What Happens If You Ordered Commissary But Got Released Early? How Refunds Work
Getting released before your commissary arrives is more common than you'd think. Here's how refunds work at Lawrence County Jail, TN, and what you can do to make sure your money ends up in the right place.
When someone gets released before their commissary arrives, the order (or specific items) gets sent back to the warehouse. The good news: the refund still happens. It doesn't vanish just because the person left custody. At Lawrence County Jail, refunds for returned orders or items are processed within two business days.
Here's where things get confusing. At release, your remaining account balance gets transferred to a release debit card. But if you placed a commissary order that hadn't been delivered yet, the refund for that order won't show up on the card. You'll walk out with a card showing your balance from that day, while the pending-order refund works through a separate process. One more thing to know about the card: funds transfer to a MasterCard debit card only if your balance is more than $3.95, and there's a $3.95 card funding charge. So while the card gets you money quickly, it's not set up to capture refunds from undelivered commissary orders.
Tip: If you were released before your commissary arrived, don't expect that refund on your release debit card. The refund comes as a mailed check once it's processed. Keep in mind the $3.95 card funding charge, and remember your balance must be more than $3.95 to fund a card at all.
Once the system recognizes a returned commissary order, the refund processes within two business days. That's the internal processing window, not the day you'll actually have money in hand.
Release refund checks are processed and mailed every Tuesday. There's a $2.00 check fee, so the amount you receive will be slightly less than the full refund.
Action Steps
- ✓ Complete a Release Authorization Form as you exit Booking so staff knows where to mail your refund check.
- Check whether a release debit card makes sense for your balance - Funds can be transferred to a MasterCard debit card at release if the account balance is more than $3.95, and there is a $3.95 card funding charge per funded card.
- Do not count on the card for a pending commissary refund - If you left after ordering but before delivery and moved your balance to a release debit card, the refund for that order will not be included on the card.
- If a mailed check is needed, plan for the schedule and fee - Release refund checks tied to Release Authorization Forms are processed and mailed each Tuesday, and a $2.00 check fee applies.
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