Start With the City That Made the Arrest
If someone you love was arrested in Chandler or Gilbert, start with which
city made the stop. Many lower-level cases stay close to home for a short
time. More serious cases move into the Maricopa County jail system in
Phoenix, and the court and the payment window change with that move.
This guide covers both paths: the holding facility these two cities share,
what a city charge looks like in each court, and what changes when the case
goes to the county. If the arrest was in Mesa, use the
Mesa holding-facility guide
instead. Mesa runs its own facility and its own payment windows. The
addresses below will send a Mesa family to the wrong door.
This is general information, not legal advice. Questions about the charges
belong with a criminal defense lawyer. If you want a person on the phone
right now, The Bail Barn answers 24 hours a day, including holidays, at
(623) 428-2276.
The Holding Facility Chandler and Gilbert Share
Gilbert's municipal court says the town houses people in the
Gilbert-Chandler Unified Holding Facility for up to 24 hours before they
see a judge, or in a Maricopa County jail. Chandler Police assigns its
detention officers to that same facility. Their work includes care, custody,
and transportation between city detention and the county jails.
The facility is based at Gilbert Police headquarters, 75 E. Civic Center
Drive in Gilbert. It is a short-term holding operation for the hours before
a city-court appearance or a transfer to Phoenix.
Chandler's published procedures describe a second short stop: a temporary
holding area in the city courts building, used while someone waits to see a
magistrate or to be taken to a county jail. A person arrested in Chandler
may be at the shared facility in Gilbert, at the court building on Chicago
Street, or already on the way to Phoenix. A phone call is how you tell
those apart.
Chandler City Charges, and Where Families Post
Chandler Municipal Court is at 200 E. Chicago Street, Chandler, AZ
85225. The court phone is (480) 782-4700. The public counter is open Monday
through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it closes at 4:30 p.m. on
Wednesdays. It is closed on city holidays.
City criminal charges are this court's work. A criminal offense requires a
judge. The court publishes a bond card for many violation codes, and the
judge still sets release conditions on the case in front of them. That can
be a promise to come back, a bond amount, or both.
For an appearance bond when someone is in custody, the court will not
accept a personal check or a business check. Ask which form of payment the
clerk will take before you leave. During counter hours, that conversation
happens at 200 E. Chicago Street.
Chandler Police's downtown station is next door at 250 E. Chicago Street. The
non-emergency line is (480) 782-4130. Call it first to learn whether the
person is still in Chandler custody, and ask which desk is taking the bond.
The station and the court cashier are different stops on the same block.
When the counter is closed, call that non-emergency line and ask how a bond
can be posted for someone still in custody. A licensed bail agent can post
a secured appearance bond with the court or jail that has the person.
Gilbert City Charges, and Where Families Post
Gilbert Municipal Court is at 55 E. Civic Center Drive, Gilbert, AZ
85296, a short walk from police headquarters. The court phone is (480)
635-7800. The public counter is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to
6 p.m. It is closed Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and on most holidays.
The court handles misdemeanors such as DUI, shoplifting, assault, and
disorderly conduct, plus town-code and civil traffic matters. Felony cases
are filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.
If the person wants out before they are taken to court, a bond has to be
posted. The amount is up to the judge, and a misdemeanor warrant states
that amount on the warrant. In most cases the court accepts cash, a money
order, or a secured appearance bond from a bail agent. A cash bond is
returned to the person who posted it at the end of the case if the person
appears and follows the release conditions.
Call Gilbert Police at (480) 503-6500 if you do not know where someone is.
They can say whether the person is in custody and how to arrange payment on
a Gilbert charge. If the bond is not posted, Gilbert says the person may be
taken to a Maricopa County jail until the next Gilbert court date or until
the bond is posted, whichever comes first.
Police transport someone arrested on a Gilbert warrant to Gilbert Municipal
Court within 24 hours. When warrants are out of more than one court, the
town says the person is taken to one court per day, so one posted bond can
still leave another hold in place.
When the Case Moves to a County Jail
A longer stay, a felony, or a case the city court does not keep is typically
a county booking. Both cities describe transporting those cases to a
Maricopa County jail.
