Delaware County Jail

Use Delaware County Inmate Search. A search by last name shows the booking and, in most cases, the bond. The Delaware County Jail belongs to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office, which is at 1776 State Route 521, Delaware, OH 43015. The office number is 740-833-2810.

If the person was arrested only hours ago, the record may need time to appear.

Yes, for many cases. Delaware Municipal Court and the jail put in a bond kiosk that runs around the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The clerk introduced it with the jail. Ask the court at 740-203-1550 which cases the kiosk covers, and bring photo ID.

Delaware Municipal Court, 70 North Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015, is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Those hours took effect on January 2, 2025. The court's phone is 740-203-1550. Outside those hours the kiosk is the option for bonds it covers.

Delaware Municipal Court hears misdemeanors that occur in its territory. Felonies go to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. The two courts keep separate files, so give the person's full name and birth date when you call. A misdemeanor bond posted in the wrong court does not help a felony hold.

Delaware Municipal Court publishes a Court Costs and Bond Schedules page on the city's court website. Ohio law requires each court to keep a misdemeanor schedule for release before the first appearance and to update it on a two-year cycle starting in 2024 (R.C. 2937.011(I)). Once a judge sets a number, the judge's number applies.

Ohio law lets the defendant choose among an unsecured bond, a bond with a ten percent cash deposit, and a surety bond, a real-estate bond or a cash deposit in the amount the court sets (R.C. 2937.011(C)). A judge can also release on personal recognizance, which costs nothing.

Ninety percent comes back after the defendant meets every condition. Court fees set by the state are separate. If your family paid for someone else, the court cannot take the deposit toward the defendant's costs without your approval (R.C. 2937.40).

Agents must charge the premium rate the state approved and must disclose any expense fee in advance (R.C. 3905.93). The statute sets no single fixed percentage. Hold the contract and receipt, and ask to see the license issued by the Department of Insurance. Agents cannot approach people at the jail or courthouse to sign them up.

Yes. A bond may be secured by real estate or securities. The owner swears to the property, its debts and any other bonds signed, and the court must see enough value to cover the whole bond (R.C. 2937.011(L)). A bail agent may not demand a deed as a condition of the bond.

The first bail hearing happens no later than the second court day after arrest (R.C. 2937.011(J)). If the person is still jailed with no lawyer, a second hearing is held two court days after that, and a lawyer is appointed at public cost for those who cannot pay.

Capital cases and certain felonies can bring a no-bail hold. The judge must find the proof evident or the presumption great and a substantial risk of serious physical harm (Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9), after a hearing with clear and convincing evidence (R.C. 2937.222).

Delaware, Powell, Sunbury and other local departments arrest people inside Delaware County. Ask the arresting department where the person is held and the report number, then search the county records. If a local lockup holds the person briefly, the department can tell you.

Request an appointed lawyer when the judge first sees the case. The county court system can also tell you the next step through the municipal court at 740-203-1550. A defense lawyer can ask for a lower bond, a no-money release or conditions such as monitoring.

Juvenile cases are heard in the juvenile division of the Common Pleas Court and are private, so they are not on the adult search. Phone the court at the Delaware County courthouse or the Sheriff's Office at 740-833-2810 for guidance on where a child is held.

Use the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator if the person is held by the federal government. State prison inmates are on Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records, not in the county jail search.

The judge may forfeit bail and issue a warrant (R.C. 2937.011(K)). A surety or depositor is discharged by surrendering the person early, by the defendant appearing, or by paying after default (R.C. 2937.40). Contact the lawyer and the clerk at once.

Only the court and the jail take bond money, in person or at the kiosk. A real official never asks for gift cards or an app transfer. If a caller claims to be a clerk, end the call and dial 740-203-1550.

• Jail: Delaware County Jail; Sheriff's Office, 1776 State Route 521, Delaware, OH 43015; 740-833-2810
• Bail guide: Delaware County bail and bond instructions
• Custody lookup: Delaware County Inmate Search
• Municipal court: 70 North Union St., Delaware, OH 43015; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 740-203-1550
• 24-hour kiosk: Bond kiosk run by the Municipal Court Clerk and the jail; call 740-203-1550 for details
• Federal: Bureau of Prisons inmate locator

Please verify hours, kiosk coverage and amounts with the court before you pay. A judge can set a different bond than you expect, and this page is not legal advice.

