What Happens When Your Loved One Is Released from Lawrence County Jail: Debit Cards, Checks, and Fees
If your loved one has money left in their commissary account at Lawrence County Jail, it won’t just be handed to you at the door. Here’s how release debit cards and release checks work, what they cost, and what to expect.
Lawrence County Jail makes MasterCard release debit cards available in Booking. That means your loved one can have the remaining commissary funds moved onto a card while they’re processing out, instead of waiting for a mailed check.
Fee alert: Funding a release debit card at the booking kiosk costs $3.95 per card.
Each release debit card can hold up to $9,500. If your loved one’s balance is higher than that at release, the funds can be split across multiple cards.
Once it’s funded, the release card works anywhere MasterCard is accepted. It can also be used at ATMs to withdraw cash, which can be helpful right after release when they need transportation, food, or a phone plan set up quickly.
- Ask for a check while exiting Booking - If your loved one prefers a check instead of a debit card, they need to complete a “Release Authorization Form” as they exit Booking.
Timing and fee: Release checks are processed and mailed each Tuesday, and there’s a $2.00 fee per check.
One of the biggest surprises for families is that commissary funds aren’t something you can pick up on your loved one’s behalf. At Lawrence County Jail, Commissary will only release money from an incarcerated person’s account to that same person, and only after they’re released from the facility. If someone other than the account holder needs to receive the funds, an exception requires a court order - so it’s worth planning ahead, especially if your loved one won’t have a stable mailing address or easy access to banking immediately after release.
If your loved one is being transferred to another facility and needs help moving their commissary funds, call Commissary at 615-777-0977.
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