What is the Wise County Detention Center and what happens after booking?
The Detention Center is Wise County's sole adult custody facility, housed at the Sheriff's Office complex on Rook Ramsey Drive in Decatur.
- Facility name
- Wise County Detention Center (also called the Wise County Jail)
- Address
- 200 Rook Ramsey Drive, Decatur, TX 76234
- Phone
- (940) 627-5971 — 24 hours
- Operator
- Wise County Sheriff's Office — Sheriff Cary Mellema; county-operated, no private contractor
- Hours
- 24-hour facility
The jail sits on the same 200 Rook Ramsey Drive property as the Sheriff's administrative offices in Decatur, roughly one mile southeast of the courthouse square. Custodial arrests from Decatur, Bridgeport, Rhome, and elsewhere in Wise County are all processed here. The facility is county-operated by the Sheriff's Office — no private management company is involved.
- Arrest & booking The person is transported to the Detention Center, where officers log personal property, take fingerprints and a photograph, and record the charges.
- Magistration A magistrate reviews the charges, advises the defendant of their rights under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17, and sets a bond amount. Texas law requires this without unnecessary delay and no later than 48 hours after arrest.
- Bond posted Once a bond amount is set, it can be posted at the Detention Center. Call (940) 627-5971 to confirm current hours and accepted payment methods before coming to the jail.
- Release After the bond clears, the defendant is released. Remaining account funds are returned by debit card; personal property is returned in the lobby by officers. Processing time varies with jail volume.
For the county-level overview including courts and city jails, see the Wise County hub. For all DFW county facilities, see all DFW jails.
How do I find someone in the Wise County Detention Center?
The county's Tyler Technologies public-access portal is the fastest way to confirm whether someone is in custody and see their booking details.
- Online roster
- jail.co.wise.tx.us/publicaccess — search by full legal name
- Phone fallback
- (940) 627-5971 — Detention Center, 24 hours
- What you need
- Full legal first and last name the person was booked under; date of birth or booking number helps narrow results
- Sheriff's page
- co.wise.tx.us/270/Sheriff — links to the roster and official Sheriff information
Results from the public-access portal show current charges, housing classification, and bond status once those are entered. Very recent bookings can take a few hours to appear in the system. If you need confirmation right away, call the Detention Center directly at (940) 627-5971 and staff can confirm custody and provide a booking number.
How do I visit someone at the Wise County Detention Center?
Visits are on-site and in-person, scheduled by inmate classification on set days — no third-party video-visit vendor is published for this facility.
- Format
- On-site, in-person only. No remote or video-visitation vendor is listed on the official county pages.
- Days & hours (by classification)
- Tuesday morning 8:00–12:45; Tuesday evening 5:00–8:00 (Trustees) • Wednesday morning 9:00–1:30 (MAX/MED males); Wednesday evening 6:00–10:00 • Friday evening 6:00–10:00 • Saturday evening 5:00–8:00 (Trustees)
- Visit length
- 20 minutes standard; 40 minutes with written proof of residence beyond a 100-mile radius
- ID required
- Valid photo ID (state ID, driver’s license, military ID, or passport) for visitors 17 and older
- Minors
- Visitors 16 and under must be accompanied by an approved adult escort
- Former inmates
- Must wait 45 days after release before visiting
- Official visitation page
- co.wise.tx.us/281/Visitation
What to bring & dress code
Bring only your government-issued photo ID — no cell phones, cameras, purses, or packages are permitted in the visitation area. A dress code is enforced and inappropriate attire results in denial of entry. There is no published list of prohibited clothing items, so dress conservatively (covered shoulders, no offensive graphics, no hats).
Sign in at least 30 minutes before the end of the visitation window for your classification — arrivals after that cutoff may not be admitted for that session. Special-access requests (clergy, medical, extended family) require written approval from the Jail Administrator.
How do I put money on an inmate's books at the Wise County jail?
