Someone wrote me a check, but I think it's going to bounce, so if I go to a check cashing/payday loan type place, will I still be held liable if the check does in fact bounce? The check is for $400.

Some good suggestions from Athrael.
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It occurs to me that if the writers bank is convenient, you could go there to try and cash it. bring good (picture) i.d. You could also ask them to certify it but there will be a charge for this.
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I think what you are asking, though, is actually a legal question. I am not a lawyer and I have no idea where you live (laws are different from place to place)
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I BELIEVE that, generally, you are selling the receivable to the cashing place. If you didn't know it was bad, they would then pursue the writer of the cheque, not you.
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Writing a bad cheque is a criminal act everywhere I have eaver heard of. In Canada it was apparetnly considered equivilent to counterfiting.
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I think, however, that if you knew or had reason to believe that the cheque was NOT good, and you didn't disclose this, you MIGHT be commiting fraud.
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By writing this you have already proven that you doubt the cheque is good, and this could be used against you.
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Be careful! 400 dollars is nothing compared to legal fees and a possible criminal record!

Your bank can call and see if there is enough funds to cover the check at the bank of the check. Take it to a teller (inside) and ask them what they can do to check.

Also, you can call the bank yourself that the check is against to see if there is enough funds in the account to cover that check. They can not tell you how much is in the account, but they can tell you if the check is valid or not.

If they cash the check and give you the funds and then it bounces ... you'll have to pay that back to whoever cashes it plus the bounced check fees.