Richland County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Richland County bail and bond: the Mansfield jail and the courts that take bond
Adults arrested in Richland County are held at the Richland County Jail, 73 East Second Street, Mansfield, OH 44902. Most people in the building are waiting for trial. Look the person up on Richland County Inmate Search to see if they are booked and what bond is on file. The jail's main number is 419-774-5678.
Bond for a misdemeanor goes to Mansfield Municipal Court or Shelby Municipal Court, depending on where the charge arose. Felony bond goes through the Common Pleas clerk at the County Administration Building.
1. Is my brother being held in Mansfield?
Type his name into Richland County Inmate Search. Fresh bookings can take a short while to appear. If the search shows nothing, call the jail at 419-774-5678. Administration is staffed Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; for emergencies dial 911.
Mansfield police, Shelby police, village departments and deputies all take adults to the jail on East Second Street.
2. What can I do at the jail lobby?
The deposit lobby is open Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and is closed to the public on weekends. A kiosk takes credit cards, and online deposits are possible. Personal checks and money orders are refused. These deposits go on an inmate's account for phone time and store items. They are not bail and do not release anyone.
3. Then where do I pay bond?
Pay it to the court that holds the case. For a misdemeanor, that is Mansfield Municipal Court, 30 North Diamond Street, Mansfield, or Shelby Municipal Court, 29 Mack Avenue, Shelby, phone 419-342-2896. For a felony, it is the Clerk of Courts at the County Administration Building, 50 Park Avenue East, Mansfield, phone 419-774-5549. Ask the clerk for hours and payment types before you drive.
4. How do I know whether the Mansfield or Shelby court has the case?
The ticket or complaint names the court. Charges from the city of Mansfield go to Mansfield Municipal Court, and charges from the Shelby area go to Shelby Municipal Court. When you cannot tell, ask the arresting agency or the jail at 419-774-5678, then confirm with the court clerk.
5. Does a fixed price list decide the bond?
Only for a person who is released before the first appearance. Ohio requires each court to keep a misdemeanor bail schedule for that purpose and to review it every two years (R.C. 2937.011(I)). After a judge sees the case, the judge's order controls. A felony amount is always set by a judge or magistrate (R.C. 2937.23).
6. When does a judge first see the case?
Within two court days of the arrest, a bail hearing has to be held (R.C. 2937.011(J)). A person who is held with no lawyer gets another hearing two court days after that, and a lawyer paid by the state if the person cannot afford one. Court days skip weekends and holidays.
7. Which bond forms can a defendant offer?
An unsecured bond, a bond with a ten percent cash deposit, a surety bond, a bond backed by real estate or securities, or a full cash deposit (R.C. 2937.011(C)). The judge picks the amount, and the defendant picks among the forms. Judges are told to use the least restrictive terms that still protect the public and secure the defendant's return.
8. What do I get back from a ten percent deposit?
The court returns 90 percent after every condition is met. State fees are separate. If you paid for another person, the court cannot apply your deposit to that person's fines or costs without your approval (R.C. 2937.40).
9. What are the rules for bondsmen?
An Ohio bail agent needs a Department of Insurance license, must charge the premium the company filed with the state and must tell you about any expense fee (R.C. 3905.93). Agents cannot demand a deed as a condition and cannot solicit at the jail or the courts. Get the contract in writing and keep the receipt.
10. Can a family use a house for bond?
It can be done. The owner swears to the property, what is owed on it and other bonds already signed, and the court must see enough value to cover the whole amount (R.C. 2937.011(L)). Surety status is closed to attorneys. Ask the clerk of the court with the case about its steps, since each court sets its own forms.
11. When is a person held with no bail?
Only if the charge is capital with strong proof, or a felony with strong proof and a substantial risk of serious physical harm to someone (Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9). The judge holds a hearing and must find each point by clear and convincing evidence (R.C. 2937.222).
12. Where is the juvenile detention facility?
The Richland County Juvenile Detention Facility is at 411 South Diamond Street, Mansfield, OH 44902. It has 25 beds and serves Richland and several nearby counties for youth who may be a risk to the community or themselves. The Juvenile Court is in the same building, phone 419-774-5670. Minors do not appear on the adult search.
13. Who is the free lawyer for people with low income?
Ask the judge for an appointed lawyer at the first hearing, and explain that your family cannot hire one. The lawyer can ask for lower bond, release without money, or conditions like regular check-ins. The Clerk of Courts at 419-774-5549 can point you to the court that handles the request.
14. What if a village police officer made the arrest?
Village departments in places like Bellville, Lexington and Ontario book adults into the county jail on East Second Street. Ask the village department for the report number, then check Richland County Inmate Search.
15. What happens if she misses court after release?
If she misses a hearing, the court can order the bail forfeited and sign a warrant (R.C. 2937.011(K)). A surety or depositor is relieved by delivering the defendant back before the date or by paying after default (R.C. 2937.40). Reach the defense lawyer first.
16. How can I spot a scam call?
The jail and the courts do not take bond by gift card, crypto or app transfer to an individual. If someone rushes you, hang up and call 419-774-5678.
Richland County bail contacts
- Jail
- Richland County Jail, 73 East Second Street, Mansfield, OH 44902; 419-774-5678
- Jail lobby
- Deposit lobby Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; administration Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Bail guide
- Richland County bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Richland County Inmate Search
- Mansfield Municipal Court
- 30 North Diamond Street, Mansfield, OH
- Shelby Municipal Court
- 29 Mack Avenue, Shelby, OH 44875; 419-342-2896
- Common Pleas clerk
- County Administration Building, 50 Park Avenue East, Mansfield, OH 44902; 419-774-5549
- Juvenile detention
- 411 South Diamond Street, Mansfield, OH 44902; Juvenile Court 419-774-5670
Jail hours, court hours and payment rules in Richland County can change, and a judge may set a bond that differs from any guide. Check with the clerk before you pay. For advice on a specific case, speak with a lawyer.
How do Bail Bonds work at Richland County Jail
The Richland County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland County Jail, or the courthouse in Richland County where the offense took place.
Call 419-774-7864 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Richland County inmate locator.
Richland County Jail
Address:
73 East 2nd Street
Mansfield, OH 44902
Phone:
419-774-7864
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Richland County
Does Richland County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Richland County?
Who can set bail in Richland County?
When is bail set in Richland County Ohio?
Does Richland County have bail?
Yes, Richland County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Richland County?
Bail in Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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, Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland County have bail?
Yes, Richland County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Richland County?
Bail in Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland County Ohio?
Yes, Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland County Jail for more information about posting bail in Richland 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 Richland 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 Richland 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.