has to create and fund an account at inmatesales.com or by calling 877-998-5678 before the inmate can call out. Until that happens there is a communication gap. In-person visits are not allowed; visitation is video only, either at kiosks in the Washington County Justice Center at 108 West Jackson Boulevard, Monday through Friday 8:30 to 4:30, or remotely. The Sheriff's Office no longer accepts physical mail for inmates except verified legal mail from an attorney.