Delaware County, directly north of Columbus, is one of Ohio's fastest-growing counties, and the city of Delaware is its county seat. The Delaware Municipal Court on North Union Street takes misdemeanor, OVI and traffic cases from most of the county along with the early stages of felonies, and mayor's courts operate in Sunbury, Ashley and the Delaware County sections of Dublin and Westerville. Felonies are tried after indictment in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, also on North Union Street, and the elected Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney handles them. Adults held after arrest are booked into the Sheriff's Delaware County Jail on U.S. Route 42 north of the city.

• Delaware County Court of Common Pleas (General Division), 117 North Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015; Clerk of Courts (740) 833-2500
• Delaware Municipal Court, Delaware Justice Center, 70 North Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015; criminal and traffic (740) 203-1550
• Delaware County Juvenile Court (Probate and Juvenile Division of Common Pleas), 145 North Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015, (740) 833-2600
• Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney, 145 N. Union St., Third Floor, Delaware, OH 43015, (740) 833-2690 (felonies and juvenile cases)
• Delaware County Jail (Delaware County Sheriff's Office), 844 U.S. Route 42 North, Delaware, OH 43015; Sheriff's Office (740) 833-2800
• Appointed counsel: the judge assigned to the case appoints a lawyer for anyone who qualifies financially; the Ohio Public Defender, which oversees Ohio's county indigent-defense systems, can be reached at (614) 466-5394

Which court hears your case. For a misdemeanor, OVI or traffic charge, the Delaware Municipal Court is the starting point for the city of Delaware, Powell, Sunbury, Galena, Ashley, Shawnee Hills and the townships, from Liberty and Orange in the south to Harlem and Kingston in the east. Certain ordinance and traffic tickets in Sunbury and Ashley, and in the Delaware County parts of Dublin and Westerville, may be heard in those communities' mayor's courts, where there is no jury and a defendant may request transfer to the municipal court. Charges arising inside the Delaware County portion of the city of Columbus are generally handled by the Franklin County Municipal Court in downtown Columbus, so check the citation. Felonies begin with an initial appearance and preliminary hearing in the municipal court and then move to the Common Pleas General Division after a grand jury indictment or a bill of information. Appeals from Delaware County courts go to the Fifth District Court of Appeals.

Where pretrial detainees are held. Arrests by the Sheriff's Office, Delaware and Powell police, township and village departments, the Highway Patrol and suburban agencies in the county's southern edge are booked at the Delaware County Jail, 844 U.S. Route 42 North. People who are not released stay there until their case ends or they post bond. Call the Sheriff's Office at (740) 833-2800 to confirm custody, bond and visitation rules; someone arrested by Columbus police in the city's Delaware County neighborhoods may instead be taken to a Franklin County Sheriff's facility.

Delaware County has one municipal court, no county court and a small group of mayor's courts. Because Columbus, Dublin and Westerville reach north across the county line, a few Delaware County addresses are served by courts based in Franklin County.

Municipal courts

• Delaware Municipal Court — Delaware Justice Center, 70 North Union Street, Delaware, OH 43015; criminal and traffic (740) 203-1550, civil and small claims (740) 203-1560. Territory: Delaware County, including the city of Delaware, Powell, Sunbury, Galena, Ashley, Ostrander, Shawnee Hills and all townships. Handles misdemeanors, OVI and traffic, felony first appearances and preliminary hearings, civil cases within its limit and small claims.
• Franklin County Municipal Court — 375 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215, (614) 645-8186. Generally hears cases from the parts of the city of Columbus that lie in Delaware County.

County courts

There is no county court in Delaware County.

Mayor's courts

• Sunbury Mayor's Court — clerk's office 91 East Granville Street (P.O. Box 508), Sunbury, OH 43074; court sessions at 51 East Cherry Street; (740) 965-2684
• Ashley Mayor's Court — Village of Ashley, northern Delaware County; the village offices can confirm session dates
• Dublin Mayor's Court (for the Delaware County section of Dublin) — Dublin Justice Center, 6565 Commerce Parkway, Dublin, OH 43017, (614) 410-4920
• Westerville Mayor's Court (for the Delaware County section of Westerville) — 21 South State Street, Westerville, OH 43081, (614) 901-6419

A mayor's court can hear only ordinance and traffic matters within its own community, holds no jury trials and has limited sentencing power. Any defendant there can ask to move the case to the municipal court.

Nearly every courtroom involved in a Delaware County criminal case is within a short walk along North Union Street in downtown Delaware:

• Delaware Justice Center, 70 North Union Street — home of the Delaware Municipal Court, which holds arraignments, misdemeanor trials, OVI cases and felony preliminary hearings.
• 117 North Union Street — the Common Pleas General Division, where felony arraignments, pretrials, trials and sentencings take place, along with the Domestic Relations Division (Level 400). The Clerk of Courts handles felony filings and records.
• 145 North Union Street — the Probate and Juvenile Division, which hears delinquency cases.