Wise County uses Correct Solutions Group (CSG) for commissary deposits. You’ll need facility number 24080 and the inmate’s booking number.
| Method | How | Accepts |
|---|---|---|
| Online | csgpay.com | Credit or debit card; enter facility number 24080 |
| Phone | Call CSG at (877) 618-3516 | Credit or debit card |
| Lobby kiosk | In the Detention Center lobby — available 24/7 | Cash, debit/credit card, or Green Dot MoneyPak |
To find the inmate’s booking number for a deposit, use the public-access portal at jail.co.wise.tx.us/publicaccess or call the Detention Center at (940) 627-5971. Inmate phone call accounts also run through Correct Solutions Group using the same facility number 24080 — set up a calling account at csgpay.com or by calling (877) 618-3516.
How does phone, messaging & mail work at the Wise County Detention Center?
Inmate phone calls and commissary deposits run through the same vendor — Correct Solutions Group. Mail goes to the facility address.
- Phone vendor
- Correct Solutions Group (CSG) — set up a calling account at csgpay.com or (877) 618-3516; facility number 24080
- Mail address
- [Inmate’s full legal name]
Wise County Detention Center
200 Rook Ramsey Drive
Decatur, TX 76234 - Attorney/legal mail
- Legal mail from counsel is handled separately from general correspondence — confirm the current procedure with the Detention Center at (940) 627-5971 before sending privileged documents
Address inmate mail to the full legal name the person was booked under, at the facility address above. The Detention Center accepts inmate mail at that address, but the county's official pages do not publish a detailed list of allowed and prohibited mail contents (e.g., photos, postcards-only policies, publication restrictions).
How do I bond someone out of the Wise County Detention Center?
New to bail? Start with our guide to how bail works in Texas, then use the local details below.
| Bond type | Cost | Refundable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | Full bond amount | Generally yes, after the case ends if the defendant appeared | Confirm accepted payment (cash/cashier’s check/card) by calling the jail |
| Surety (bondsman) | Non-refundable fee (often ~10% of bond) | No | Through a bondsman licensed by the Texas Dept. of Insurance |
| Personal / PR | No payment | n/a | Requires a judge’s approval; not automatic |
- Where to post
- Wise County Detention Center, 200 Rook Ramsey Drive, Decatur, TX 76234
- Hours & payment
- The facility is open 24 hours, but dedicated bond-window hours and accepted payment methods are not published — call (940) 627-5971 to confirm before going
- How amounts are set
- No fixed bail schedule exists — a magistrate sets each bond individually based on the charge and circumstances (see art. 17.15 factors). The amount appears in the records portal once set.
- Bondsman verification
- Verify any bondsman through the Texas Dept. of Insurance license lookup
Release process & property
After the bond is processed and the jail confirms clearance, the defendant is released from the Detention Center lobby. Officers return personal property — clothing, shoes, and belongings logged at booking — at that time. Any money remaining on the inmate’s commissary account is issued as a prepaid debit card at the moment of release, not as cash.
If the inmate is transferred to another facility before release, personal property must be picked up by a designated person within 60 days (a property-release form names who may collect it); if not claimed, items may be destroyed. Account funds transfer with the inmate.
Directions, parking & what to expect when you arrive
The Detention Center is co-located with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office on Rook Ramsey Drive in Decatur — about 50 miles northwest of Fort Worth on US-380.
From the DFW Metroplex, the most direct route is US-380 West from Denton. Follow US-380 through Rhome and Boyd into Decatur. In Decatur, turn south onto Business 287 / South FM 51 (toward the courthouse area) and then onto Rook Ramsey Drive. The Sheriff’s Office / Detention Center complex is visible from the road. Total drive time from Frisco is roughly 55–65 minutes under normal traffic.
From Fort Worth, take US-287 North through Azle and continue to Decatur; the drive is approximately 45–55 minutes.
Parking
Surface parking is available in the lot adjacent to the Sheriff’s Office complex on Rook Ramsey Drive. The county does not publish a dedicated visitor-parking map for the Detention Center.
