To find out whether someone is in custody at the Amador County Jail tonight, use the Sheriff's Office's online Inmates and Crime Graphics search, or call the jail's main line at (209) 223-6500. The jail sits in Jackson, the county seat, and holds both men and women who are awaiting court dates or serving county time.
How do I look up someone at the Amador County Jail?
Search the Sheriff's Office's Inmates and Crime Graphics tool online, or call the jail directly at (209) 223-6500 and ask custody staff for the person by name.
- Open the Sheriff's jail information page, then follow its "Inmates and Crime Graphics" link. This in-custody search tool is listed separately from the Sheriff's public crime-reporting form.
- If the search does not return a result, the booking may not be posted yet, or the person may still be held by the arresting agency before a transfer to the county jail.
- Call to confirm. The jail's main line is (209) 223-6500; the Sheriff's Office non-emergency dispatch line, (209) 223-6513, can also help.
- If the person may be in state prison rather than county jail, use the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's own CIRIS locator instead.
For an arrest in a different California county, see our courthouse and jail guides by county.
Where does Amador County hold people after an arrest?
Amador County holds people at the Amador County Jail, also called the Amador County Correctional Facility, at 700 Court Street in Jackson.
| Facility | Address | Public phone |
|---|---|---|
| Amador County Jail (Amador County Correctional Facility) | 700 Court Street, Jackson, CA 95642 | (209) 223-6500 |
The facility has a state-rated capacity for 76 people, 65 men and 11 women, and the Sheriff's Office says it operates under the standards set out in Title 15 of the California Code of Regulations.
How does release work before trial in Amador County?
State law requires release on a written citation for most misdemeanor arrests, though an officer may book the person first; someone booked can post bail or seek own recognizance release.
Penal Code section 853.6 generally requires an officer to release a person arrested for a misdemeanor on a written notice to appear instead of taking them before a magistrate, though the officer may still book the person at the scene or station first. Listed exceptions let an officer keep someone in custody instead, including an outstanding warrant, no satisfactory identification, or a stated reason to believe the person will not return to court. For a person who is booked, Penal Code section 1270 generally entitles a misdemeanor defendant to release on their own recognizance at arraignment, unless the court finds on the record that release would compromise public safety or not reasonably assure their appearance.
Amador Superior Court's Criminal Division FAQ says the court does not order Home Electronic Monitoring in Lieu of Jail; applications for that program go to the Amador County Sheriff's Department, so ask the Sheriff's Department whether it is available in a given case.
How do I post bail for someone at the Amador County Jail?
Amador Superior Court posts a 2026 Felony Bail Schedule; its other schedules cover traffic, boating, fish and game and similar offenses, and a judge can set a different amount.
Amador Superior Court's fee and bail schedule page lists its 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, which prints no effective date beyond its 2026 title. The other schedules on that page are the Judicial Council's 2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules for traffic, boating, forestry, fish and game, public utilities, parks and recreation and business licensing offenses. The felony schedule states its own purpose: to fix an amount that a person arrested without a warrant can post to get out of custody before their first court appearance. Before that appearance, bail follows the amount on the arrest warrant, if one was issued, or the posted schedule; once a judge sees the case, Penal Code section 1269b lets the judge set bail higher or lower than the schedule figure.
A schedule amount is a starting point, not the last word on what a specific person pays. In re Humphrey (2021) requires a judge to weigh the person's ability to pay, and to consider whether nonfinancial conditions could reasonably protect the public and the victim or assure the person's presence at trial, before holding someone in custody over an amount they cannot afford. In re Kowalczyk, decided by the California Supreme Court in April 2026, adds that outside capital cases a judge may deny bail outright only for the offenses listed in California Constitution article I, section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c), and that money bail must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable for the person it is set for, though not necessarily easily affordable. See how California bail amounts are set and bail hearings for the full rule.
Call the jail at (209) 223-6500 to ask which payment methods it accepts before you go, or contact a licensed bail bond agency directly.
When is the first court date after an arrest in Amador County?
Someone held in custody must be brought before a judge within 48 hours of arrest, not counting Sundays and holidays, at the county's one courthouse in Jackson.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) sets the outside limit for anyone held in custody:
"the defendant shall in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays."