Parking downtown is limited during busy court mornings, so arrive early, bring the case number and expect a security screening at each entrance. Phones and bags may be restricted in some courtrooms.

Booking

An arrested adult is fingerprinted, photographed and screened at the jail on U.S. Route 42. Officers file a complaint with the Delaware Municipal Court, or with a mayor's court for some ordinance violations.

Bond

For many misdemeanors, bond can be posted under the municipal court's bond schedule right after booking. More serious charges, domestic violence cases and OVI arrests with aggravating factors usually wait for a judge. In setting bail, Ohio judges must weigh public safety, the defendant's criminal record, the seriousness of the offense and the likelihood the person will appear, a requirement added to the Ohio Constitution in 2022. A judge can grant a recognizance bond, require a 10 percent deposit, or set a cash or surety bond, and commercial bail bond agents are permitted. Conditions such as no-contact orders, alcohol monitoring or GPS supervision may be added.

First appearance

People who remain in custody see a municipal court judge or magistrate without unnecessary delay, normally the next business day and often by video from the jail. The court explains the charges, reviews bond and addresses counsel. Misdemeanor defendants enter a plea; felony defendants do not plead until the case reaches Common Pleas.

What follows

Misdemeanor cases go to pretrial conferences and, if needed, trial in the municipal court. Felony cases get a preliminary hearing or go straight to the grand jury, then to arraignment, pretrials and trial or plea in the Common Pleas Court. The sections below describe each path.

The Delaware County Sheriff operates the county jail at 844 U.S. Route 42 North, just north of the city of Delaware. It houses people awaiting trial on Delaware County charges, people serving local jail sentences and people held on warrants or holds from other jurisdictions.

• Contact: Sheriff's Office, (740) 833-2800.
• Bond: Ask the jail what bond is set and what forms of payment it accepts; surety bonds are posted through licensed bail agents.
• Court appearances: Detainees are transported to the North Union Street courts or appear by video.
• Visits, phones and money: The jail sets its own visitation schedule and uses contracted phone, messaging and commissary services; rules change, so confirm before visiting.

Anyone charged with an offense that could bring jail time has a right to a lawyer, and one is provided at public expense to those who cannot afford one. In Delaware County, a defendant asks for appointed counsel at the first court appearance (or through the clerk beforehand) and completes a financial affidavit listing income, assets and expenses. If the court finds the person eligible, it appoints a lawyer from the county's indigent-defense system, and that attorney represents the defendant through the case. A small application fee, no more than $25, may be charged but cannot be a reason to deny counsel.

The Ohio Public Defender sets standards for these programs and reimburses counties for part of the cost; questions about how the system works can go to the state office at (614) 466-5394. Defendants who are not eligible should contact a private criminal defense lawyer before the first pretrial.

Who prosecutes. The elected Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney presents felony cases to the grand jury, tries them in the Common Pleas Court and files juvenile delinquency complaints. In the municipal court, misdemeanors are prosecuted by the City of Delaware's prosecutor, who also handles many township and village cases under agreements; mayor's courts use their own municipal prosecutors.

Diversion. First-time, lower-level defendants may be offered diversion, which typically requires completing classes, counseling, restitution or community service in exchange for dismissal. For felony defendants whose offenses are linked to drug or alcohol dependence or mental illness, Ohio's intervention in lieu of conviction statute lets the court hold a guilty plea in abeyance during treatment and dismiss the charge if the defendant succeeds. Eligibility depends on the charge and record, and the prosecutor's position often matters.

Victims. Marsy's Law, part of the Ohio Constitution since 2017, gives crime victims the right to be notified of proceedings, to attend, to be heard at bond, plea and sentencing, and to seek restitution. Victim advocates in the Prosecuting Attorney's office and the city prosecutor's office help victims use these rights.

Ohio courts may run specialized dockets, certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio, that replace ordinary probation with close judicial supervision, frequent court appearances, testing and treatment. Courts around central Ohio use this model for defendants with substance use disorders, repeat OVI offenders, people with serious mental illness and veterans, and the Delaware County courts may offer one or more of these tracks at any given time. Entry usually requires a referral, a screening and the agreement of the judge and prosecutor, and successful participants may see charges reduced or dismissed or receive community control instead of jail or prison. Defense counsel can say which programs are currently accepting participants and whether a particular charge qualifies.

