County Court
Frequently Asked Questions
Bonding Office FAQ
A bond is an an amount of money required by the court to insure the defendant's appearance in court on the scheduled date or to release the defendant after an arrest on a warrant.
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How can I take care of my warrant?
The defendant must go to the Bonding Office, located on the first floor of the Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility (PADF) located at 1351 Cherokee Street. The PADF is across the street from the City and County Building, on the SW corner of Cherokee and 14th Street. The defendant must be present at the time of bonding in order to have his/her signature witnessed by the bonding office clerk, and must pay the entire bond amount plus a bonding fee of $30.00. On Traffic cases, there is an additional $30.00 OJW fee. The defendant is free to use a professional bondsperson, cash, visa or master card or a property to post bond. A defendant can use his/her own credit card or another person can use his/her credit card to post a bond on a defendant. The owner of the credit card is automatically the surety. Credit card transactions are only done in the bonding office with proper identification. Once the bond has been posted, the warrant is cancelled and the new court date is entered into the computer. If the defendant fails to appear in court on the new court date, the defendant will forfeit the money and a new warrant will be issued for their arrest. The defendant can post a walk thru bond in order to avoid being arrested on a Denver County Court warrant.
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What is the function of the Denver County Court Bonding Office?
The Bonding Office posts bonds for prisoners held at either the Denver City Jail (PADF), the Denver County Jail or for individuals being held in Denver for other counties. The Bonding Office also accepts cash for fines for prisoners arrested as the result of a failure to pay warrant.
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What are the bonding office hours?
The bonding office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Monday through Sunday. The deputies process bonds during the hours the bonding office is closed.
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If I come down for a ‘walk-thru,’ will I be arrested?
No. The purpose of a ‘walk-thru’ is to prevent an arrest. At no time during this process will the defendant be arrested.
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What does OJW stand for?
OJW stands for Outstanding Judgment Warrant. An OJW is a $30.00 lien placed against the defendant’s driver’s license,and/or motor vehicle plate. The state will not allow the defendant to renew their license until all debt to the court has been paid in full.
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Where is the bonding office located?
The Denver County Court Bonding Office is located at 1351 Cherokee St., in the Pre Arraignment Detention Facility. The building is located three blocks west of Broadway and one block south of Colfax Ave. The phone number for the bonding office is (720) 913-7556.
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What percentage of the bond amount is required at the Bonding Office?
If you post a bond at the Denver County Court Bonding Office, you are required to post the full amount of the bond plus a $30 filing fee for each bond.
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What is the purpose of the bond fee?
The purpose of the $30.00 non-refundable bond fee is to cover processing and administrative costs related to bonding.
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Can I use my credit card over the phone to post a bond?
No. The credit card holder must be present at the time of bonding to sign the bond.
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What forms of payment are accepted at the Bonding Office?
The Bonding Office accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, or certified funds. The office does not accept money orders, personal checks or other credit cards. All certified funds must be posted during normal business hours during the week in order for the funds to be validated.
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Can I use someone else’s credit card to post a bond?
No. Unless your name appears on the credit card, you will be unable to use the card without the cardholder present. If someone else wishes to post your bond, they must appear in person to do so.
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How soon will the defendant be released after the bond is posted?
In general, the release is not immediate, usually taking several hours. For more information, please contact the Sheriff’s Department in the Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility (City Jail).
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What happens to the bond money?
As long as the defendant makes every scheduled court appearance, the bond money is refundable. Once the defendant’s case is closed, the bond is released. If the surety will be receiving a refund of the bond money, it will be refunded in the form of a check. If the defendant will be receiving a refund of bond money, any outstanding court fines and fees will be deducted from the bond amount, then the remainder will be refunded in the form of a check. If the defendant fails to appear, the bond is forfeited.
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How can I take care of this without coming to Denver?
The defendant must contact the appropriate division to find out which steps need to be taken or which options may be available to them. Some divisions accept pleas by mail; others do not.
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Can I check for warrants statewide or in counties other than Denver?
No. The Denver County Court is only able to access warrant information for the City and County of Denver.
The Inmate Processing Fee (IPF) must be paid at the time of bonding. This fee is a mandatory booking fee implemented by the Denver Sheriff’s Office (DSO).
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What do I do if my car is impounded?
Please contact the Vehicle Impound Facility (VIF) at 303-295-4364 to ascertain whether your vehicle is eligible to be released. If it is determined that the car was impounded due to a violation of Initiative 100 (I-100), please contact the Bonding office at 720-913-7581 for more details.
A $2,500 bond must be posted in order to bond out a vehicle that is been impounded for driving without a valid driver’s license or driving under revocation. Additional fees must be paid at the Bonding office and the VIF in addition to the bond amount.
Payment options include:
- Cash/visa/master card
- Insurance company
- Property bond
Please contact the VIF at 303-295-4364 for cash and credit card bonds.
Please contact the Bonding office for information regarding insurance and property bonds.