Clark County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Clark County bail and bond: Springfield jail, court clerk and how to get someone released
A person arrested in Clark County goes to the Clark County Jail at 120 N. Fountain Avenue in Springfield, which the Clark County Sheriff's Office runs. Look the person up on Clark County Inmate Search before you do anything else. It shows the booking and the bail. For anything the search leaves out, call the Sheriff's Office at 937-521-2050. Misdemeanor cases are heard at the Clark County Municipal Court, 50 E. Columbia Street, and its clerk answers at 937-328-3715. Read on to learn how to pay bail without getting scammed.
1. Is my husband in the Clark County Jail?
Open Clark County Inmate Search and enter his name. A new booking can take a little while to post. If nothing comes up after a couple of hours, call the Sheriff's Office at 937-521-2050.
Start with the search, then the phone, before you drive to the jail.
2. What is the jail's address?
The Sheriff's Office and the jail are at 120 N. Fountain Avenue, Springfield, Ohio. Use that address on mail and legal papers. The phone for the office is 937-521-2050.
3. What court will see him first?
A misdemeanor charge goes to the Clark County Municipal Court at 50 E. Columbia Street, Springfield. The main clerk line is 937-328-3715, the criminal and traffic desk is 937-328-3726, and the toll-free number is 800-544-1694. A felony charge goes to the Clark County Court of Common Pleas, and the Clerk of Courts there can be reached at 937-521-1680.
Ohio law sets the first bail hearing no later than the second court day after arrest. A defendant who has no lawyer and is still held gets a second hearing two court days after that.
4. Can bail be paid before he sees the judge?
Sometimes. Every Ohio court has to keep a bail schedule for misdemeanors so a person can be released before the first appearance. That schedule has one purpose, early release. It does not stop the judge from changing the amount or adding conditions at the hearing.
Call the criminal and traffic desk at 937-328-3726 and give the case number or the person's full name. Ask whether a schedule amount applies to the charge.
5. What payment can I use at the Municipal Court?
Ohio requires each municipal and county court to adopt a rule that allows bail by credit card. Ask the clerk at 937-328-3715 what the Springfield court accepts besides a card, and whether a fee is added.
Keep your receipt. Write down the case number on it.
6. What are the three ways to post a bond?
Ohio law names these choices: an unsecured bond, a deposit of ten percent of the bond amount, or, at the defendant's option, a surety bond, a bond secured by real estate or securities, or a cash deposit. With the ten percent option the court returns 90 percent of the deposit once every condition is met.
A bail agent is the surety option. The fee you pay an agent is not returned.
7. What should I know before hiring a bail agent?
Only agents licensed by the Ohio Department of Insurance may sign bonds. The agent must charge the rate approved by the state and tell you about any extra expense fee. Ask for every cost in writing.
An agent may not require you to give up the deed to your home as a condition of the bond, and may not hand out cards or pitch families at the jail. Anyone doing that is breaking an Ohio rule.
8. Can I put up my house or land?
Ohio allows a bond backed by real estate. The owner signs a sworn statement that describes the property, the mortgages and liens, and other bonds the owner has backed. The court has to be satisfied that the owner can cover at least the entire bond. Lawyers may not act as sureties.
Clerk of Courts staff at 937-521-1680 can explain how a property bond is filed in a felony case, and the Municipal Court clerk at 937-328-3715 can explain it for a misdemeanor.
9. Why would a judge refuse bail?
Only in narrow cases. The Ohio Constitution lets a court deny bail for a capital offense with strong proof, or a felony with strong proof where the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm. The prosecutor must ask for a hearing, and the judge needs clear and convincing evidence. The defendant has a right to a lawyer at that hearing.
10. How do I get a free lawyer in Springfield?
The Clark County Public Defender is at 50 E. Columbia Street, Suite 101, Springfield, and the office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone is 937-521-1725. You can also ask the judge for appointed counsel at the first hearing.
11. My son is 16. Where would he be held?
Clark County has its own juvenile detention center. Juvenile cases are private, so a minor will not appear on the adult search. The Clerk of Courts at 937-521-1680 can direct you to the juvenile court for the hearing date.
12. What conditions might the judge add?
Release can come with rules, such as no contact with a named person, a limit on where the person lives or travels, treatment for drugs or alcohol, house arrest or electronic monitoring. Under R.C. 2937.011 the judge picks the least restrictive mix that still reasonably protects the public and brings the person back.
