Delaware County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Delaware County bail and bond: the 24-hour kiosk and Municipal Court
Adults arrested in Delaware County are held at the Delaware County Jail, run by the Sheriff's Office. Search Delaware County Inmate Search to see if a person is in custody and what the bond is. Delaware Municipal Court on North Union Street keeps weekday hours and a bond kiosk that works all day, and the number is 740-203-1550. Learn how bail works below.
How do I find out if someone is inside the 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.
Can I pay a bond at any hour in Delaware?
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.
What are the court's regular hours?
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.
Which court handles which case?
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.
Is there a bond schedule I can read?
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.
Which kinds of bond can I use?
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.
How much of a ten percent deposit is refunded?
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).
What does a bail agent charge?
Agents must charge the premium rate the state approved and must disclose any expense fee in advance (R.C. 3905.93). Ohio does not publish one fixed percentage in the statute. 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.
Can property be used for bail?
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.
How fast does a judge look at the case?
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.
Are there people who cannot get a bond?
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).
What if the arrest was made by a city police department?
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.
Who defends someone who cannot afford a lawyer?
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.
What happens when the arrested person is a minor?
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.
Where do I search for a federal inmate?
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.
What if the person misses a hearing?
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.
How do I steer clear of bond scams?
Only the court and the jail take bond money, in person or at the kiosk. No official asks for gift cards or an app transfer. If a caller claims to be a clerk, end the call and dial 740-203-1550.
Delaware County bail contacts
- 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.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Delaware County
The Delaware County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware County Jail, or the courthouse in Delaware County where the offense took place.
Call 740-833-2840 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Delaware County inmate locator.
Delaware County Jail
Address:
844 US 42 North
Delaware, OH 43015
Phone:
740-833-2840
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Delaware County
Does Delaware County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Delaware County?
Who can set bail in Delaware County?
When is bail set in Delaware County Ohio?
Does Delaware County have bail?
Yes, Delaware County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Delaware County?
Bail in Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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, Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware County have bail?
Yes, Delaware County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Delaware County?
Bail in Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware County Ohio?
Yes, Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware County Jail for more information about posting bail in Delaware 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 Delaware 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 Delaware 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.