Retail theft at stores along U.S. 23 and Sawmill Parkway, OVI stops on U.S. 23 and U.S. 36, domestic disputes and trespass complaints make up much of the Delaware Municipal Court's criminal docket. Lower-level charges often begin with a citation and summons rather than an arrest.

Court steps

At arraignment, the defendant pleads guilty, no contest or not guilty, and the court addresses bond and counsel. A not-guilty plea leads to one or more pretrial conferences, where discovery is exchanged and many cases settle. If the defense files a written jury demand, the case is tried to eight jurors who must be unanimous; otherwise the judge decides it. Ohio's speedy-trial law sets 90 days for first- and second-degree misdemeanors and 45 days for third- and fourth-degree misdemeanors, extended by defense continuances and waivers.

Sentencing limits

• M1 — a jail term as long as 180 days and a fine as high as $1,000; examples are petty theft under $1,000, assault and aggravated trespass.
• M2 — up to 90 days and $750.
• M3 — up to 60 days and $500.
• M4 — up to 30 days and $250; criminal trespass is an M4.
• Minor misdemeanor — a fine of no more than $150; jail is not allowed.

First OVI

A first OVI is charged as an M1. The court must order three consecutive days in jail or a 72-hour driver intervention program, or six days for a high test of .17 or above or for certain refusal situations. Fines range from $375 to $1,075, and a court suspension of one to three years follows an administrative suspension that usually begins at arrest. Judges can grant limited driving privileges, and an ignition interlock can allow unlimited privileges in some cases. An alcohol and drug assessment and recommended treatment are standard.

Results

Charges may be dismissed, reduced or resolved through diversion; convictions bring fines, community control, jail or a combination. Many misdemeanor records can be sealed later. Expect one to four months from arraignment to resolution.

From the Justice Center to Common Pleas

1. Initial appearance in the Delaware Municipal Court: the judge reviews the felony complaint, sets bond and arranges counsel.
2. Preliminary hearing, also in municipal court: within 10 consecutive days for a defendant in jail or 15 days for one released, under Criminal Rule 5(B), unless the defendant is indicted first. The only question at this hearing is whether there is probable cause.
3. Grand jury: the Prosecuting Attorney presents evidence, and the grand jury votes whether to indict. Defendants who waive indictment proceed on a bill of information.
4. Arraignment at 117 North Union Street: the defendant pleads to the indictment, and the Common Pleas judge reviews bond.
5. Pretrials and motions: discovery, plea negotiations and motions to suppress evidence. Most cases end with a plea.
6. Trial: a unanimous 12-person jury, or a bench trial if the defendant waives a jury.
7. Sentencing: usually after a presentence investigation by the adult court services department.

Ohio's speedy-trial statute requires a felony trial within 270 days of arrest, and each day in jail held only on that charge counts as three. A Delaware County felony usually takes somewhere between four months and a year from arrest to sentencing.

Ranges by degree

• F5 — 6 to 12 months; theft of $1,000 to $7,500. Community control is presumed for many first-time nonviolent offenders at the F4 and F5 levels.
• F4 — 6 to 18 months; theft of $7,500 to $150,000.
• F3 — 9 to 36 months, or 12 to 60 months for certain crimes; many burglaries.
• F2 — 2 to 8 years; examples include felonious assault and burglary of an occupied home when someone is likely there.
• F1 — 3 to 11 years; aggravated burglary and major trafficking.

The Reagan Tokes Law makes sentences indefinite for F1 and F2 offenses committed on or after March 22, 2019: a minimum term chosen by the judge, plus a potential maximum up to 50 percent longer. Drug trafficking is graded from F5 to F1 by the type and amount of drug. A firearm specification adds mandatory prison time served before the underlying sentence. Intervention in lieu of conviction and the specialized dockets described above are possible alternatives for eligible defendants.

Homicide, sexual assault and armed robbery cases in Delaware County are investigated by the Sheriff's Office or city police and often with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation's agents and crime lab. The Prosecuting Attorney's most experienced assistants take these cases to the grand jury, often within days. After the municipal court's first appearance, bond is typically very high, and prosecutors may request a hearing to hold the defendant without bail.

• Aggravated murder: life without parole, or life with parole eligibility after 20, 25 or 30 years; death is a possible penalty in a capital case, though no Ohio execution has been carried out since 2018.
• Murder: 15 years to life.
• Rape: a first-degree felony with an indefinite Reagan Tokes sentence, and life imprisonment possible in certain cases involving children under 13.
• Aggravated robbery: a first-degree felony, frequently with a firearm specification.

