Ross County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Ross County bail and bond: paying at the Clerk of Courts in Chillicothe
Adults arrested in Ross County are held at the Ross County Jail, 28 N. Paint Street, Chillicothe. Use Ross County Inmate Search to see if a person is in custody and what the bond is. Bond is paid at the Clerk of Courts, Suite B at 2 N. Paint Street, on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and after hours through the jail at 740-773-1187. Learn how bail works below.
1. Is my family member in the Ross County Jail?
Search the name on Ross County Inmate Search. It shows who is booked into the Ross County Jail on North Paint Street in Chillicothe. If a new arrest has not posted yet, check again later in the day. The jail answers questions the search cannot, at 740-773-1187.
The Ross County Sheriff's Office runs the jail.
2. Where do I pay bond in Ross County?
Go to the Clerk of Courts office at 2 N. Paint Street, Suite B, Chillicothe, OH 45601. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The clerk's phone is 740-702-3010.
After those hours, call the jail at 740-773-1187 and ask how to post. Property bonds are taken only during regular business hours.
3. Is there a fee on top of the bond?
Yes. Anyone who deposits bond with the Clerk pays an $85.00 fee. The clerk does not refund that fee if the defendant is found guilty. Plan for it when you count out the money you need to bring.
4. What kinds of bond does the Clerk take?
The clerk offers five forms: own recognizance, property, cash, ten percent and insurance. Own recognizance means the defendant signs a promise to return and pays nothing. A cash bond is paid in cash or by cashier's check. A ten percent bond takes ten percent of the court's number in cash.
An insurance bond is written by a bail agent. Ohio law lets the person choose among these forms in the amount the court sets (R.C. 2937.011(C)).
5. How much of my money comes back?
On a cash bond the clerk mails the full amount back after the case ends. On a ten percent bond, 90 percent returns once final judgment is entered and every bond condition was met, which follows R.C. 2937.011(C). The $85.00 fee is separate.
When someone other than the defendant puts up the money, the court cannot apply it to the defendant's fines and costs without that person's approval (R.C. 2937.40).
6. Can a house or land secure the bond?
Yes, but Ross County sets strict steps. The property must be in Ross County. Every owner must be present to sign. The property must have no liens or judgments, and its value after other debts must be at least twice the bond. Bring a notarized affidavit from an attorney, a copy of the deed from the Ross County Recorder and the latest tax statement from the Ross County Treasurer.
The clerk files a lien with the Recorder right away. The lien is released after final judgment. If the defendant misses any court date, the property can be forfeited.
7. How does a bail agent work in Ross County?
A bond from an agent must come from someone certified by the Ohio Department of Insurance and registered with the Ross County Clerk of Courts. Ask to see the license card. State rules bar agents from soliciting at courthouses and jails, and from demanding the title to your property as a condition of the bond.
The agent charges the premium rate filed with the state and must tell you any expense fee. The premium is the agent's pay and is not returned.
8. When does a judge first see the person?
Ohio law (R.C. 2937.011(J)) requires an initial bail hearing no later than the second court day after arrest. A person still held and without a lawyer gets a second hearing two court days after that, with a lawyer appointed at state cost if they cannot pay.
Someone arrested on a Friday afternoon may not see a judge until Tuesday, because weekends are not court days.
9. Which Ross County courts decide bail?
Misdemeanors and city ordinance cases are heard in Chillicothe Municipal Court. Felonies go to the Ross County Court of Common Pleas. The Clerk of Courts at 2 N. Paint Street handles the common pleas file.
Ask at the clerk's counter, 740-702-3010, which court holds the case before you bring money. Posting in the wrong court wastes a trip.
10. What if the court set no bond at all?
Ohio can hold a person without bail in two situations. One is a capital charge where the proof is evident or the presumption great. The other is a felony where the proof is evident or the presumption great and the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm to anyone (Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9).
Before denying bail on the listed serious felonies, the judge must hold a hearing and find all of it by clear and convincing evidence (R.C. 2937.222). The defense lawyer can argue against it at that hearing.
11. Does a bond schedule decide the amount?
For misdemeanors, Ohio law requires each court to keep a schedule so a person can be released before the first appearance (R.C. 2937.011(I)). Once a judge sets the bond, the judge's figure controls. Felony bonds are always set by a judge or magistrate (R.C. 2937.23).
The Clerk of Courts at 740-702-3010 can tell you the amount in a specific case.
12. Can a public defender help us?
The Ohio Public Defender runs a Ross County trial office at 14 S. Paint Street, Suite 54, Chillicothe, OH 45601, phone 740-772-4772. Ask the judge at the first hearing for appointed counsel if you cannot afford a lawyer. A lawyer can ask the judge to lower the bond or change the conditions.
13. Where do Ross County teenagers go if they are held?
The Ross County Juvenile Court is at 2 N. Paint Street, Suite A, Chillicothe, OH 45601, phone 740-774-1177. Ross County is home to a multi-county juvenile detention center that holds youth awaiting court. The juvenile court tells families where a child is and when the hearing is.
Juvenile cases do not appear on the adult search.
14. What if the person is in federal custody?
Federal inmates are not in the county jail system. Look the person up on the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. A state prison inmate is on the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records, not on the county search.
15. What happens if the defendant misses court?
The judge issues a bench warrant and can order the bond forfeited (R.C. 2937.011(K)). A surety or the person who deposited cash can end the problem by bringing the defendant back to court before the case defaults, which discharges the bail (R.C. 2937.40). Call the defense lawyer and the clerk that day.
16. How do I avoid scams?
Pay only at the Clerk of Courts counter or through the jail by the numbers on this page. Ross County does not need gift cards or app payments. A caller who rushes you is not the court. Hang up and dial 740-773-1187.
Ross County bail contacts
- Jail
- Ross County Jail, 28 N. Paint St., Chillicothe, OH 45601; 740-773-1187
- Bond office
- Clerk of Courts, 2 N. Paint St., Suite B, Chillicothe, OH 45601; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 740-702-3010
- Bail
- Ross County bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Ross County Inmate Search
- Public defender
- Ohio Public Defender, Ross office, 14 S. Paint St., Suite 54, Chillicothe; 740-772-4772
- Juvenile court
- 2 N. Paint St., Suite A, Chillicothe; 740-774-1177
- Federal
- Bureau of Prisons inmate locator
Fees, hours and requirements can change, and the judge may change a bond at any time. Confirm with the Clerk before you bring money. This page is general help, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Ross County Jail
The Ross County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross County Jail, or the courthouse in Ross County where the offense took place.
Call 740-773-1187 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Ross County inmate locator.
Ross County Jail
Address:
28 North Paint Street
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone:
740-773-1187
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Ross County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Ross County?
Who can set bail in Ross County?
When is bail set in Ross County Ohio?
Does Ross County have bail?
Yes, Ross County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Ross County?
Bail in Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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, Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross County have bail?
Yes, Ross County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Ross County?
Bail in Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross County Ohio?
Yes, Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross County Jail for more information about posting bail in Ross 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 Ross 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 Ross 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.