Geauga County Safety Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Geauga County bail and bond: the Chardon Safety Center and the courts around it
Geauga County keeps its adult pretrial inmates at the Geauga County Safety Center, 12450 Merritt Road, Chardon. Search for your relative on Geauga County Inmate Search, then call the jail at 440-279-2009 with bond questions. Misdemeanors go to Chardon Municipal Court on Water Street, and felonies go to Common Pleas Court on Short Court Street. The right office for a bond depends on which court has the charge.
1. Where in Geauga County do arrested adults end up?
At the Geauga County Safety Center, 12450 Merritt Road, Chardon, OH 44024. The Sheriff's Office operates it, and it opened on December 28, 2005. The building has 182 beds, including space for women, general population men, and a group of men on work release.
More than 2,000 people are booked there each year, so staff field bond questions every day.
2. How do I tell whether he has been booked yet?
Look him up on Geauga County Inmate Search. A new arrest may take a few hours to appear.
If the name does not show, call the Safety Center at 440-279-2009, or dial extension 4411 for Corrections. The Sheriff's dispatch line, 440-286-1234, can reach a deputy when you need help.
3. Which Geauga court has the misdemeanor?
Chardon Municipal Court, 111 Water Street, Chardon, OH 44024. It covers Auburn, Bainbridge, Burton, Chardon, Chesterland, Claridon, Hambden, Hunting Valley, Huntsburg, Middlefield, Montville, Munson, Newbury, Parkman, Russell, South Russell, Thompson and Troy.
Criminal and traffic questions go to 440-286-2670, option 1. The court keeps weekday hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
4. Where does a felony bond get paid?
Felony cases are heard in the Court of Common Pleas, 100 Short Court Street, Chardon. The Clerk of Courts Legal Office is in Suite 300 of the same address and answers at 440-279-1960, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Because hours change around holidays, phone first. Geauga County offices close on Veterans Day, for example.
5. Can I deposit money at the jail kiosk to bail him out?
No. The lobby kiosk and the online account services at the Safety Center are for commissary, phone and mail funds. Money put there goes to the inmate's spending account.
Bond is paid to a court. The Safety Center takes no checks for commissary money either.
6. When does a Geauga judge first look at bail?
The law sets a limit. Under R.C. 2937.011(J), the first bail hearing must happen by the end of the second court day following the arrest. A person who has no lawyer and is still jailed gets a second hearing on the second court day after that.
At the second hearing the court appoints counsel at state expense when the person cannot pay.
7. What are my choices for posting bail?
Ohio law lets the defendant choose among an unsecured bond, a 10 percent cash deposit bond, a surety bond, a bond secured by real estate or securities, or a full cash deposit (R.C. 2937.011(C)).
With the 10 percent form, the court returns 90 percent of the deposit when the defendant meets all conditions.
8. What does a bail agent cost, and is he required?
He is never required. An Ohio bail agent must hold a license from the Department of Insurance and may charge only the premium rate on file with the state. The agent must also disclose any expense fee (R.C. 3905.93).
Ask for the numbers in writing before you sign. The premium does not come back.
9. Can the judge say no to bail?
Yes, but only in the cases the Ohio Constitution names. Under art. I, sec. 9, bail may be denied for a capital offense, or for a felony where the proof is evident and the person is a substantial risk of serious physical harm.
A hearing comes first under R.C. 2937.222, and the state carries the burden of clear and convincing proof. A municipal judge's denial can be reviewed by a Common Pleas judge.
10. Can I use my land as a bond in Geauga County?
Ohio law permits a bond secured by real estate, and the owner must swear to what the property is worth and what is owed on it (R.C. 2937.011(L)). A licensed attorney may not stand as surety.
Call the Clerk of Courts at 440-279-1960 to learn what paperwork the court wants before you gather documents.
11. Where do Geauga teenagers go when they are detained?
Geauga County juveniles who need secure detention are placed in the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center, which the county pays for by the bed-night. The Geauga County Juvenile Court is at 231 Main Street, Suite 200, Chardon, OH 44024, and its main number is 440-279-1830.
Call that number to learn the detention hearing time. The court makes the placement decision, not the jail.
12. Who is the lawyer if I have no money?
Request an appointed lawyer when you first stand before the judge. Ohio provides counsel at state expense to an indigent person who is still held at the second bail hearing.
The Clerk of Courts, 440-279-1960, can tell you where to file the request in a felony case.
13. What if my daughter was arrested by a village officer in Middlefield or Chesterland?
Local police can arrest inside their village or township, but the person is usually booked into the Safety Center. The case then goes to Chardon Municipal Court if it is a misdemeanor.
Ask the arresting department for the report number and the charge. Then search Geauga County Inmate Search to see the bond.
14. Is a state or federal prisoner in the county list?
No. The federal prison system has its own search, the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. State prison inmates are found in Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records.
Neither one is solved by posting a county bond.
15. What if he skips a hearing after he is out?
The court can issue a warrant and begin forfeiture of the bond. Under R.C. 2937.011(K), failing to appear is punishable by law and the bail may be forfeited.
Phone the court on the same day. Tell any surety, because a surety may surrender the defendant to the court before the date to end the bond.
16. Who gets the bond money back?
It depends on who posted it. If a relative or friend puts up the money, R.C. 2937.40(B) bars the court from using it to pay the defendant's fines or costs without that person's approval.
When the defendant posts his own bail, the court can apply it to costs after a conviction or plea unless he is indigent.
Geauga County bail contacts
- County jail
- Geauga County Safety Center, 12450 Merritt Road, Chardon, OH 44024; 440-279-2009, Corrections ext. 4411
- Bond guide
- Geauga County jail bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Geauga County Inmate Search
- Sheriff dispatch
- 440-286-1234
- Chardon Municipal Court
- 111 Water Street, Chardon; 440-286-2670; open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays
- Clerk of Courts
- 100 Short Court Street, Suite 300, Chardon; 440-279-1960
- Juvenile Court
- 231 Main Street, Suite 200, Chardon; 440-279-1830
Phone numbers and office hours can change, so call before you travel with money or papers. Nothing here is legal advice; it is a plain-language guide to Geauga County practice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Geauga County Safety Center
The Geauga County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga County Safety Center, or the courthouse in Geauga County where the offense took place.
Call 440-279-2009 ext. 3 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Geauga County inmate locator.
Geauga County Safety Center
Address:
12450 Merritt Road
Chardon, OH 44024
Phone:
440-279-2009 ext. 3
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Geauga County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Geauga County?
Who can set bail in Geauga County?
When is bail set in Geauga County Ohio?
Does Geauga County have bail?
Yes, Geauga County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Geauga County?
Bail in Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga County Safety Center 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, Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga County have bail?
Yes, Geauga County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Geauga County?
Bail in Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga County Ohio?
Yes, Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga County Safety Center for more information about posting bail in Geauga 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 Geauga 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 Geauga County Safety Center 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.