Pickaway County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Pickaway County bail and bond: the Island Road jail and the Circleville clerk
The Pickaway County Jail is at 600 Island Road, Circleville, OH 43113, and the jail desk answers at 740-477-6156. The Sheriff's Office shares the address, with an office line of 740-477-6000. Start with the Pickaway County Inmate Search to see whether a person is inside. The Pickaway County Clerk of Courts, at 207 South Court Street, collects court costs, bonds, liens, and forfeitures, so the clerk is where bond questions go after the judge sets the amount.
Where in Pickaway County are arrested adults held?
At the county jail on Island Road in Circleville. The Sheriff's Office is run by Sheriff Robert B. Radcliff from the same property. The jail has a toll-free line, 1-800-472-5254, for callers outside the local calling area.
Use the Pickaway County Inmate Search before dialing. It saves a call, and it shows a booking sooner than a person on the phone can.
Which number should I call for what?
For the jail, call 740-477-6156. For the Sheriff's Office, call 740-477-6000, or the toll-free line 1-800-472-6033. For payment of a bond or any court costs, call the Clerk of Courts at 740-474-5231.
In an emergency, call 9-1-1, not these numbers.
Where do I pay a bond in Circleville?
The Clerk of Courts at 207 South Court Street collects bond money, along with court costs and forfeitures. Phone 740-474-5231 to learn the amount, the case number, and which forms of payment the office takes before you travel.
If the case sits in the Circleville Municipal Court, ask the clerk whether that court wants the payment at its own counter instead.
What does a first appearance involve?
Ohio law calls for the first bail hearing by the second court day after arrest. A person arrested on a Friday may wait until Tuesday.
If the person is unrepresented and still held after that hearing, a second hearing is due two court days later, and the court provides a lawyer at state cost to someone who cannot pay.
What are the ways a bond can be posted?
The judge sets the amount; Ohio law then lets the person pick among five forms. These are an unsecured bond, a 10 percent cash deposit, a surety bond, a bond backed by real estate or securities, and a full cash deposit.
A judge must favor the least costly form that still secures the person's return.
What happens to a 10 percent deposit afterward?
Ninety percent comes back once the person has met all conditions.
If you posted for a loved one, the court needs your approval before it uses your deposit on their costs. If the defendant posted their own deposit, the court may apply it to fines and costs after a conviction, unless they are indigent.
How do I find a reliable bail agent?
Ask for the agent's Ohio license and call the Department of Insurance at 1-614-644-2665 to confirm the filed rate. The agent may charge only that rate, and any extra expense fee must be disclosed to you.
Pickaway County families should expect an agent not to demand a deed or title as a condition of posting, and not to approach them uninvited in the jail lobby or the courthouse.
Can I pledge land or a home?
Yes, Ohio law allows real estate or securities. The owner signs a sworn statement that describes the property, any loans on it, and any other bonds the owner stands behind. The court must be satisfied that the owner can cover the whole bond. An attorney cannot serve as surety.
Call 740-474-5231 to ask what the clerk requires and where the papers are filed.
How is the amount of bail chosen?
For a felony, a judge or magistrate sets it. The judge looks at the seriousness of the charge, the person's record, the chance they will return, and public safety. In a misdemeanor, the court keeps a schedule that allows release before the first appearance, and the judge can set a different amount later.
The booking record shows the amount once it is set.
Why does Pickaway show no bond amount for my relative?
The amount may not have been set yet. A hold from another county, a probation hold, or a federal detainer can also be the reason. Real denial of bail is limited by Ohio's Constitution to capital cases and to felonies where the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm, and the state has to prove it at a hearing.
Ask the clerk to confirm which reason applies.
Does Pickaway County have a public defender?
Pickaway County contracts with the Ohio Public Defender for defense in trial cases. Ask the judge at the first hearing for a court-appointed lawyer if you cannot afford one.
