Huron County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Huron County bail and bond: the Shady Lane jail, Norwalk courts and what to do first
The Huron County Jail at 255 Shady Lane Drive, Norwalk, holds adults arrested in Huron County, and the Sheriff's Office runs it. Begin with Huron County Inmate Search, which shows whether a person is booked, the charge and the bail amount. The Sheriff's Office main line is 419-668-6912. Misdemeanors are heard at Norwalk Municipal Court and felonies in Common Pleas Court at the courthouse on East Main Street.
1. How can I tell whether my nephew is in the Norwalk jail?
Put his name in Huron County Inmate Search. A completed booking shows the charge and the amount of bail. Very fresh arrests may take time to appear.
After that, the Sheriff's Office at 419-668-6912 can help. Say you want to know about a person in custody, and have his full name and date of birth in front of you.
2. Who operates the Shady Lane jail?
The Huron County Jail is at 255 Shady Lane Drive, Norwalk, OH 44857. The Sheriff's Office runs the jail and has its offices at the same address.
Huron County is not a member of a multi-county regional jail.
3. Which court has a misdemeanor charge?
Norwalk Municipal Court, 45 N. Linwood Avenue, Norwalk, OH 44857, hears traffic cases, non-traffic misdemeanors, ordinance violations, evictions and civil claims up to $15,000. The main phone is 419-663-6750.
Call before you drive over. The clerk can tell you the arraignment date and whether bail has been set.
4. What about a felony?
A felony goes to the Huron County Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk of Courts is at 2 East Main Street, Suite 207, Norwalk, OH 44857, phone 419-668-5113.
A judge or magistrate sets the amount on a felony. Jail staff and clerks do not have that power.
5. When is the first bail hearing?
It is due no later than the second court day after the arrest, whether or not the arrest came with a warrant. It may be combined with the first appearance in court.
A person still in jail and without a lawyer gets a second hearing on the second court day after the first. If the person cannot afford counsel, the court appoints one at state cost.
6. Is there a table of amounts for misdemeanors?
Ohio requires each court to keep one so that a person can be released before the first appearance, and to review it by January 31 of every even-numbered year. It is not evidence of what happened.
The Norwalk Municipal Court clerk at 419-663-6750 can say whether the schedule covers the charge and which figure applies.
7. How do I pay?
Ask the court that has the case where it takes bail. For felonies, the Clerk of Courts at 419-668-5113 is the place to start. For misdemeanors, call the municipal court at 419-663-6750.
State law requires municipal and county courts to adopt a rule allowing bail by credit card. A card may carry a fee. Have photo ID, the full name and the case number with you, and keep the receipt.
8. What is the ten percent option?
One option is a deposit of ten percent of the bond, with all but ten percent of it refunded once the conditions are kept. The court may also accept an unsecured promise, a surety, a pledge of real estate or securities, or the entire amount in cash.
Under R.C. 2937.011, the financial term has to be the least costly one that still brings the person back to court.
9. Any cautions about bail agents in Norwalk?
Agents are licensed by the Ohio Department of Insurance. They charge the rate on file and must tell you about any expense fee. What you pay the agent stays with the agent.
They cannot make you sign over title to your home as a condition of the bond, and they cannot recruit customers at the jail or courthouse.
10. Can I use my house in Norwalk or my land in Willard?
Ohio permits a bond secured by real estate, and the owner chooses it. The owner submits an affidavit that describes the property, the mortgages and liens on it, other bonds backed and other debts. The court needs to be satisfied that the owner is financially responsible for at least the bond amount.
The clerk's office at 419-668-5113 can explain what the court requires for the paperwork.
11. When is there no bail at all?
The Ohio Constitution allows a judge to deny bail for a capital offense with strong proof, or for a felony with strong proof when the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm to anyone or to the community.
That decision follows a hearing under R.C. 2937.222. The state must prove its points by clear and convincing evidence, and the accused has the right to a lawyer, witnesses and cross-examination.
12. Where can a person who cannot pay get a lawyer?
The Huron County Public Defender, 16 E. Main Street, Norwalk, OH 44857, represents adults and juveniles accused of crimes who cannot afford a lawyer. Call 419-668-3702.
Tell the judge at your first hearing that paying for counsel is out of reach.
13. Where does a young person go after an arrest in Huron County?
Juvenile cases are handled by the Huron County Juvenile Court, 2 E. Main Street, Room 101, Norwalk, OH 44857, which hears delinquency, unruly and traffic matters. Call 419-668-1616 to learn the hearing time and where the young person is being held.
A juvenile record is private and will not appear on the adult search.
14. What are the consequences of skipping court after bonding out?
The judge can order a warrant and begin forfeiting the bond. A surety who brings the defendant to court, or asks for a warrant before the date, is released from the bond.
A helper's money cannot go toward the defendant's costs or fines unless the helper gives express approval.
15. What kinds of strings can be attached to release?
A judge may order no contact with a victim, limits on travel or where the person lives, treatment, monitoring, house arrest or day reporting. The terms must be the least restrictive that still protect people and secure a return to court.
Either side can ask the judge to change a condition, and the court must hold a hearing if the other side objects.
16. How can I avoid being cheated?
A court never asks for a gift card, cryptocurrency or a transfer to a person's phone app. Confirm the booking on Huron County Inmate Search and call 419-668-6912 directly.
Huron County bail contacts
- Jail
- Huron County Jail, 255 Shady Lane Drive, Norwalk, OH 44857; Sheriff's Office 419-668-6912
- Custody lookup
- Huron County Inmate Search
- Municipal Court
- 45 N. Linwood Avenue, Norwalk, OH 44857; 419-663-6750
- Clerk of Courts
- 2 East Main Street, Suite 207, Norwalk, OH 44857; 419-668-5113
- Public defender
- 16 E. Main Street, Norwalk, OH 44857; 419-668-3702
- Juvenile Court
- 2 E. Main Street, Room 101, Norwalk, OH 44857; 419-668-1616
- Bond help
- Huron County bail and bond pages
Huron County court fees, hours and numbers can change, and the judge can order an amount that differs from a schedule. Ask the clerk before you pay anything. This page offers general information only.
How do Bail Bonds work at Huron County Jail
If it is during normal business hours, you post bond at whichever court the charges were filed through, i.e. Norwalk Municipal Court, Common Pleas Court, etc. If it is after normal business hours, the bond for charges filed out of Juvenile and Common Pleas Court can be posted here at the Sheriff's Office. If the bond was through Norwalk Municpal Court, after hours payment can be made at Norwalk Police Department.
Huron County Jail
Address:
255 Shady Lane Drive
Norwalk, OH 44857
Phone:
419-668-1996
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Huron County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Huron County?
Who can set bail in Huron County?
When is bail set in Huron County Ohio?
Does Huron County have bail?
Yes, Huron County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Huron County?
Bail in Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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, Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron County have bail?
Yes, Huron County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Huron County?
Bail in Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron County Ohio?
Yes, Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron County Jail for more information about posting bail in Huron 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 Huron 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 Huron 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.