A lawyer can file a motion to change conditions at any time, and the court holds a hearing promptly if the sides do not agree.
13. What facts help the judge lower bail?
Judges look at the charge, the strength of the evidence, family ties, work, how long the person has lived in Springfield and Clark County, past court appearances and the criminal record. Give the public defender at 937-521-1725 a list of those facts, plus a name and number for someone who will take the person to every hearing.
14. What if he skips court?
The judge may issue a warrant and move to forfeit the bail. A surety can end its responsibility by turning the defendant in before the court date, or by asking for a warrant so the Sheriff holds him. Call his lawyer or the agent at once.
When a friend or relative posted the money, the court may not apply it to the defendant's fines and costs unless that person agrees to it.
15. Will I get my money back?
Cash and deposit money is returned after the case ends when every court date was kept. The court keeps the 10 percent on a deposit bond and any state fees. Ask the clerk at 937-328-3715 how to ask for a refund.
16. How can I tell a scam from a real call?
Real clerks and jail officers do not ask for gift cards or payment apps. Do not wire money to a person who phones you. Use Clark County Inmate Search and the numbers on this page to check, then call back yourself.
Clark County bail contacts
- Jail
- Clark County Jail, 120 N. Fountain Avenue, Springfield, OH
- Sheriff's Office
- 937-521-2050
- Custody lookup
- Clark County Inmate Search
- Municipal Court
- 50 E. Columbia Street, Springfield, OH; clerk 937-328-3715; criminal and traffic 937-328-3726; toll-free 800-544-1694
- Common Pleas clerk
- 937-521-1680
- Public Defender
- 50 E. Columbia Street, Suite 101, Springfield, OH; Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; 937-521-1725
- Bond help
- Clark County bail and bond pages
- Youth
- Clark County juvenile detention center; ask the Clerk of Courts for the juvenile court
Phone lines, hours and fees change, and each judge can set conditions that differ from any schedule. Confirm details with the Municipal Court clerk or the Sheriff's Office before paying. This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Clark County Jail
The Clark County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Clark County.
However if you don't want to use a bail bond agent:
- You can always pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Clark County, or in some cases the state of Ohio, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Clark County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Ohio is between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15% or less. So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1,500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Clark County Jail, or the courthouse in Clark County where the offense took place.
Call 937-521-2080 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Clark County inmate locator.
Clark County Jail
Address:
120 N. Fountain Avenue
Springfield, OH 45502
Phone:
937-521-2080
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Clark County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clark County?
Who can set bail in Clark County?
When is bail set in Clark County Ohio?
Does Clark County have bail?
Yes, Clark County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clark County?
Bail in Clark County is available in several different types including personal bond (aka own recognizance), cash bond, 10% bond, surety bond, and property bond.
Who can set bail in Clark County?
A judge usually sets bond. In some counties the County Court has established a bail schedule, which outlines the bail for many non-violent or minor crimes. If a charge is not part of the bail schedule a hearing will be necessary.
When is bail set in Clark County Ohio?
Bail is set in Ohio the first time the accused is brought into court. Although this hearing is set as soon as possible based on court availability, it can take up to 3 days not including weekends or holidays.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Clark County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Clark County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Clark County Jail until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different. The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions. Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Clark County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in Clark County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid.
Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid.
Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment. This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Does Clark County have bail?
Yes, Clark County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Clark County?
Bail in Clark County is available in several different types including personal bond (aka own recognizance), cash bond, 10% bond, surety bond, and property bond.
Who can set bail in Clark County?
A judge usually sets bond. In some counties the County Court has established a bail schedule, which outlines the bail for many non-violent or minor crimes. If a charge is not part of the bail schedule a hearing will be necessary.
When is bail set in Ohio?
Bail is set in Ohio the first time the accused is brought into court. Although this hearing is set as soon as possible based on court availability, it can take up to 3 days not including weekends or holidays.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Clark County Ohio?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the judicial officer know. The accused can ask for bail reduction or a change in bail conditions.
In Clark County Ohio, who can pay bail for me?
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Ohio could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Clark County Ohio?
Yes, Clark County does offer online bail payment. In Ohio, bail payment is made to the Clerk of Court.
What options are there to pay bail in Clark County Ohio?
Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted: Go to the Clark County Jail for more information about posting bail in Clark County. An alternative would be to contact the Clerk of Court.
Will I get all my bond money back in Ohio?
Bail money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Clark County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Ohio?
The Clark County Jail or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.