Fairfield County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Fairfield County bail and bond: the Lancaster Justice Center and the municipal court downtown
Adults arrested in Fairfield County are held at the Fairfield County Justice Center, 345 Lincoln Avenue, Lancaster, which the Sheriff's Office operates. Search Fairfield County Inmate Search to confirm custody and the bond. The jail main line is 740-652-2468. Misdemeanors are heard at Fairfield County Municipal Court, 136 W. Main Street, and the court staff can explain how to post bail.
1. How do I check whether someone is in the Fairfield County Justice Center?
Enter the name on Fairfield County Inmate Search. That record shows who is booked and the charge, and the bond once it is set.
For a question the search does not answer, the jail main line is 740-652-2468. The Sheriff's Office business line is 740-652-7900.
2. Where is the jail in Lancaster?
The jail is at 345 Lincoln Avenue, Lancaster, OH 43130. The Sheriff's Office runs it, and a jail commander oversees daily operations.
Fairfield County holds its own people, so you do not need to look in another county.
3. Which numbers reach the jail staff?
The main line is 740-652-2468. The shift supervisor's office answers at 740-652-1545, the jail lieutenant at 740-652-7256, and the medical office at 740-652-7247.
Use the medical line only for health questions about someone in custody. For bond, start with the court.
4. Where do Lancaster misdemeanors go?
Fairfield County Municipal Court, 136 W. Main Street, Lancaster, OH 43130, handles traffic cases, minor criminal charges, ordinance violations and small civil claims. The main and clerk line is 740-687-6621.
Felony charges are heard in the Common Pleas Court. The Clerk of Courts at 740-652-7360 can give case numbers and hearing dates.
5. How do I pay bond for a Lancaster case?
Call the Municipal Court clerk at 740-687-6621 with the person's name and ask which office takes the payment, what the total is and when it is open.
Municipal and county courts in Ohio must adopt a rule allowing bail by credit card (R.C. 2937.011), so ask the clerk about card payment too.
6. What bond forms exist under Ohio law?
The defendant may post an unsecured bond, a bond backed by a 10 percent cash deposit, a surety bond, a bond secured by real estate or securities, or the full amount in cash (R.C. 2937.011).
With the 10 percent deposit, 90 percent comes back when the conditions have all been met.
7. What is a bondsman's fee, and what protections do I have?
A licensed surety bail bond agent must charge the premium rate filed with and approved by the Ohio Superintendent of Insurance, and must disclose any expense fee (R.C. 3905.93).
An agent may not require you to hand over title to real estate, and agents may not solicit at courthouses or detention facilities. Request a written receipt for everything you pay.
8. How soon does a judge look at the bond?
No later than the second court day after the arrest (R.C. 2937.011). If you were arrested Friday evening, that could be Tuesday when Monday is a court holiday.
Someone still held without a lawyer gets a second hearing two court days after the first, and a lawyer is appointed at state expense when they cannot pay.
9. Why would the bail be denied?
The state constitution (art. I, sec. 9) lets a court say no to bail in two situations: capital offenses, and felonies where the proof is evident and release would put someone at substantial risk of serious physical harm.
Before a judge can do that, R.C. 2937.222 calls for a hearing and proof that release on any terms would endanger the community.
10. Where does a young person go after arrest?
Juvenile cases are heard by the Fairfield County Juvenile Court at 224 E. Main Street, Hall of Justice Building, Lancaster, OH 43130. The Juvenile Clerk's Office answers at 740-652-7463.
Fairfield County is home to a multi-county juvenile detention center. Call the juvenile clerk to confirm where a child is held and when the detention hearing is.
11. How do I get a public defender?
Tell the judge at the first hearing that you cannot hire a lawyer. After a review of your income, the court may appoint one. The Municipal Court clerk at 740-687-6621 can explain how to ask for a misdemeanor.
A lawyer may ask for a lower bond or for release without money.
12. Can I put up land or a house?
Yes, a bond can be secured by real estate or securities (R.C. 2937.011). The person who pledges it swears an affidavit describing the property, the liens on it and other bonds supported.
The court must find the pledger able to cover at least the bond amount, and a lawyer cannot serve as the surety.
13. What if he skips his hearing?
The judge may forfeit the bail and issue a warrant, and the missed date can bring added punishment (R.C. 2937.011).
Cash a friend or relative posted stays protected from the defendant's court costs unless the poster signs off (R.C. 2937.40).
14. Does the jail inmate fund pay bail?
No. Money on an inmate account is for commissary and calls; it does not release anyone. Bond goes only to the court or a licensed agent.
Ask the jail main line, 740-652-2468, about account deposits.
15. What if federal agents made the arrest?
Fairfield County Inmate Search covers the Lancaster jail only. For someone held by a federal agency, try the federal inmate locator.
State prison sentences are tracked by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, not by the county.
16. Could a caller be lying about the bond?
Yes, scammers copy court language. Neither the jail nor the court collects bond by gift card, crypto or a transfer to a private person.
Before paying anyone, dial the jail at 740-652-2468 and confirm the request.
17. Can a judge set rules instead of, or along with, money?
Yes. Beyond bail, a judge may order no contact with a victim, limits on where the person lives or travels, a drug or alcohol assessment, electronic monitoring or house arrest (R.C. 2937.011).
The statute tells judges to pick the least restrictive terms that still assure the person returns and protect others, and to make financial terms the least costly that will work. Either side can ask the court to change the terms later.
18. What should I take with me to the clerk's window?
Take a government photo ID, the defendant's full name and birth date, and the case number if you have one. Confirm the figure on Fairfield County Inmate Search before you leave home.
Keep every receipt. You need it to claim a refund when the case ends.
Fairfield County bail contacts
- Jail
- Fairfield County Justice Center, 345 Lincoln Avenue, Lancaster, OH 43130; 740-652-2468
- Bond guide
- Fairfield County bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Fairfield County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- Business line, 740-652-7900
- Municipal court
- 136 W. Main Street, Lancaster, OH 43130; 740-687-6621
- Clerk of Courts
- Common Pleas, 740-652-7360
- Juvenile
- Juvenile Court, 224 E. Main Street, Hall of Justice, Lancaster, OH 43130; 740-652-7463
Amounts, hours and phone lines are subject to change, and judges set bond case by case. Call the jail or the court before you pay. This guide is general information and is not legal advice.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Fairfield County
The Fairfield County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County Jail, or the courthouse in Fairfield County where the offense took place.
Call 740-652-7301 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Fairfield County inmate locator.
Fairfield County Jail
Address:
345 Lincoln Avenue
Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone:
740-652-7301
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Fairfield County
Does Fairfield County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Fairfield County?
Who can set bail in Fairfield County?
When is bail set in Fairfield County Ohio?
Does Fairfield County have bail?
Yes, Fairfield County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Fairfield County?
Bail in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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, Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County have bail?
Yes, Fairfield County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Fairfield County?
Bail in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County Ohio?
Yes, Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield County Jail for more information about posting bail in Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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.