The West Hollywood Jail is located within the West Hollywood Police Station. It is operated by the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department. The West Hollywood Jail serves as a holding facility for men and women who are arrested in the city of West Hollywood or in the unincorporated Universal City Walk area by the West Hollywood Sheriffs Department.
Arrestees are temporarily held at this facility until they
- are released on their own recognizance (known as an “O.R.” release),
- post bail, or
- are taken to court for their arraignment.
After their first court date male defendants (who remain in custody) will generally be transferred to the Los Angeles Twin Towers Jail, or the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail. Female defendants will be transferred to the Century Regional Detention Facility. This is typically because they cannot post bail or they have been convicted of their offense.
The West Hollywood Jail is a smaller facility housing a maximum of 36-40 inmates. The city of West Hollywood and the unincorporated Universal City Walk have a residential population of approximately 40,000 people.
However, the nighttime and weekend population can swell to 100,000 and even up to 500,000 during Halloween or the Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade.
Those who are arrested for felonies are housed separately from those arrested for misdemeanors. Men are housed in different cell facilities than women.
The West Hollywood area has a large gay and transgender community. As a result the West Hollywood jail also houses gay and transgender individuals in separate cell facilities within the jail.
The West Hollywood Jail is located at
780 N. San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310-855-8850
Metered street parking is available on the streets surrounding the West Hollywood jail.
In this article, our Los Angeles County criminal defense attorneys will explain the following:
- 1. Procedures on How to Post Bail for an Inmate at the West Hollywood Jail
- 2. How to Get Inmate Information about an Inmate at the West Hollywood Jail
- 3. How to Contact an Inmate at the West Hollywood Jail
- 4. Visiting Hours and Policies
- 5. Procedures for the Return of Property
If, after reading this article, you would like more information, please contact us at Shouse Law Group.
1. Procedures on How to Post Bail for an Inmate at the West Hollywood Jail
After an inmate has been booked into the West Hollywood Jail, his bail will be set in accordance with the Los Angeles County Bail Schedule and based on the crime(s) for which the inmate was arrested.
“Bail” is the amount of money that is designed to assure the arresting agency and court that the defendant will make his court appearances after being released from jail. Anyone can pay (or “post”) bail on an inmate’s behalf.
If you choose to post bail for an inmate, the West Hollywood Jail accepts two forms of bail: cash bail and bail bonds (which are discussed in detail in our article “How to Post Bail in California“). Credit cards and checks are not accepted. By policy, the Jail cannot refer you to specific bail bondsmen.
You may post bail directly at the West Hollywood Station (same location as jail) 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
1.1. Cash Bail
If you elect to post cash bail, you must post the full amount. Once you post cash bail, the inmate is released pending his or her first appearance before a judge. If the inmate attends his court appearances, the bail will be returned following the conclusion of the criminal case. If he does not, the defendant forfeits your money to the court.
1.2. Bail bonds
Most people don’t have funds to post cash bail or a cashier’s check. As a result, posting a bail bond tends to be the most common way to bail someone out of jail. When you post bail you are only required to pay a maximum 7-10% of the total bail amount.
However, bail bondsmen keep your 7-10% as their fee. If the defendant makes all of his court appearances, you do not have to pay any more, but you do not get that 7-10% returned. If the inmate fails to make those appearances, you may be responsible for repaying the entire bail amount to the bondsman.
It generally takes about 20 minutes to obtain a bails bond from a bondsman and then generally from 1-3 hours for the inmate to be released from custody from the West Hollywood Jail.
Bail bondsmen advertise through the internet, phone books, television, and billboards. Make sure you verify the bondsman’s license, and keep copies of all documents for your records.
∗NOTE: Once you post bail, you should immediately consult with one of our experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers who can schedule a bail hearing to argue that the bail should be reduced or eliminated. A skilled local attorney will also review the case to develop the most comprehensive legal defense to help your loved one fight his case.
2. How to Get Inmate Information about an Inmate at the West Hollywood Jail
In order to obtain information about an inmate at the West Hollywood Jail you may
- call the West Hollywood Jail at (310) 855-8850
- call the Los Angeles Inmate Reception Center (the “I.R.C.”) at (213) 473-6100, or
- access information via the web on the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s inmate information website. The L.A. Sheriff’s Department provides information for all inmates in Los Angeles County.
Inmate information is generally not available until at least two hours after booking.
Before a deputy will release information, you must provide the inmate’s correct full legal name or his booking number.
Generally, inmates who are being held in custody must be brought before a judge within two (2) court days of being arrested. At that point, the judge will either continue the arraignment or will set the case for a pre-trial hearing.
If you wish to look up this type of case information for an inmate being housed at the West Hollywood Jail, visit the Los Angeles County case information website.
3. How to Contact an Inmate at the West Hollywood Jail
Inmates cannot receive incoming calls or messages. When an individual is booked into the West Hollywood Jail, the jail staff typically allows the arrestee 15 minutes to thirty to make free local telephone calls to arrange for bail, inform family members as to their whereabouts, and contact an attorney.
Thereafter, calls must be placed on a collect basis. If you know that a friend/family member is being held in the West Hollywood Jail, you may want to contact your local telephone carrier to make sure that collect calls are not blocked on your telephone plan.
Inmates are only temporarily housed at this facility, thus they are not there long enough to receive mail.
However, you can personally visit an inmate at the Jail, in accordance with the facility’s visiting hours and policies described below.
4. Visiting Hours and Policies
Inmates may generally visit with one (1) guest and one (1) child once a day. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult with valid identification to visit. Visiting hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am and 12:00 pm. Visitors are required to schedule an appointment one day before their visit.
Visits typically last a maximum of 15-30 minutes. Visiting hours are subject to change without notice. Thus, it is a good idea to call the West Hollywood Jail at (310) 855-8850 prior to your visit to make sure the inmate
- is permitted to receive visitors, and
- will be present in the jail and not in court.
Attorneys and members of the clergy are not bound by these restrictions and may visit an inmate 24 hours a day / 7 days per week.
All visitors must bring valid picture identification, such as
- A California driver’s license or identification card,
- a U.S. passport,
- an alien registration card, or
- A U.S. military card.
In addition, all visitors are subject to a search of their person and property. Visitors may not bring anything illegal to the facility nor may they bring anything to give to the inmates.
5. Procedures for the Return of Property
When an inmate is booked into the West Hollywood Jail, his belongings are collected and stored. This property is returned to the inmate once he is released or transferred to a county jail.
Alternatively, an inmate who was arrested on a misdemeanor charge can fill out a property release form designating another person to claim that property.
Inmates who are arrested on felony charges must receive approval from a detective before they will be permitted to release their property.
If an inmate has chosen you to pick up his property from the West Hollywood Jail, you must bring a government issued I.D. This procedure is available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.