Security screening
Like all Texas county jails, the Wise County Detention Center uses a security screening process before entry into any public area. Leave prohibited items in your vehicle: cell phones, cameras, purses or bags, outside food or drink, and any packages. Visitors should carry only their photo ID and any paperwork the jail requested. Dress code is enforced at the visitation entrance.
For courthouse and court-date directions, the Wise County Court Department hub is at 201 N. Market Street, Decatur (about 1 mile from the jail). See our DFW court directory for more.
Worried about a warrant?
Walking into a jail with an active warrant can get you arrested.
Check for and clear a Texas bench, traffic, or capias warrant before you visit or post bond.
Wise County Detention Center — frequently asked questions
Where exactly is the Wise County Detention Center?
200 Rook Ramsey Drive, Decatur, TX 76234 — co-located with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, roughly one mile southeast of the downtown courthouse square. From DFW, take US-380 West from Denton to Decatur.
How do I find out if someone is in the Wise County jail?
Use the county’s public-access portal at jail.co.wise.tx.us/publicaccess and search by the inmate’s full legal name. The portal runs 24 hours and shows charges and custody status. If it’s temporarily down, call the Detention Center at (940) 627-5971, staffed around the clock.
Who operates the Wise County Detention Center?
The Wise County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Cary Mellema. The facility is county-operated — no private jail-management company is involved. Reach the Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center at the same main number: (940) 627-5971.
When can I visit an inmate at the Wise County jail?
Visitation is on-site and in-person on set days: Tuesday (morning and evening for Trustees), Wednesday (morning for MAX/MED males; evening varies), Friday evening, and Saturday evening for Trustees. Standard visits are 20 minutes; bring a valid photo ID. Schedules can change — always call (940) 627-5971 before making the drive.
How do I put money on an inmate’s books?
Wise County uses Correct Solutions Group (CSG). Deposit online at csgpay.com, by phone at (877) 618-3516, or at the 24-hour kiosk in the jail lobby (cash, debit/credit, or Green Dot MoneyPak). Use facility number 24080 and the inmate’s booking number.
How do I post a bond at the Wise County Detention Center?
Bond is posted at the Detention Center, 200 Rook Ramsey Drive, Decatur. Wise County does not publish a fixed bail schedule — a magistrate sets the amount individually at the first appearance. Once set, the amount shows in the public-access portal. Because bond-window hours and accepted payment methods are not published online, call (940) 627-5971 to confirm before you go.
How quickly will someone be released after I post bond?
Texas law requires magistration (where bond is set) within 48 hours of arrest. Once you post bond and it clears, release timing depends on jail processing volume. Call (940) 627-5971 for a current estimate. Personal property and a debit card for any remaining commissary balance are returned at release in the lobby.
What happens to an inmate’s money and property when they’re released?
Personal property — clothing, shoes, and logged belongings — is returned by officers in the jail lobby at release. Any balance remaining in the commissary account is issued as a prepaid debit card at that time, not as cash. If the inmate is transferred before release, a designated person has 60 days to retrieve personal property before it may be destroyed; account funds follow the inmate.
What should I bring when visiting the Wise County jail?
Bring only your government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, military ID, or passport). Leave cell phones, cameras, purses, bags, and outside food in your vehicle — none are permitted in the visitation area. Dress conservatively; a dress code is enforced and inappropriate attire results in denial of entry. Sign in at least 30 minutes before the end of the visitation window.
Is there a video visitation option at the Wise County Detention Center?
No third-party video-visitation vendor (such as Securus or ViaPath) is listed on the county’s official visitation pages. Current visitation is described as on-site and in-person only. Call (940) 627-5971 to confirm whether remote visits are available.
Have a different question? See more DFW jail, bond & court FAQs.
Talk to a Wise County defense lawyer
If you or a loved one is facing charges in Wise County, L&L Law Group can review the case — free and confidential.