In many cases that booking runs through the Intake, Transfer, and Release
facility — often called ITR — at 2670 S. 28th Drive in Phoenix, which is
open 24 hours. Our guide to
bailing someone out of 4th Avenue Jail
explains where a county release actually happens, and the
Lower Buckeye Jail guide
covers a later housing transfer. Once someone is in county custody, the
county steps in the
Mesa guide
apply here too.
Arizona court rules require a prompt initial appearance before a magistrate.
If that hearing does not happen within 24 hours of the arrest, the rules
call for release. Maricopa County lists in-custody initial appearances every
day of the year, around the clock. Gilbert's public cashier is closed Friday
through Sunday, so call and ask when the appearance is set rather than
waiting on the counter schedule.
An arrest inside Chandler or Gilbert can still be a county case. In
Maricopa County, a justice court hears precinct misdemeanors unless a city
officer files the case in municipal court, or the charge is joined with a
felony. San Marcos, San Tan, Kyrene, and University Lakes justice courts
share a counter at 201 E. Chicago Street, on the same block as Chandler
Municipal Court at 200 E. Chicago. Read the court name on the paperwork
before you get in line. The county precinct map is what matches an address
to the right justice court.
How to Confirm the Building
Work the calls in this order.
- If Chandler Police made the arrest, call (480) 782-4130. Ask whether the
person is still in Chandler custody, and which desk can take a bond.
- If Gilbert Police made the arrest, call (480) 503-6500. Ask whether they
are in custody and how to pay a Gilbert bond.
- If the city does not have them, search the Maricopa County inmate system
or call the county jail information line at (602) 876-0322. Our
step-by-step inmate search guide
shows what to type.
Booking takes a couple of hours on either path, so a missing name right
after the arrest is common.
What the Bond Costs
Arizona regulates the bail bond premium at 10% of the bond amount, with a
$150 minimum. The premium is non-refundable. On a $4,000 bond, the premium
is $400. That figure is an example of the percentage, not a quote for a DUI
or any other charge. The judge sets the bond amount.
A full cash bond is held until the case ends. Gilbert says that cash is
returned if the person appears and follows the release conditions. The 10%
premium paid to a bail agency stays paid.
The Bail Barn accepts credit cards and offers payment plans when the
premium is the hard part. Our guide on
bailing someone out when money is tight
walks through realistic options, and
how bail works in Arizona
covers the statewide steps from arrest to release.
How Long Release Takes
A city charge that stays in the shared holding facility is a short stay: up
to 24 hours before a judge, then release if the court allows it and any bond
is posted. County custody follows the county release timeline. Release after a bond is
posted varies by jail and is typically measured in hours, not minutes. A
second hold can keep someone in custody after the first bond is posted, so
confirm the facility and every hold before you plan a pickup time.
FAQ
Do Chandler and Gilbert have their own jail?
They share the Gilbert-Chandler Unified Holding Facility at Gilbert Police
headquarters, 75 E. Civic Center Drive. Gilbert's court describes holds of
up to 24 hours before a judge, or a transfer to a Maricopa County jail.
Chandler Police also describes a temporary holding area in its city courts
building while someone waits for a magistrate or for transport.
Where do I pay bail for someone arrested in Chandler or Gilbert?
For a Gilbert charge, call Gilbert Police at (480) 503-6500. In most cases
the court accepts cash, a money order, or a secured bond from a bail agent.
For a Chandler city charge during counter hours, pay at 200 E. Chicago
Street. A personal or business check is not accepted for an in-custody
appearance bond. After hours, call Chandler Police at (480) 782-4130. A
county jail follows the county process in the guides linked above.
How do I know if they are still in the East Valley or already in Phoenix?
Call the arresting department first: Chandler Police at (480) 782-4130, or
Gilbert Police at (480) 503-6500. If that department does not have the
person, check the Maricopa County inmate search or call (602) 876-0322. A
name can take a couple of hours to appear.
The Bottom Line
Many Chandler and Gilbert misdemeanors start in the short-term holding
facility those cities share, with a bond posted through Chandler Municipal
Court or Gilbert Municipal Court. Felonies and longer stays typically move
into a Maricopa County jail, often through ITR in Phoenix. The court name
on the paperwork is what tells you which counter to use.
The Bail Barn is a licensed bail bond agency serving
Chandler,
Gilbert,
and
families across Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties.
If you need help right now, contact The Bail Barn or call
(623) 428-2276. We'll help you confirm where your loved one is being held
and post the bond so you can get them home.