What Are the Types of Bail in Ohio?

Types of bail bonds in Ohio include unsecured bonds, appearance bonds, cash bonds, and surety bonds. A Columbus bail bondsman can help you understand the purposes of each type of bond and how they can impact you after an arrest.

The team at Andy Callif Bail Bonds can give you more information about what is required of the defendant to seek release from jail after an arrest and provide you with the money you need to pay for bail after an arrest.

Types of Bail Bonds in Ohio

The state of Ohio uses the following types of bail:

Unsecured Bail

The court may release you on an “unsecured” basis, or on your personal recognizance. Basically, the court releases you with a promise that you’ll come back for all your future court dates without charging you bail.

The court may also call this a recognizance bond or a signature bond.

If you miss a court date, a judge can issue a bench warrant against you. You can face criminal charges for failing to attend all required court dates.

Appearance Bond

An appearance bond in Ohio will allow you to stay out of jail while you wait for your trial, while only paying 10% of what the court would order for full bail. This deposit usually comes straight out of your own pocket — no bail bond company needed.

Cash Bond

With a cash bond, you pay 100% of your bail amount for release from jail. You can pay the court by cash, check, credit card, or debit card. Typically, cash bonds are paid when the bail amount is low, mostly in non-violent misdemeanor cases. 

You’ll get most of your cash bond back after your case, though the court will keep some of the money you paid to pay for administrative fees and court costs.

Surety Bond

Surety bonds allow you to work with a bail bondsman if you can’t afford to pay the bail set by the court outright. You’ll pay the bail bond company a 10% non-refundable premium, and the company then promises the court that you’ll attend all required hearings. If you do not, the agency will pay the court the full bail amount.

Although the bail bonds company assures the court that the defendant will appear when scheduled and will cover the full cost of bail if they don’t, the bail bonds agent will recover the remaining 90% from the defendant.

You can learn more about all the types of bail in Ohio from our team at Andy Callif Bail Bonds. We can also help if you need assistance posting bail.

Call (614) 221-0100 today to speak with our experienced Ohio bail bondsman!

Frequently Asked Questions About Bail and Bonds in Ohio

Our team at Andy Callif Bail Bonds can answer any questions you have about the bail system in Ohio, including:

What Are the Penalties for Failure to Appear If I’m Released on a Recognizance Bond?

If your criminal defense attorney gets you released on your own recognizance and you do not show up to a hearing in Ohio court, you may face a $1,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail. If the underlying charge was a felony, failure to appear is itself a fourth-degree felony, which carries more severe penalties.

Note that the penalties listed above may be imposed regardless of whether or not you are found guilty of the underlying offense in criminal cases. Your criminal defense lawyer can tell you more about the potentially serious consequences of failure to appear in court.

What Happens to My Bail Payment If I Don’t Show Up in Court?

If you get bail through an appearance bond, cash bond, or surety bond and do not show up, you forfeit the bond money. That means the court will keep the money you paid. 

If you only paid a portion of the bail amount (whether you were granted an appearance bond or went through a bail bonds company like Andy Callif Bail Bonds), you must put up the remaining balance.

Failing to show up in court can quickly become very expensive, especially if you consider the fines the court system can levy against you. Speak with your attorney so you know the exact dates of all the hearings you need to attend regarding your charges.

Will I Face Other Restrictions If I’m Released on Bail?

The court can issue other restrictions if you’re waiting for a criminal trial in Ohio. For example, your release conditions may require you to go through electronic monitoring, or the court could issue travel restrictions that prevent you from leaving the state or traveling.

You should always confer with your attorney to discuss your release conditions, as even a small mistake could have serious consequences for your legal claim.

Who Determines How Much Bail I Have to Pay in Ohio?

Ohio law states that bail will be fixed based on a defendant’s prior criminal record, the severity of the offense, and the probability that the defendant will appear in court when required.

Generally, county courts use a bail schedule to determine bail amounts for a wide range of different offenses. Your lawyer can give you a better idea about how much bond to expect to pay and can also work to reduce your bail payment.

Once the court sets your bail, you can turn to a bail bondsman for help covering the costs.

What Happens After the Court Releases Me on Bail?

The court will order that you adhere to certain types of bail conditions if it grants you a pretrial release. For instance, you may not be allowed to contact the alleged victim or may be required to complete an appropriate treatment program.

Your criminal defense attorney can ensure that you understand all the restrictions you face before your trial or further court hearings.

Are There Extra Fees to Go Along With Bail Payments?

Also, all types of bail in Ohio have a $25 surcharge. If the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty, the state retains the $25. However, if the defendant is found not guilty, the court returns the $25 to the defendant.

As noted earlier, after release on bail, the defendant must show up for all scheduled court dates. If they do, the amount paid to the court (if paid out of pocket) will be returned to the person who deposited it.

Or, if the defendant used a bail bonds company, they will not need to pay more than the 10% premium for the agency’s services.

Contact an Experienced Ohio Bail Bonds Company

So, what are the types of bail in Ohio? You may secure pretrial release through unsecured bail, an appearance bond, a cash bond, or a surety bond. The types of bail available in your situation will vary based on the charges you face and other factors.

Going through the bail bonds process in Columbus or the surrounding areas can be confusing and overwhelming. At Andy Callif Bail Bonds, we are here to help you every step of the way and ensure you understand what’s required of you, whether you are the defendant in a criminal case or a friend or family member helping out a loved one.