A violent felony case commonly takes one to two years, and longer when DNA, digital evidence or expert testimony is contested. Victims have Marsy's Law rights to notice, presence and a voice at key hearings. Defendants who cannot afford a lawyer receive appointed counsel who meets the state's standards for serious felony and capital cases.

Cases against Delaware County youths under 18 are heard by the Probate and Juvenile Division of the Common Pleas Court at 145 North Union Street, (740) 833-2600. The Prosecuting Attorney files delinquency complaints on the state's behalf.

Intake

Court intake staff screen police and school referrals. Many first offenses and lower-level cases are handled unofficially or through diversion, with requirements such as community service, restitution, counseling, education programs or a behavior contract, and no formal adjudication once those are completed.

Detention

Police and the court send the large majority of Delaware County youths home with a parent or guardian. Delaware County does not operate its own juvenile detention center, so a youth the court orders held is typically placed at a regional juvenile detention facility outside the county, such as the multi-county Central Ohio Youth Center near Marysville; the Juvenile Court can confirm the placement. Youths are not held in the adult jail. Any youth who is held gets a detention hearing quickly, ordinarily inside 72 hours or by the next day court is in session.

Dispositions

A delinquency finding can lead to probation, treatment, community service, restitution, electronic monitoring or a short detention stay. For felony-level offenses, a youth may be committed to the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

Bindover and blended sentences

Ohio law requires transfer to adult court for some 16- and 17-year-olds, and in limited circumstances 14- and 15-year-olds, charged with the most serious offenses. For other felonies, the juvenile judge may transfer a youth 14 or older after an amenability hearing. A Serious Youthful Offender disposition can pair a juvenile sanction with an adult sentence that is stayed while the youth complies.

Juvenile records are generally confidential, and many can be sealed. Youths are entitled to a lawyer, and the court appoints counsel for families who qualify.

Federal prosecutions arising in Delaware County belong to the Southern District of Ohio's Eastern Division and are generally heard about 25 miles south at the Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse, 85 Marconi Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43215.

Key federal offices

• U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Ohio — 303 Marconi Boulevard, Suite 200, Columbus, OH 43215, (614) 469-5715
• Federal Public Defender — Columbus office, 10 West Broad Street, Suite 1020, Columbus, OH 43215, (614) 469-2999
• U.S. Marshals Service — Columbus headquarters in Room 460 of the Kinneary building, (614) 469-5540

What brings a Delaware County case to federal court

Federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, HSI, the Secret Service and IRS Criminal Investigation investigate violations of federal law and refer them to the U.S. Attorney. With its affluent suburbs, office parks and major highways, Delaware County generates federal cases involving securities, wire and health care fraud, identity theft, online child exploitation, drug distribution and illegal firearm possession. Some conduct can be charged in either state or federal court, and prosecutors decide where it goes.

Federal procedure

An arrested defendant first appears before a magistrate judge in Columbus, who explains the charges and appoints the Federal Public Defender or a CJA panel attorney if needed. If prosecutors move for detention, the hearing is usually held within three court days. The Bail Reform Act allows release on conditions supervised by U.S. Pretrial Services or detention pending trial; a bail bondsman cannot buy a federal defendant's release. A defendant charged by complaint must be indicted within 30 days, and the Speedy Trial Act requires trial within 70 days of indictment, subject to frequent exclusions for discovery and motions. Plea agreements resolve most cases; a federal jury of 12 must reach a unanimous verdict.

U.S. Probation prepares a presentence report, and the judge considers the advisory Sentencing Guidelines along with any mandatory minimum, which cannot be reduced except in narrow circumstances. The federal system has no parole, so defendants typically serve about 85 percent of the sentence in the Bureau of Prisons before supervised release. Appeals go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Custody and juveniles

Federal pretrial detainees from Delaware County are held by the U.S. Marshals in jails and detention facilities that contract with the Marshals Service; relatives back home in Delaware should search the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator for a person from Delaware County with a name or register number. Someone from Delaware still awaiting trial in a Marshals-contract jail can also appear on the facility's roster. Federal prosecution of people under 18 is rare.

This guide to Delaware County criminal courts is general information, not legal advice, and court locations, schedules and programs can change. Anyone charged in Delaware, Powell, Sunbury or elsewhere in the county should speak with a criminal defense attorney; if you cannot afford one, ask the court for appointed counsel or call the Ohio Public Defender at (614) 466-5394.