1. Criminal bonds will not be accepted for a person who is in-custody in another state or for a defendant who is out-of-custody with an outstanding felony warrant.
2. Criminal bonds are accepted by the Clerk's Office if the defendant is in the custody of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office will be notified the following business day for all criminal bonds paid to the Clerk's Office after 4:30 pm. Surety (Paper) bonds for criminal bail bonds can be obtained through a bail-bonding agency and are accepted at the north entrance of the 4th Avenue Jail. In-Custody bond payments are also accepted 24-hours a day at this location.  

For additional questions regarding criminal bonds, please contact the 4th Avenue Jail at (602) 876-0322, located at 201 S. 4th Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85003. Please have the full name, booking number, and/or date of birth available.

Using property as the basis for bond is a time-consuming process that is less preferable than use of a cash or paper bond. Requirements for property bonds must be submitted to the court for review; the court will determine if the property qualifies for the posting of bond. Requirements Include:

• An authoritative appraisal of the property to determine if its wholesale value is greater than the bond amount;
• Documentation of the person's equity in the property, sufficient to cover the bond;
• A trust deed made out to the Clerk of Court, and recorded in the County Recorder's Office, along with the promissory note pledging the property to the Clerk of Court; and
• An order from the Court authorizing the use of the specific property as bond

The release of trust funds requires a court order. All orders should be presented to the Criminal Filing Counter, located in the South Court Tower, 175 West Madison Avenue – 12th Floor, Phoenix AZ 85003.

Orders of release are processed within 24-48 hours. Funds are released only in the form of a Clerk of the Superior Court check. 

**Note** The Clerk's Accounting Department is inaccessible to the public; therefore, office policy requires all checks be mailed with no exceptions. For security purposes, court orders that direct the clerk against this policy will be reviewed and may require an amended order to be submitted to move forward with release of funds. **

Non-criminal cases require the original or certified copy of the order of release, including a Judge or Commissioner's actual signature. A facsimile stamp is not acceptable.

Orders of release must be specific on the following points:

• Exact amount of money to be released, stated in specific dollars and cents
  • For funds held in an interest-bearing account, the order must include the amount of the original bond, stated in specific dollars and cents and the phrase, "all accrued interest"
  • The accrued interest will not be released until a completed W-9 Form: Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification is on file with our office
• The full name, including applicable suffixes, of the person or entity to whom the funds is to be paid
• An address to which a check will be mailed

Criminal cases require the original or certified copy of the order of exoneration including a Judge or Commissioner's actual signature. A facsimile stamp is not acceptable.

• Funds are released to the party posting the bond unless otherwise directed by court order
• A check will be mailed to the address provided at the time bond was posted

Surety (Paper) Bonds require a certified copy of an order of exoneration, including a Judge or Commissioner's actual signature; a facsimile stamp is not acceptable. The order must be taken to the bonding company for processing. For issues regarding Surety Bonds, please contact the Arizona Department of Insurance.

The Clerk's Office no longer accepts Affidavits of Assignments. Parties must petition the Court to have a court order issued releasing the funds to another party.

Stop payments will not be placed on checks until ten (10) business days after the original issue date of the check. There is a $16.00 non-refundable fee for each check in which a stop payment is placed.

Please see the stop payment affidavit and instructions. 

An Affidavit of Address Change For Bond Release form is required to change the mailing address of a released bond. The person requesting the address change must be the party to whom the court order releases funds. The requesting party's signature must be notarized by a Notary Public.