Why Your Loved One's Release from Morgan County Jail Can Take Hours (What Families Should Expect)
When your loved one says they're "getting out today," that can still mean a long wait on your end. At Morgan County Jail, the release process often can't start until court paperwork arrives. After that, processing alone can add several more hours.
Morgan County Jail can't release anyone without complete paperwork from the courts. That paperwork typically arrives around 5:00 pm most days, and staff generally can't begin processing until it shows up. This explains why families often feel stuck in limbo. Someone inside may hear a release is coming, but if the jail hasn't received the court documents yet, there's nothing to speed up. The wait usually comes down to when paperwork arrives, not whether the person is actually eligible to leave.
Once paperwork is in hand, Morgan County Jail says releases can still take up to five hours. That time isn't usually one big holdup. It's the normal work of running a jail while completing release steps, and several different delays can stack up on the same day.
- ✓ Additional arrests that also have to be processed
- ✓ Warrant checks that must be completed
- ✓ Inmate-related issues (for example, medical or behavioral issues)
- ✓ Headcount
- ✓ Facility lockdowns
Note: Multiple delays can happen at once. The jail's own guidance says processing can take up to five hours, so plan for a long wait even on a "normal" day.
Morgan County Jail participates in VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday). To get custody-status notifications by phone, call 1-877-846-3425 from a touch-tone phone and follow the prompts.
You can also register online through VINELink. This lets you set up notifications without needing to wait at the jail while the release is being processed.
Here's a realistic timeline at Morgan County Jail: court release paperwork often arrives around 5:00 pm most days. Then processing begins. The jail says that step alone can take up to five hours, with delays from routine needs like warrant checks, headcount, new arrests being processed, inmate-related issues, or facility lockdowns. If you're planning to pick someone up, this is the key thing to understand: "paperwork time" and "walking out the door" are not the same moment, even when everything goes smoothly.
- ✓ Use 5:00 pm as a rough reference point, since the jail often receives court paperwork around then most days (release processing usually cannot begin before that)
- ✓ Expect that the release can take up to five hours to process after paperwork is received
- ✓ Keep the common delay reasons in mind: additional arrests to process, warrant checks, inmate-related issues, headcount, and facility lockdowns
- ✓ Register for VINE notifications by phone at 1-877-846-3425
- ✓ Register for notifications online through VINELink so you can get updates without waiting on-site the entire time
Tip: If you only do one thing, register for VINE (by phone or through VINELink). It's the simplest way to get custody-change notifications while you wait.
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