Gallia County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Gallia County bail and bond: the Gallipolis jail, the Sheriff on Second Avenue, and the courthouse clerk
Adults arrested in Gallia County are booked at the Gallia County Jail in Gallipolis. The jail sits beside the county courthouse, and the Sheriff's Office is at 537 Second Avenue, Gallipolis, OH 45631. The Sheriff's number is 740-446-1205. Search Gallia County Inmate Search to see if the booking is complete and what bail is set. Misdemeanors are heard in Gallipolis Municipal Court. Felonies belong to the Common Pleas Court, whose Clerk of Courts works in Room 1290 of the courthouse at 18 Locust Street.
Which jail holds my cousin after an arrest in Gallia County?
The Gallia County Jail in Gallipolis, a 120-bed building next to the courthouse. The county built it to replace a small jail in the courthouse annex basement.
The Sheriff's Office is at 537 Second Avenue. Its number is 740-446-1205.
How do I check on someone without driving to Gallipolis?
Look up the name on Gallia County Inmate Search. The record shows the booking and, once entered, the bail amount.
If the search shows nothing, call the Sheriff's Office at 740-446-1205. A new booking can take time to appear.
Does the Clerk of Courts take bonds, and where is the office?
Felony bonds go through the Clerk of Courts, Courthouse, 18 Locust Street, Room 1290, Gallipolis, OH 45631. Office hours run 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. Call 740-446-4612 and ask for extension 1221 through 1224.
Tell the staff the person's full name and the case number, and ask for the amount and the accepted forms of payment before you come.
What about a misdemeanor?
Misdemeanors, which include theft under $1,000, domestic violence, drunk driving, license suspensions and drug possession, are prosecuted by the City Solicitor's Office for all of Gallia County. Open court sessions take place at the Gallipolis Justice Center.
The bond for a misdemeanor goes to the municipal court that has the case. Ask the clerk of that court for the amount and the payment steps.
Who prosecutes misdemeanors here, and why does that matter to a bond?
The City Solicitor is the attorney of record for criminal and traffic cases filed in Gallipolis Municipal Court, and that office coordinates the prosecution of misdemeanors across Gallia County.
For you the practical point is simple. A citation or complaint with a Gallipolis Municipal Court caption means you deal with that clerk, not the courthouse clerk on Locust Street.
Is the Locust Street clerk the same office that handles appeals?
Yes. The Clerk of Gallia County Common Pleas Court also serves the Fourth Appellate District Court.
For a bond question, state that the matter is a Gallia County criminal case so the call goes to the right desk.
How quickly does a judge set bail?
The first bail hearing must come by the end of the second court day after the arrest. Weekend days and court holidays drop out of the count. A person who stays in custody with no lawyer gets another hearing on the second court day after that, and the court appoints counsel at state expense when the person cannot pay.
An arrest on a Friday afternoon can mean the first hearing is Tuesday.
What does a bail schedule do?
Every Ohio court must adopt a misdemeanor bail schedule. Its sole purpose is early release before the first hearing, and the court reviews it every two years by January 31 of each even-numbered year.
A judge is not bound by it at a hearing. The judge weighs the charge, the evidence, the record, work, family and past court dates, and the Constitution also asks the court to consider public safety.
Does Gallia County have pretrial supervision?
The Common Pleas Court lists Probation and Pretrial Services among its offices. A judge may order conditions in place of money, such as limits on travel, contact rules, drug or alcohol treatment, electronic monitoring or release to the care of a responsible adult.
Ask the judge, or have a lawyer ask, whether any of those conditions can replace a cash bond.
Which forms of bond does Ohio recognize?
Five: an unsecured bond, a bond with a cash deposit of 10 percent, a surety bond, a bond secured by real estate or securities, and cash in the full amount. The person posting selects among the forms the law permits.
The terms must be the least costly ones that still assure a return to court.
If I put down 10 percent, how much do I get back?
Ninety percent of the deposit, after every condition has been met. On a $1,500 bond the deposit is $150 and $135 comes back.
A deposit from a relative cannot go toward the defendant's fines or costs unless the relative expressly approves.
What should I check before hiring a bail agent?
The agent needs a surety bail bond license from the Ohio Department of Insurance. The agent must charge the premium rate on file with the state and say so if there is an expense fee.
Demanding title to your property is forbidden, and so is approaching families at the jail or courthouse. The Department of Insurance, at 614-644-2665, explains what rates are on file.
Can land in Gallia County be pledged for a bond?
Yes. The owner swears an affidavit that describes the land, the loans against it and any other bonds already backed, and the court must be satisfied that the owner can cover the full bond. A lawyer is not allowed to be the surety.
Ask the clerk of the court that has the case for the local forms.
What does "no bond" mean on a record?
Usually the judge has not set a figure yet. Refusing bail altogether is rare: only a capital offense, or a felony where the proof is evident and the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm.
A hearing comes first under R.C. 2937.222, and the proof must be clear and convincing.
Who do I call if a minor was arrested?
Juvenile cases are private, so Gallia County Inmate Search will not list a child. Call the Clerk of Courts at 740-446-4612 and ask for the Juvenile Court to learn where the young person is held and when the hearing is.
Gallia County has a Juvenile and Probate Court.
How do we get a lawyer without money?
Say at the first hearing that you cannot afford one. The court reviews the request and appoints counsel when the person qualifies.
A lawyer can argue for a signature bond or for conditions that cost nothing. A person who answers a summons rather than being arrested is presumed eligible for release on a signature, absent good cause.
What if he misses his next hearing?
A warrant can issue and the bond may be forfeited. Skipping court may also be charged on its own.
Anyone who posted money should call the clerk of the court that day.
How can I tell a bail scam from a real clerk?
A real clerk or deputy will not take gift cards, wire transfers or payment apps. A caller who demands money in minutes is not one.
Call the Sheriff at 740-446-1205 or the Clerk of Courts at 740-446-4612 yourself.
Gallia County bail contacts
- Jail
- Gallia County Jail, 537 Second Avenue, Gallipolis, OH 45631
- Sheriff's Office
- 537 Second Avenue, Gallipolis, OH 45631; 740-446-1205
- Custody lookup
- Gallia County Inmate Search
- Bond guide
- Gallia County bail and bond instructions
- Clerk of Courts
- Courthouse, 18 Locust Street, Room 1290, Gallipolis, OH 45631; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 740-446-4612, extensions 1221 to 1224
- Municipal Court
- Gallipolis Municipal Court, Gallipolis Justice Center
- Insurance
- Ohio Department of Insurance, 614-644-2665
Hours, amounts, fees and phone numbers can change. Ask the clerk of the court that has the case before you pay. Use this page as a starting point, not as legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Gallia County Jail
The Gallia County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia County Jail, or the courthouse in Gallia County where the offense took place.
Call 740-441-2054 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Gallia County inmate locator.
Gallia County Jail
Address:
535 Second Avenue
Gallipolis, OH 45631
Phone:
740-441-2054
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Gallia County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Gallia County?
Who can set bail in Gallia County?
When is bail set in Gallia County Ohio?
Does Gallia County have bail?
Yes, Gallia County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Gallia County?
Bail in Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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, Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia County have bail?
Yes, Gallia County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Gallia County?
Bail in Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia County Ohio?
Yes, Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia County Jail for more information about posting bail in Gallia 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 Gallia 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 Gallia 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.