That is a deadline to reach a judge, not a deadline for filing charges and not a promise of release. If the 48 hours end while court is not in session, Penal Code section 825(a)(2) extends the deadline to the end of the next court session on the following court day. Someone arrested on a Wednesday after court has closed must be brought before a judge by Friday, if neither day is a court holiday.
Amador has one courthouse for every case type in the county, the Amador Courthouse at 500 Argonaut Lane, Jackson, CA 95642; our Amador County Courthouse guide covers it in more detail, including how to look up the case online. A defendant who appears for arraignment without a lawyer must be told of the right to counsel and asked whether they want one. The court's Criminal Division FAQ says that if you cannot afford to hire an attorney, you can ask the court to appoint one, and the court may then appoint a Public Defender to represent you.
How do visiting, mail, and money work at the Amador County Jail?
Visits are limited to two short sessions a week, mail goes to the jail's Court Street address, and money goes through a kiosk, phone line, or website, never by mail.
Amador's visiting rules allow each inmate two half-hour visits a week. A single visitor is limited to one visit per day no matter how many inmates they want to see, and only two people are allowed in the visiting booth at once. Every visitor must show proof of identity and age; visitors must be 18 or older, except a minor who is accompanied by a parent or guardian. Because actual visiting days and hours can change, check the Sheriff's Office jail visiting page rather than relying on a printed schedule.
Incoming mail is delivered Monday through Thursday. Address it to the inmate's name, block, and cell number, c/o Amador County Jail, 700 Court Street, Jackson, CA 95642; legal mail is not restricted, and an inmate with no money is given postage for three personal letters a week. All mail is checked for contraband.
Deposits to an inmate's account are no longer accepted at the jail's front counter or by mail. Use the lobby kiosk, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and during visiting hours, or add funds online or by phone through smartdeposit.com or (866) 394-0490, using Facility Code JAQ and Pay Location Code 5500.
For questions about a person's property, call the jail at (209) 223-6500.
What should I do right now if someone was just arrested in Amador County?
Confirm custody, check the current bail schedule, keep the arrest paperwork, and call a defense lawyer before the first court date.
- Confirm custody. Search Inmates and Crime Graphics online, or call (209) 223-6500.
- Check the current bail schedule on the Superior Court's website, and call the jail to ask what it accepts for payment before you go.
- Keep any citation or booking paperwork. It can help confirm the charge and the court date.
- Ask the court to appoint a lawyer at the first appearance if you cannot afford to hire one.
- Call a criminal defense lawyer early. A lawyer can address bail, confirm the arraignment date, and explain what to expect before the family has to guess.
Frequently asked questions
What if the Inmates and Crime Graphics search does not show the person?
A very recent booking may not be listed yet, and the tool covers only the county jail, not state prison or another county. Call (209) 223-6500 to ask directly, or check the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's CIRIS locator if the person may be in state custody.
Who handles Home Electronic Monitoring in Amador County?
The Amador County Sheriff's Department. The court's Criminal Division FAQ says the court does not order Home Electronic Monitoring in Lieu of Jail and that applications go to the Sheriff's Department.
Can I visit someone at the Amador County Jail if I am on probation?
No. The Sheriff's visiting page says people on probation, parole or AB 109 supervision, and anyone held in the Amador County Jail within the last 60 days, will not be allowed to visit.
How do I get a public defender in Amador County?
Ask the judge at the first court appearance. Amador Superior Court's Criminal Division FAQ says the court may then appoint a Public Defender, and Penal Code section 987(a) requires the court to assign counsel to a defendant who wants a lawyer and cannot afford one.
Can someone ask for a lower bail amount before the Amador County arraignment?
Yes. Before the first appearance, the person, or a lawyer, friend, or family member, can ask a judge for bail below the schedule or for release on their own recognizance under Penal Code section 1269c, except for the offenses Penal Code section 1270.1 lists. If no change is ordered within eight hours of booking, the person may be released on the scheduled bail.
How many phone calls can someone make right after being booked at the Amador County Jail?
At least three free local or collect long-distance calls within three hours of arrest. Calls to a lawyer, physician, clergy member, sexual assault counselor, or psychotherapist cannot be monitored or recorded; other calls may be.
Talk to a lawyer
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free consultation and is available 24/7, including for a family member calling about someone just arrested in Amador County. Call (800) 755-5174 to talk with a lawyer about what happens next, or ask for a free consultation online.