Medina County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Medina County bail and bond: the jail on Independence Drive and the after-hours bond lobby
In Medina County, adults arrested are held at the Medina County Jail, 555 Independence Drive, Medina, run by the Medina County Sheriff's Office. Use Medina County Inmate Search to see if your person is booked and what the bail is. The municipal court clerk takes bonds on weekdays, and the lobby of the Medina Police Department takes them when the clerk is closed. Questions about a case go to the court at 330-723-3287.
1. Is my son booked at the Medina County Jail?
Type his name into Medina County Inmate Search. It shows the booking, the charge and the bail. If an arrest happened only a short while ago, give it time and check again.
The jail is at 555 Independence Drive, Medina. Phone calls about a case go to Medina Municipal Court at 330-723-3287, where Option 3 reaches traffic and criminal.
2. It is midnight. Can the bond be paid at all?
Yes, in one situation. When the Clerk's Office is closed, the front lobby of the Medina Police Department, 150 W. Friendship Street, takes bonds. Records Unit staff and dispatchers act as Deputy Clerks of Court for this purpose.
The lobby takes bonds only for a person arrested in Medina County who was ordered to appear in Medina Municipal Court. A felony or a case in another court is paid another way, so check the case first.
3. When is the clerk's counter open?
The Clerk's Office of Medina Municipal Court is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays. Call 330-723-3287 and choose Option 3 for traffic and criminal questions.
4. Where do I find the bond rules and the list of bonding agents?
Medina Municipal Court posts its bond rules and a current list of bonding agents on its website, medinamunicipalcourt.org. The court also posts a joint bail and bond schedule that applies to the county's municipal courts. Read the rules before you bring money, so you know what the clerk will accept.
5. How soon does a judge look at the case?
Ohio requires the first bail hearing no later than the second court day after the arrest. If he is held and has no lawyer, a second hearing must come two court days later, with a lawyer appointed at public cost if he cannot pay.
6. What forms of bond can we choose?
R.C. 2937.011 lets the defendant choose how to satisfy the amount the judge sets. The choices are an unsecured bond, a ten percent cash deposit, a surety bond, a bond backed by real estate or securities, or a full cash deposit.
A ten percent deposit is returned at 90 percent once the case is finished and every condition was met.
7. Does Medina take cards?
Every Ohio municipal and county court must adopt a rule allowing bail to be paid by credit card. Call the clerk at 330-723-3287 to ask which cards the court accepts and whether any added charge applies.
8. What should I ask a bonding agent?
Ask for the agent's Ohio license, the premium rate that applies, any expense fee and every term in writing. The state requires the agent to charge only the approved rate and to disclose added fees. The fee is not refundable. Agents may not require the title to your home and may not solicit people at the jail or courthouse.
9. Can we use our home for the bond?
Land or a house can back a bond. The owner signs a sworn statement describing the property, the mortgages and liens on it, and other bonds the owner backs, and the court must be satisfied that the owner can cover the full bond. A lawyer cannot be the one who backs a bond. Call the clerk at 330-723-3287 for the forms.
10. Why is there no bail on the record?
Bail may be denied only for a capital offense or for a felony where the proof is strong and the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm. A judge must hold a hearing and find these facts by clear and convincing evidence. A hold from another court, probation or parole is a separate reason.
11. Which youth facility does Medina County use?
Medina County has its own juvenile detention center for young people held before a hearing. Juvenile records are private, so the adult search does not show a minor. Ask the Clerk of Courts at 330-725-9723 for the juvenile court's hearing time.
12. Who is the lawyer if we cannot pay?
Say at the first hearing that you cannot afford a lawyer, and the judge will appoint one. Ask the Clerk of Courts at 330-725-9723 which office handles appointed counsel.
13. What should the family prepare before going to the window?
Write down the person's full name, birth date and the case number from the search or the court. Decide who will sign if a bond needs a signer, and bring a photo ID for that person. Read the court's bond rules first, since they say which bond types the clerk handles.
If the person was arrested by a city in another court's area, ask the clerk where that case is paid before you drive.
14. Does a judge consider money only?
No. Judges look at the seriousness of the charge, the person's record, ties to the community, work, past court appearances and the safety of others. Ohio law also asks the court to use the least costly financial condition that will still bring the person back. A lawyer can make this argument at the hearing.
15. What if the court date is missed?
The court can issue a bench warrant and begin forfeiting the bond. A surety who returns the defendant before the date, or asks for a warrant so the Sheriff holds him, may be released from the bond. Money posted by another person cannot go toward the defendant's fines without that person's approval.
16. What rules can be placed on release?
The judge can order no contact with a victim, travel or residence limits, drug and alcohol treatment, house arrest or electronic monitoring. Ohio law calls for the least restrictive combination that still protects the public and gets him to court. A lawyer can ask to change a condition at any time.
17. How do I get the money back and avoid scams?
Refunds are issued by the court after the case ends when every date was kept; the court keeps 10 percent of a deposit bond and the state fees. No clerk or officer asks for gift cards or an app payment. Check Medina County Inmate Search, then call 330-723-3287.
Medina County bail contacts
- Jail
- Medina County Jail, 555 Independence Drive, Medina, OH
- Custody lookup
- Medina County Inmate Search
- Medina Municipal Court
- 330-723-3287 (Option 3 for traffic and criminal)
- Clerk's Office hours
- Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except holidays
- After-hours bonds
- Front lobby, Medina Police Department, 150 W. Friendship Street, Medina, OH
- Bond rules
- medinamunicipalcourt.org
- Clerk of Courts (felonies)
- 330-725-9723
- Bond help
- Medina County bail and bond pages
Bond rules, schedules, hours and phone numbers are set by the courts and can change. Confirm with the clerk before paying. A judge may order an amount different from any schedule. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Medina County Jail
The Medina County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina County Jail, or the courthouse in Medina County where the offense took place.
Call 330-764-3628 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Medina County inmate locator.
Medina County Jail
Address:
555 Independence Drive
Medina, OH 44256
Phone:
330-764-3628
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Medina County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Medina County?
Who can set bail in Medina County?
When is bail set in Medina County Ohio?
Does Medina County have bail?
Yes, Medina County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Medina County?
Bail in Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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, Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina County have bail?
Yes, Medina County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Medina County?
Bail in Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina County Ohio?
Yes, Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina County Jail for more information about posting bail in Medina 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 Medina 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 Medina 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.