What does it Mean to Book and Release?

If you have been charged with a crime in a justice court or a district court in Utah County, you may have received a notice that you have to go to the jail located in Spanish Fork to “book and release.”  Perhaps you’re worried about this because you don’t know exactly what it means.

“Book and release” is the term used for when a person charged with a crime checks in at the jail.  The jail records the defendant’s personal information and assigned the defendant what is known as an offense tracking number (OTN).  The OTN is the method used by law enforcement and the courts to track the defendant’s status in his case.

The book and release process is not very involved.  The defendant checks in at the jail and a deputy sheriff records the defendants information and takes his fingerprints.  The deputy sheriff gives the defendant some paperwork which he is then required to turn in to the court to prove that he booked into the jail.

That’s about it.  It isn’t a big deal and just about every criminal defendant in Utah County is required to go through the process.