For family & friends
Someone You Love Was Arrested
Maybe they called you from jail. Maybe you haven’t heard anything at all. Either way, you’re scared, you have questions, and nobody is explaining anything. Take a breath. Here is exactly how it works in Maricopa County, and what you can do right now.
Last reviewed October 2026 · Sources: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Superior Court
The first 24 to 48 hours
What Happens Step by Step
Watch: The next 24 hours · 1 min
- 1
Booking
Most people arrested in Maricopa County are taken to the Sheriff’s Intake, Transfer and Release Facility (ITR) in west Phoenix. They’re fingerprinted, photographed, screened by medical staff, and their belongings are logged. Booking can take hours, so don’t panic if they aren’t in the system yet. One exception: some cities, like Mesa and Glendale, run their own jails and may hold people on city misdemeanor charges there until their first court date.
- 2
Find Them
Search the Sheriff’s inmate lookup by name and date of birth, or call Sheriff’s Information Management Services at 602-876-0322. Write down their booking number. You’ll need it for bond, deposits, mail and calls with us.
Sheriff’s Inmate Lookup ↗ - 3
The Initial Appearance
Within 24 hours of the arrest, they see a judge at the ITR. Court runs every day, holidays included, about every three hours around the clock. City of Phoenix cases are heard at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The judge explains the charges, decides whether they can be released and on what terms, and sets the next court date. Family can watch on a monitor in the lobby.
- 4
Release Conditions
The judge can release them on their own promise to come back, release them with conditions such as check-ins or no contact with certain people, set a bond that has to be paid first, or, in some serious cases, hold them without bond. This is the moment a defense attorney can push for release or a lower bond.
- 5
Coming Home
Everyone is released from the ITR, and processing can take up to 24 hours after a bond is paid. They can call collect when their release is close. Pick them up at the public parking lot at Gibson and 28th Drive.
If a bond is set
How Bond Works
Watch: Getting them out · 1 min
Booking and release happen at the ITR in west Phoenix. Bonds are paid downtown, at the Fourth Avenue Jail. Different buildings, a few miles apart.
Paying It Yourself
- In person only, at the Bond & Fine Room on the northwest corner of the Fourth Avenue Jail
- The exact amount only. Cash, cashier’s check, money order or credit card
- Over $10,000? Bring your Social Security number. It’s an IRS rule
- If they make every court date, a cash bond is generally returned when the case ends. Miss court, and it can be forfeited
Using a Bail Bond Company
- The company posts the full bond for you
- You pay them a fee that you don’t get back, even when the case is over
- They may ask for collateral, like a car title or property
- Read the contract before you sign. You’re on the hook if they miss court
Before you pay anything
Call Sheriff’s Information Management Services at 602-876-0322 with their booking number, or full name and date of birth, to confirm the amount. If they have an immigration hold or a hold from another agency, paying the bond will not get them out. Talk to us first.
Scam alert
The court and the Sheriff will never ask for bond money by phone, text, email or social media, and bonds can’t be paid by Zelle, Venmo, Cash App or wire. If someone calls saying your loved one needs money sent right now, hang up and call us.
If they’re still inside
Staying in Touch
Phone Calls
They can call you collect. Keep it about family and their well-being. Assume every word is being recorded.
Video Visits
No in-person visits. Video visits run 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., 30 minutes each, for a fee. Set up an account at gettingout.com.
Money on Their Account
Deposits go through TouchPay kiosks, by phone, online or at some retail stores, and usually post within an hour. The Sheriff’s Office itself doesn’t take cash or checks.
Postcards only, standard USPS size, blue or black ink. Address it to their name and booking number, Lower Buckeye Jail, 3250 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Phoenix, AZ 85009.
Jail rules change. Check the Sheriff’s website for the latest before you go or send anything.
Protect their case
What Not to Do
- Don’t talk about what happened on calls, video visits, texts or social media.
- Don’t post about the arrest. Prosecutors read Facebook too.
- Don’t contact the alleged victim or witnesses, even to smooth things over. It can break release conditions and create new charges.
- Don’t send money to anyone who calls asking for bond.
- Don’t wait for the next court date to get a lawyer.
Where to go
The Two Buildings
Intake, Transfer and Release Facility (ITR)
2670 S. 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85009Pickup: public parking lot at Gibson and 28th Drive Directions →Fourth Avenue Jail, Bond & Fine Room
201 S. 4th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003Northwest corner of the building. In person only Directions →
You don’t have to figure this out alone
How Ty Helps
Families are often the first call, and that call matters. Ty can step in early, push for release or a lower bond, ask the court to revisit harsh release conditions, explain what the charges really mean, and make sure the person you love doesn’t say anything that hurts their case. You can hire him on their behalf. What they tell him stays confidential.
Family Questions
They got one call and it was to me. What should I ask?
Ask where they are, whether they’re hurt, and their booking number if they have it. Tell them help is coming and not to talk about the case with anyone. Don’t ask what happened. That conversation is for their lawyer.
Why can’t I find them in the inmate search?
Booking takes time, so they may not show up for a few hours. Check the spelling and date of birth, or call 602-876-0322. If they were arrested by a city with its own jail, such as Mesa or Glendale, they may be held there instead, so call the police department that arrested them. If they still don’t show up, call us and we’ll help you track them down.
How long until they see a judge?
Arizona’s rules require the initial appearance within 24 hours of the arrest. If it doesn’t happen in time, the person has to be released.
The bond is too high. Is that final?
Not necessarily. A defense attorney can ask the court to review release conditions, including the bond amount. Call us before you sign anything with a bail bond company.
Can I hire Ty for them while they’re in jail?
Yes. Family members often make the first call and handle the payment. The person charged is still the client, so what they tell Ty stays confidential.