When and where is the bond hearing in Spartanburg County?

What the law requires

A person charged with a bailable offense must have a bond hearing within 24 hours of arrest, and must be released within a reasonable time, not more than four hours, after the bond is delivered to the jail (S.C. Code § 22-5-510(B)).

Before or at the hearing, the arresting agency must give the court the person's criminal record, any pending charges, the incident reports, and any other information that will help, including other bonds the person is already on. If some of that is not available, the agency must say why, but missing information does not by itself delay the hearing. For charges under Chapter 25 of Title 16 (domestic violence), the hearing cannot go forward without the criminal record and incident report or the arresting officer present, and must still happen within 24 hours.

Laws and procedures can change. Confirm anything that matters with bond court or a lawyer.

Where and when in Spartanburg County

Almost every arrest in Spartanburg County, whether by Spartanburg Police, the Sheriff's Office, a town police department, or the Highway Patrol, is booked at the Spartanburg County Detention Center, 950 California Avenue. The magistrates' bond court office is inside the detention center.

The Sheriff's Office says bond hearings are usually conducted by magistrates every day at 11 a.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m., and midnight, and after that as needed. Booking takes time, so a person arrested in the afternoon may not be ready for the 6 p.m. hearing. Call bond court at 864-596-3424 to ask about a specific person.

When a magistrate cannot set bond

Magistrates may not set bond for offenses punishable by death or life imprisonment, and for violent offenses as defined in S.C. Code § 16-1-60 a magistrate may deny bail after weighing the evidence and the circumstances. In those cases, bond is decided by a circuit judge in General Sessions, which can take longer. The Clerk of Court for General Sessions is at the Spartanburg County Courthouse, 180 Magnolia Street.

What the judge looks at

The judge starts from the presumption of release on a personal recognizance bond (S.C. Code § 17-15-10). To decide whether more is needed, the judge may consider the charge and the person's family ties, employment, financial resources, character and mental condition, length of residence in the community, prior convictions, and any record of flight or missed court dates. The court must consider the criminal record, pending charges, the incident reports, whether the person is already out on bond, and certain other factors listed in the statute.

What family members can do before the hearing

• Confirm custody. Call the detention center at 864-596-2607 or check the Sheriff's Office bookings search.
• Gather facts for the judge. Proof of a job, a stable address, and family ties are the kinds of things the law lets a judge consider. If the person has a lawyer, give the information to the lawyer.
• Think about how bond could be posted. Cash, a 10% cash deposit if allowed, a property owner as an accommodation surety, or a licensed bondsman. See how bail works.
• Do not pay anyone who calls you asking for bond money over the phone, by app, or with gift cards. Call the detention center yourself.

Victims' rights at bond hearings

The Sheriff's Office says victims who ask are informed of bond proceedings and of a defendant's release, are entitled to attend bond hearings, and may tell the magistrate about problems they anticipate if the defendant is released. Anyone can sign up anonymously through the state's SAVIN service to be notified when an inmate is released.

After the hearing

If bond is set, the paperwork lists the amount, the type, and any conditions, such as no contact with an alleged victim or electronic monitoring. Read the conditions carefully: violating one can lead to a bench warrant even if every court date is kept.

If bond seems unaffordable, a lawyer can ask the court to reconsider it. A person who cannot afford a lawyer can apply to the Seventh Circuit Public Defender; the address is on the jail and courts page.

Next: the detention center for calls, visits, and release, and the bail bond directory if you need a bondsman.