Mahoning County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Mahoning County bail and bond: the Youngstown Justice Center and the courts that set bond
Adults arrested in Mahoning County, from Youngstown to Boardman and Canfield, are held at the Mahoning County Justice Center, 110 Fifth Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44503. The Sheriff's Office runs it. Search the name on Mahoning County Inmate Search to see whether the person is booked and what bond has been set. Jail Administration answers at 330-480-4920, and the Sheriff's general line is 330-480-5000.
Which court takes the bond depends on the charge and on where the arrest happened. This page walks through Youngstown Municipal Court, the four county area courts and the Common Pleas clerk.
Is my son inside the Mahoning County Justice Center?
Enter his name on Mahoning County Inmate Search. A new booking can take a while to show, so check again after an hour or two. If it still does not appear, call Jail Administration at 330-480-4920.
Youngstown police, township and city departments, and deputies all bring adults to 110 Fifth Avenue, though a department may hold someone briefly first.
Which Sheriff's Office number should I dial?
Jail Administration, 330-480-4920, is the line for a person who is booked. The general information line is 330-480-5000, and administration is 330-480-5020. Non-emergency dispatch is 330-259-1731. In an emergency, dial 911. The Sheriff's lobby at 110 Fifth Avenue is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Can I bring bail money to the Justice Center lobby?
Bond is a court matter, so start with the court that holds the case, not the lobby. Jail Administration at 330-480-4920 can tell you which court has the charge and how that court wants the bond delivered. Never hand cash to anyone who is not a court clerk or a licensed bond agent.
How is bond handled for a Youngstown arrest?
Youngstown Municipal Court hears misdemeanors and traffic cases from the city. Its clerk of court is at 9 West Front Street, Youngstown, OH 44503, and the criminal line is 330-742-8860. Ask the clerk for the amount, the payment types and the hours that apply to bond before you leave home.
Which area court covers Boardman, Austintown, Canfield or Sebring?
Mahoning County Area Court 2 covers Boardman Township. Area Court 3 covers the City of Sebring and the Village of Beloit, with Berlin, Green, Goshen, Ellsworth, Smith and Washingtonville townships. Area Court 4 covers Austintown, North Jackson, Lake Milton and Craig Beach. Area Court 5 covers the City of Canfield, Canfield Township and Beaver Township.
The paperwork from the arrest names the court. If you cannot find it, ask Jail Administration at 330-480-4920.
Is the Common Pleas clerk where felony bond is paid?
Felony cases are heard in the Common Pleas Court. The Clerk of Courts is at 120 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44503, phone 330-740-2104, open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A judge or magistrate sets the amount in a felony (R.C. 2937.23). Ask the clerk about payment forms before you bring any money.
Is bond a fixed price list?
For misdemeanors, each court keeps a schedule so a person can be released before the first appearance. The schedule serves only that purpose, and the court reviews it every two years by January 31 of even-numbered years (R.C. 2937.011(I)). Once a judge looks at the case, the judge's order replaces the schedule. Ask the clerk of the court named on the charge for its list.
How fast does a judge have to review bond?
The first bail hearing is due no later than the second court day after arrest (R.C. 2937.011(J)). An unrepresented person who is still held gets a second hearing two court days after the first, and appointed counsel is paid by the state if the person is poor. Only court days count, so a late Friday arrest can push the hearing to Tuesday.
What bond types does a Mahoning County judge use?
The amount can be met with an unsecured bond, a ten percent cash deposit, a surety bond, real estate or securities, or the full amount in cash, and the defendant picks among these (R.C. 2937.011(C)). The judge must choose the least restrictive release that still protects people and secures a return to court, and financial terms should cost the defendant as little as they safely can.
What part of a ten percent deposit is refunded?
Ninety percent comes back once every condition is satisfied. State fees are a separate charge. When a relative paid the deposit, the court cannot use it on the defendant's fines or costs unless that relative approves (R.C. 2937.40).
What should I check before hiring a bondsman?
Confirm that the agent is licensed by the Ohio Department of Insurance. The agent must charge the premium rate filed with the state and disclose any expense fee in writing (R.C. 3905.93). Ohio rules bar agents from requiring a deed as a condition of the bond and from soliciting at courthouses and detention facilities. Keep a copy of every paper you sign.
How can a property bond be used?
A property bond needs a sworn statement from the owner about the real estate, the debts against it and other bonds already signed. The court has to see enough worth to cover the full amount (R.C. 2937.011(L)). An attorney cannot act as surety. Because each court sets its own steps, ask the court that holds the case before you gather deeds.
When can a judge refuse bail in Mahoning County?
Only for a capital charge where the proof is evident or the presumption great, or a felony where the proof is evident and the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm (Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9). The judge holds a hearing, and the state must prove the points by clear and convincing evidence (R.C. 2937.222). A Common Pleas order denying bail goes to the court of appeals as a final order.
Where does Mahoning County detain juveniles?
The Mahoning County Juvenile Court and its detention center share the Juvenile Justice Center at 300 E. Scott Street, Youngstown. The court line is 330-740-2278, and the court is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call it to find the detention hearing time. The adult search leaves out children.
Who is the free lawyer if my family has no money?
Tell the judge at the first hearing that you cannot hire a lawyer and ask for an appointed one. A judge appoints counsel when the person qualifies, and a lawyer can press for lower bond or release with conditions such as monitoring.
What if a township or suburb police department made the arrest?
A department may hold someone briefly before moving them to the Justice Center. Ask for the report number and the court named on the charge, then check Mahoning County Inmate Search. The area court for that township will be the one that handles the misdemeanor bond.
What if my brother misses a date after release?
Missing a hearing lets the court declare the bail forfeited and issue a warrant (R.C. 2937.011(K)). A surety or depositor ends the obligation by turning in the defendant before the date or by paying the amount due after default (R.C. 2937.40). Call the defense lawyer and the bond company on the same day.
How do I avoid fake bail calls?
Real courts do not collect bond by gift card or app payment to a stranger. A caller who rushes you is a warning sign. Hang up and call Jail Administration at 330-480-4920.
Mahoning County bail contacts
- Jail
- Mahoning County Justice Center, 110 Fifth Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44503; Jail Administration 330-480-4920
- Sheriff's Office
- General information 330-480-5000; dispatch 330-259-1731; lobby Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Bail guide
- Mahoning County bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Mahoning County Inmate Search
- Youngstown Municipal Court clerk
- 9 West Front Street, Youngstown, OH 44503; criminal 330-742-8860
- Common Pleas clerk
- 120 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44503; 330-740-2104; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Juvenile Court
- 300 E. Scott Street, Youngstown; 330-740-2278
Court hours, numbers and payment options in Youngstown and the area courts can change, and a judge is free to set a different bond. Ask the clerk before paying anything. A lawyer is the right person for advice on a specific case.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Mahoning County
The Mahoning County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Jail, or the courthouse in Mahoning County where the offense took place.
Call 330-480-4920 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Mahoning County inmate locator.
Mahoning County Jail
Address:
110 Fifth Avenue
Youngstown, OH 44503
Phone:
330-480-4920
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Mahoning County
Does Mahoning County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Mahoning County?
Who can set bail in Mahoning County?
When is bail set in Mahoning County Ohio?
Does Mahoning County have bail?
Yes, Mahoning County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Mahoning County?
Bail in Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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, Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County have bail?
Yes, Mahoning County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Mahoning County?
Bail in Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Ohio?
Yes, Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County Jail for more information about posting bail in Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning 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.