Ohio Bail Bonds – FAQs

At Castle Bail Bonds, we know the ins and outs of bail bonds aren’t always black and white. With several locations throughout Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton, Ohio areas, our agents are here to help you 24/7.

If you’re just doing some research though, here are a few frequently asked questions about posting bail and hiring a bail bond company in Ohio. For more information or to post a bond now, call (800) 372-2245.

Click each question below to view the answer.

When a person is arrested for a crime, he or she is held in jail until: 1. Their court date or 2. They are released on bail. Bail is the amount of money the judge determines must be paid to be released. When you can’t afford to pay bail, a bail bond (AKA surety bond) is an insurance contract through a licensed bail bonds company that guarantees the court full payment of the bond is the defendant fails to appear in court.

It depends on the severity of the crime. Lesser offenses, like misdemeanors, have set fees or “bail schedules,” where you can post bond right after being processed. More serious offenses require an appearance before a judge to set bail, which may take up to three days.

After an arrest, the judge sets a bail amount that must be paid prior to the defendant’s release from jail. If the defendant doesn’t have enough money to pay the full amount, whether from personal savings, friends or family, a bail bond company can be hired to post bond.

No one wants to sit in jail. Hiring a bond agent enables the defendant to get out of jail with a lot less money. In Ohio, a bond company only charges a 10% fee and may be able to set up flexible payment plan vs. having to pay the full amount directly to the court.

Technically it is a loan, but think of it as more of an insurance policy. We do not pay a portion of the bail money, rather we take liability of the full bond amount insuring the court that if the defendant does not appear in court we can pay the full amount of the bond. Our fee for doing so is 10% of the bond amount.

A bail bondsman in Ohio charges a 10% premium of the full bond amount. For example, a $10,000 bond will cost a $1,000 premium.

If the bond amount is very high or the alleged crime is very serious, you may need to provide some form of collateral in addition to paying the 10% premium.

Collateral could be cash, property, a car or any other asset. The purpose of collateral is to help guarantee the defendant appears in court.

The premium must be paid to the bondsman first, then we will post bond and the defendant will be released from jail.

 

 

 

When you call a bail agent you’ll need to know the defendant’s full name and date of birth, the location of the jail, the booking number and charges, and the bond amount.

Bail agents are available 24/7, so our response time is quick. Even though we can post bail fast, it really depends on how crowded the jail is at the time the defendant is waiting to be released.

Bail is used as insurance that the defendant will show up in court. If you hire a bond company, the 10% premium you pay is non-refundable. If you paid additional money or offered assets to be used as collateral, it will be returned to you after the defendant makes all required court appearances.

Also called a recognizance bond or personal bond, this is a written and signed promise that the defendant will appear in court. No payment is required to be released from jail, but if the defendant doesn’t show up in court, they will have to pay a fine.

Yes. Castle Bail Bonds offers a variety of flexible payment plans whether weekly, biweekly or monthly. We also accept most major credit cards.

The money that an accused person pays to get out of jail is referred to as bail. On the other hand, a bond is paid on behalf of the accused, usually by a bail bond company, to get them released from jail.

Normally secured or unsecured, bonds are divided into four main types.

Being released on your own recognizance – which means that the court releases you, trusting that you will appear in court when required.
Cash bail/bond – which is a cash payment submitted to the court – When the payment is made to the court in cash, it is referred to as bail.
Property bonds – You are normally required to submit your home’s title to the court as guarantee that you will appear in court when required. Your property will be forfeited to the government, in the event that you fail to appear in court or break any terms of the agreement made with the court.
Surety bond – Commonly referred to as simply as “a bond”, a third party agrees to be responsible for your debt and your obligation to the court.

Before attempting to leave the state or country, an accused person is required to get permission from the bonding office, permission from the court, as well as the bail agent before leaving. If the court directly instructs that you remain within the state or country, failure to abide by these terms means you will be arrested.

Your arrest information is included in publicly available county records. The name of the bail bond company that pays your bail may also be included in your arrest record. However, any information submitted to the bond agent is private. Bondsmen are bound by a strict code of client confidentiality, just like lawyers. Unless the legal system subpoenas the information shared with the bond agent during the investigation of your case, this information cannot be made public.

While it is not possible for a bail bondsman to directly withhold your tax returns or garnish your wages, they can pursue an indirect garnishment by filing a lawsuit just like any other creditor.

If you are not careful, paying bail can have an impact on your credit score. Your credit score will be affected if you take out a personal loan, or use a credit card to pay the bond agent fees or the full bail amount. Your credit rating will also take a hit if your bail bond agency fees go to a debt collector, due to lack of payment.

Fortunately, you can avoid this by ensuring that if you are paying the bail out of pocket, you have cash at hand in case the accused party fails to return to court, and by paying any relevant fees whenever they are due.

When the case against the accused is finished, the bondsman and co-signor’s liability on the bond is officially relieved. This is referred to as exoneration. But, this does not mean that you don’t have to pay any money that you had initially agreed to pay. Regardless of the outcome of the court process, the total fee amount you were charged during when you signed the contract of the bond must be paid. Basically, the bail bondsman loaned you the money to submit to the court.

Your probation officer may initiate an arrest process against you, if you are found to be in violation of your probation. The offence for which you are on probation determines the type of arrest procedure used. In cases involving minor offences, a judge will be required to decide whether you have violated your probation, after receiving an affidavit from the probation officer. The judge will sign an arrest warrant against you, if they agree with the probation officer. A Department of Corrections Violations report will be submitted by your probation officer, if the initial offence is a felony. If you have been rearrested for a probation violation, you may be able to post bail; however, it is all dependent on the judge/court. In most cases, judges issue a warrant without bond for probation violations; even though they also have the power to set bail.

A convicted felon can legally bail another accused person out of custody. While convicted felons are required to follow specific conditions, there is no law that bars such an individual from bailing someone out of jail. Typically, felons are barred from associating with known criminals so you might find yourself facing arrest by simply going to a bail bond company or even the court. Before paying another person’s bail, we recommend that you consult your parole officer or lawyer.

You can be jailed for not paying child support. You need to find out more about the associated bail process, if you or your loved one is at risk of being jailed due to lack of payment. It is likely that a warrant of arrest will be issued against you, if you owe a lot of child support, have not been in touch with the court or have failed to work with the court.

 

If you or someone close to you has been arrested for delinquent child support, you can seek the assistance of a bail bonds company. In exchange for a small fee that is a percentage of the entire bail bond, a bail bond company can pay the amount of bail you are charged. A bail bondsman can help, considering the fact that you might not have any money if you already owe a significant amount in the form of child support.

When you need bail money ASAP, contact one of our bail bond agents 24 hours, 7 days a week to get started on the bail process.

Bail Bondsman Columbus, OH