Meigs County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Meigs County bail and bond: arrests in Pomeroy and the jail that serves the county
Adults arrested in Meigs County are booked through the Sheriff's Office at 104 E. Second Street, Pomeroy, and placed in the jail that serves this county. Look the person up on Meigs County Inmate Search to see where they are held and what the bond is. The Sheriff's Office answers at 740-992-3371, and Meigs County Court at 740-992-2279 can explain how to post bond.
1. How do I find out where my relative is being held?
Open Meigs County Inmate Search and enter the name. The booking record shows the custody location and the bond when one has been set.
Meigs County uses the jail that serves this county, so the record is the surest way to learn the facility. If it shows nothing, call the Sheriff's Office in Pomeroy at 740-992-3371 and ask where the person was taken.
2. Who books people arrested in Meigs County?
The Sheriff's Office, at 104 E. Second Street, Pomeroy, OH 45769, handles county arrests. Police in Pomeroy and other villages also make arrests and turn people over for booking.
Ask the arresting agency for the report number, then check the search again an hour later.
3. Who takes the bond money?
Ask the Sheriff's Office at 740-992-3371 where the person is held and which office accepts the payment for that charge. Misdemeanor bonds are tied to Meigs County Court, and felony bonds to the Common Pleas Court.
Do not hand cash to anyone until the court or Sheriff's staff confirms the amount in the record.
4. Which court handles a misdemeanor?
Meigs County Court, at 100 E. Second Street, Room 304, Pomeroy, OH 45769, hears misdemeanor and traffic cases. The main line is 740-992-2279.
Ohio law lets a judge, a magistrate or the clerk set misdemeanor bail from the court's schedule (R.C. 2937.23). A jailer may do so too, but only at the courthouse or a jail.
5. Where are felony cases heard?
Felony charges go to the Meigs County Common Pleas Court. The Clerk of Courts is at 100 Second Street, Suite 303, Pomeroy, OH 45769, and the Legal Division answers at 740-992-5290.
Call the clerk for case numbers, hearing dates and the status of a bond.
6. What kinds of bond does Ohio allow?
The defendant may post an unsecured bond, a 10 percent cash deposit bond, a surety bond, a bond secured by real estate or securities, or the full amount in cash (R.C. 2937.011).
A 10 percent deposit returns at 90 percent when all conditions have been met. A signature release asks for no money.
7. Does a bondsman need to be licensed?
Yes. Bail bond agents are licensed by the Ohio Department of Insurance and may execute bonds in court cases. A new individual licensee cannot write a bond during the first 180 days after the license is issued.
Agents must charge the premium rate filed with the state, may not take title to your property, and may not solicit at courthouses or jails.
8. How soon will the person see a judge?
An initial bail hearing must occur no later than the second court day after arrest (R.C. 2937.011). A weekend can push the date out.
A person who stays in custody without a lawyer gets a second hearing two court days after the first, with a lawyer appointed at the state's expense if needed.
9. Is there a published list of bail amounts?
Every Ohio court must keep a misdemeanor bail schedule and review it every two years. The schedule exists to allow release before the first hearing, and it does not limit what a judge may set (R.C. 2937.011).
For the Meigs schedule, ask Meigs County Court at 740-992-2279 with the exact charge.
10. Can anyone be held with no bail at all?
Only for capital offenses and for certain felonies. Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9 requires strong proof and a substantial risk that the person would seriously hurt someone.
A hearing under R.C. 2937.222 must come first, and the judge needs clear and convincing evidence that no release terms would protect the public.
11. How do we get a lawyer if money is tight?
The first bail hearing is the time to request an appointed lawyer. A judge reviews what the person earns and owns, and an appointed lawyer can argue for a lower bond.
To learn how to apply for a misdemeanor charge, call Meigs County Court at 740-992-2279.
12. What should I do if the person is under 18?
Call the Sheriff's Office at 740-992-3371 and ask where the young person is held. Then ask the court for the hearing date.
Parents should be ready to give the child's full name and birth date.
13. Does a family member lose the money if the defendant skips court?
The court may forfeit the bail, and the defendant may face added punishment (R.C. 2937.011).
Your consent is required before the court applies money you posted to someone else's fines or costs (R.C. 2937.40), though forfeiture can still follow a missed date.
14. What if the arrest came from a federal agency?
A federal arrest will not appear in the county record. The Bureau of Prisons runs its own search at bop.gov inmate locator.
State prison inmates are found through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
15. How can I avoid paying a fake bondsman?
A real court, jail or deputy never asks for gift cards, crypto or a transfer to a private person.
Hang up on anyone who demands immediate payment, then call 740-992-3371 to check.
16. Can a farm or house back a bond in Meigs County?
Ohio law permits a bond secured by real estate or securities (R.C. 2937.011). The owner signs an affidavit that describes the property, the loans against it and any other bonds the owner has backed, and the court must find the owner able to cover the full bond.
An attorney cannot be the surety. The Clerk of Courts at 740-992-5290 can explain the paperwork for a felony, and the County Court at 740-992-2279 can do the same for a misdemeanor.
17. What terms can a judge attach to release?
A judge can release a person on a promise to appear, or add terms such as limits on travel, no contact with a named person, treatment for drugs or alcohol, electronic monitoring or house arrest (R.C. 2937.011).
The law asks for the least restrictive terms that still reasonably secure the person's return and protect the public. Violating a term can lead to a change in bail.
18. What should I carry when I go to pay?
Bring a government photo ID, the defendant's full name and date of birth, and the case number. Check the amount on Meigs County Inmate Search first.
Municipal and county courts in Ohio must have a rule that allows bail by credit card (R.C. 2937.011), so ask the office about cards when you call. Keep your receipt for any refund.
Meigs County bail contacts
- Booking
- Meigs County Sheriff's Office, 104 E. Second Street, Pomeroy, OH 45769; 740-992-3371
- Bond guide
- Meigs County jail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Meigs County Inmate Search
- County Court
- 100 E. Second Street, Room 304, Pomeroy, OH 45769; 740-992-2279
- Clerk of Courts
- 100 Second Street, Suite 303, Pomeroy, OH 45769; 740-992-5290
Fees, hours and phone lines can change, and a judge may order a different bond. Check with the Sheriff's Office or the court first. The content here is a general explanation and not legal advice for any case.
How do Bail Bonds work at Meigs County Jail
The Meigs County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County Jail, or the courthouse in Meigs County where the offense took place.
Call 740-992-3371 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Meigs County inmate locator.
Meigs County Jail
Address:
104 E. 2nd Street
Pomeroy, OH 45769
Phone:
740-992-3371
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Meigs County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Meigs County?
Who can set bail in Meigs County?
When is bail set in Meigs County Ohio?
Does Meigs County have bail?
Yes, Meigs County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Meigs County?
Bail in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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, Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County have bail?
Yes, Meigs County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Meigs County?
Bail in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County Ohio?
Yes, Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs County Jail for more information about posting bail in Meigs 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 Meigs 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 Meigs 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.