The incarceration of a family member, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse is a stressful and overwhelming event. That’s why our New Jersey criminal defense attorneys have prepared this brief, simple guide explaining how bail bond companies work, how to bail a loved one out of the Atlantic County Jail, and how to contact local bail bond services in Atlantic City and the surrounding areas.
If you have any questions about your loved one’s charges, the process for posting bail in Atlantic County, or any other aspects of New Jersey’s criminal justice system, we encourage you to call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych at (609) 616-4956 for a free and completely confidential legal consultation. Our attorneys have over 45 years of combined experience handling a wide variety of misdemeanor (disorderly persons) and felony (indictable) charges, including assault, DWI, drug possession, weapons offenses, and sex crimes.
How to Post Bail at the Atlantic County Adult Detention Center
The Atlantic County Jail is also called the Atlantic County Adult Detention Center, or the Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility. You may post bail at the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Atlantic County Jail is located at the following address:
5060 Atlantic Avenue
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
If you need directions, or if you have any questions about the jail’s hours or visitor policies, you can contact the detention center by calling (609) 645-5855. The jail’s fax number is (609) 909-7600.
You must bring a valid, government-issued photo ID when you arrive to post bail, such as a passport, driver’s license, or state ID. School IDs and work IDs will not be accepted. The ID must contain your name, address, and date of birth.
The only acceptable forms of payment are:
- Cash
- Certified Checks
- Western Union
Personal checks, debit cards, and credit cards are not acceptable forms of payment.
- If you wish to post bail via Western Union, follow the instructions below:
- For cash transactions, call (800) 3258-6000.
- For web credit card transactions, visit the Western Union website and follow the prompts.
- For phone credit card transactions, call (800) 634-3422. Press “2” if you would like to make a Quick Collect payment. If you are making a Quick Collect transaction, you will need to provide the following information:
- Pay To: Atlantic County Justice Facility
- Code City: AtlanticCountyJail
- Code State: NJ
- You will also need to provide the inmate’s ID number, first name, and last name.
If your loved one was charged with an indictable crime, which is equivalent to a felony in other states, an additional $30 processing fee will be added onto the bail amount. The $30 fee does not apply to disorderly persons offenses, which are equivalent to misdemeanors in other states.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using a Bail Bond Company?
Bail in New Jersey can get incredibly expensive, climbing into the tens or hundreds of thousands depending on variables like:
- The nature and severity of the offense.
- The extent of the defendant’s criminal record.
- The strength of the defendant’s ties to the local community.
If the bail amount is too expensive, try not to panic. You still have two options to consider for getting your loved one released from the Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility.
Your first option is to call a criminal defense lawyer for assistance filing a bail reduction motion. New Jersey’s Constitution prohibits “excessive bail” and “excessive fines” under Section 12 of Article 1, so depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to have your loved one’s bail lowered to a more manageable level.
Your second option is to use a bail bond company, which will charge you a fee – generally 10% of the bail amount – to have your loved one released from custody.
The main advantage of getting a bail bond is that you can get your loved one out of jail quickly, for a lower amount than you would otherwise have to pay up front. However, there are also some disadvantages to taking this route. You will become responsible for ensuring that the defendant returns to court for his or her future hearings, because if he she fails to appear, which is called “skipping” or “jumping” bail, the bail bond company has the authority to send a bounty hunter after him or her. The judge can also issue a bench warrant for the person’s arrest.
Additionally, the 10% fee is non-refundable – even if your loved one is later found not guilty of the charges. If you post bail on your own, you can get the bail money back later. Either way, it’s important to think carefully and discuss your options with a criminal defense attorney before making a decision.
If one of your family members is in custody at the Atlantic County Adult Detention Center, call the Law Offices of John J. Zarych at (609) 616-4956 to set up a free and confidential consultation. Our line is always open for your call, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Se habla español.