The Clerk of Courts at 740-474-5231 can tell you the next court date.
Can the bail be lowered later?
Yes. A judge may change conditions at any time. A hearing must be held promptly if the sides disagree.
A lawyer can bring proof of a job, a home, and family nearby. Ohio law also lets a judge choose release on a signature, limits on travel, electronic monitoring, or treatment in place of money.
Where is a Pickaway County teenager held after an arrest?
Juvenile cases are private. The adult search will not show a young person. Call the Clerk of Courts at 740-474-5231 to learn which court has the case and when a detention hearing is set.
Ask the court for the name of the facility that is holding the young person.
What does a skipped Circleville hearing do to the bond?
The judge can issue a warrant and forfeit the bond, and a separate charge is possible. Whoever posted the bond can end their risk by returning the person before the date.
Call the clerk right away.
Do jail account deposits on Island Road count as bail?
No. It pays for calls and the commissary only. Bail goes to the Clerk of Courts or a licensed agent.
Keep receipts.
How do I keep from paying a fake Pickaway bondsman?
No court employee or deputy will ask for gift cards, wires, or app payments. Hang up on anyone who does, and call 740-477-6156 or 740-474-5231 yourself.
Never send money to a stranger's account.
Key contacts for Pickaway County bond questions
- Jail
- Pickaway County Jail, 600 Island Road, Circleville, OH 43113; 740-477-6156; toll-free 1-800-472-5254
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Sheriff's Office
- 600 Island Road, Circleville, OH 43113; 740-477-6000; toll-free 1-800-472-6033
- Clerk of Courts
- 207 South Court Street, Circleville, OH 43113; 740-474-5231
- Custody lookup
- Pickaway County Inmate Search
- Insurance agents
- Ohio Department of Insurance, 1-614-644-2665
Amounts and payment steps are set case by case. Verify them with the Clerk of Courts before you pay. This page does not give legal advice.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Pickaway County
The Pickaway County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway County Jail, or the courthouse in Pickaway County where the offense took place.
Call 740-477-6156 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Pickaway County inmate locator.
Pickaway County Jail
Address:
600 Island Road
Circleville, OH 43113
Phone:
740-477-6156
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Pickaway County
Does Pickaway County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pickaway County?
Who can set bail in Pickaway County?
When is bail set in Pickaway County Ohio?
Does Pickaway County have bail?
Yes, Pickaway County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pickaway County?
Bail in Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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, Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway County have bail?
Yes, Pickaway County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Pickaway County?
Bail in Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway County Ohio?
Yes, Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway County Jail for more information about posting bail in Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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 Pickaway 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.
All bonds required herein shall be cash or surety. Ten percent bonds are not acceptable unless real estate is pledged to insure the principal amount owing or bond. The clerk must approve any 10% bonds.
Arresting or confining authority, require a higher bond than is comprehended by this “Bond Schedule”, it is necessary that permission be obtained from the Judge of Circleville Municipal Court and/or the Judge of Common Pleas Court in Pickaway County Ohio.
Felony Bonds
Capital Offense – Murder
$1,000,000.00
First Degree
$50,000.00
Second Degree
$25,000.00
Third Degree
$15,000.00
Fourth Degree
$5,000.00
Fifth Degree
$2,500.00
Misdemeanor Bonds
First Degree
$1,500.00
Second Degree
$750.00
Third Degree
$500.00
Fourth Degree
$250.00
Minor Misdemeanor
$100.00
Bond Fine Schedule for Alcohol Related Driving Offenses
Driving Under The Influence – O.R.C. 4511.19:
First Offense
$2,000.00
Second Offense Within 6 Years
$5,000.00
Third Offense Within 6 Years
$10,000.00
For Test Refusals – O.R.C. 4511.19 – To The Above Noted Bonds Add The Following
Second Offense Within 6 Years
$2,000.00
Second Offense Within 6 Years
$5,000.00
Second Offense Within 6 Years
$10,000.00