Montgomery County Jail
After an arrest, an arrestee will either be released on their own or sent to jail. Jail is any kind of government-run holding facility, designed to hold inmates who are awaiting trial or serving short-term sentences.
The Montgomery County jail is located at the Clarksburg Facility, which is the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, located in Boyds, Maryland. There is also a second correctional center in Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Detention Center, which is primarily a short-term holding place.
The Booking Process in Montgomery County
The booking process in Montgomery County takes place at any of the police stations located throughout the county, at central booking, or at the Montgomery County Detention Center. Usually, booking takes place and then a commissioner makes a determination about whether or not a person is an appropriate candidate for a bond review hearing.
If a bond is set by the commissioner, the person has the right to pay that bond and then be released. If not, the commissioner will defer the case to a judge for a determination to be made about whether bond is an appropriate option. Usually, the bond hearing will take place the following day at the Montgomery County District Court located in Rockville, Maryland.
How Bond Works
Bond is effectively a different word for “guarantee.” Somebody who has bond has simply been given an opportunity to be released from jail with certain conditions. Sometimes, those conditions are financial, but they could also mean participating in treatment or some kind of anger management.
As long as an individual who is out on bond shows up to their court date, they will not suffer any further consequences with respect to the bond. If there was money paid as part of a bond, that money will typically be refunded after the court appearance, unless it was paid through a bondsman. If, however, an individual violates their bond conditions or does not show up for court, any bond amounts of money that were submitted would be considered forfeited. In addition, they may face sanctions such as having bond revoked and being held in custody until their court date.
What to Expect in Montgomery County Jail
When an arrestee is taken to jail in Montgomery County, they can expect that they will lose their liberty, be taken into custody, and often be held for several hours before they have information about what is going to happen with respect to their case.
Anyone who has been arrested and placed in jail has a right to counsel, so it is important that they do not answer questions from anybody at the jail without having access to their attorney. They should give the individual the option of speaking to an attorney by telephone and, occasionally, there may be attorneys on staff that can answer quick questions for the individual while they are sorting out the issues of retaining their own counsel.
How an Attorney Could Represent a Jailed Defendant in Montgomery County
Representing a person’s interests while they are in jail is something that every attorney has done at one point or another. Many clients are not permitted to be released pending their criminal court date, but they still need and deserve experienced legal counsel.
Attorneys have access to their clients in the jail 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can speak with them there to discuss strategy and prepare all court appearances and the court dates that come forward. If you or a family member are in Montgomery County jail, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.