Middletown Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Warren County bail and bond: paying at the Lebanon jail kiosk or a court clerk
People arrested in Warren County are held at the Warren County Correctional Facility, 822 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, run by the Sheriff's Office. Check Warren County Inmate Search first, then call booking at 513-695-1287 to ask whether bond can be posted on the charge. A kiosk in the jail lobby takes cash or a credit card for bond, and the Warren County Court clerk handles the paperwork.
1. How do I know if someone is in the Warren County jail?
Open Warren County Inmate Search and search the name. It shows who is in custody, and the booking record tells you where things stand.
If the search leaves a question, booking at the jail answers at 513-695-1287. Ask them to confirm whether bond may be posted on the charge and what the amount is.
2. Where in Lebanon is the jail?
The Warren County Correctional Facility is at 822 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036, inside the Criminal Justice Building. Sheriff Larry Sims's office operates it, and the Warren County Court sits in the same building.
Because the court and jail share an address, the first hearing for most county-court cases is a short trip from the cell block.
3. Can I pay bond right at the jail?
Yes. The jail lobby has a kiosk that accepts bond payments. It takes cash or a credit card.
Before you drive over, call booking at 513-695-1287 to be sure bond can be posted on that charge, since some holds cannot be bonded out.
4. What does the Mason Municipal Court do differently?
Mason Municipal Court, at 5950 Mason-Montgomery Road, Mason, OH 45040, takes bond at its clerk's office during regular business hours, and the clerk accepts cash only. The court answers at 513-398-7901.
If your person was charged in Mason, you can pay there in cash or use the jail kiosk with cash or a card.
5. Which kinds of bond does Warren County use?
Four kinds appear in the court's own instructions. A cash bond is the full amount the judge sets. A surety bond is posted by a professional bondsman. A 10 percent bond lets the defendant out by posting a tenth of the amount. An O.R. bond needs no money, just a written promise to return.
With the 10 percent type, the person who posts it still owes the full bond if the defendant skips court. Ohio law (R.C. 2937.011) also returns 90 percent of a 10 percent deposit when all conditions are met.
6. What is the $25 charge?
Yes. Every bond posted in Warren County carries a mandatory $25.00 state fee.
The jail kiosk and the court clerk both collect it with the bond. Keep your receipt and the bail notice form you receive, because you need them to claim a refund later.
7. Which cards and cash does the county court take?
For cash bonds, Warren County Court accepts cash and MasterCard or Visa.
Ohio courts must have a credit card rule for bail (R.C. 2937.011), so cards are a normal way to pay.
8. How do I find the bond amount for a charge?
The Warren County Court judges publish a bond schedule that sets an amount for most offenses, and the court links it as a PDF on its Posting Bond page. A judge can still set a different amount.
That schedule is used only to let someone go before the first hearing (R.C. 2937.011). To learn what applies to your person, call the County Court clerk at 513-695-1370 or booking at 513-695-1287.
9. How fast does a judge review the bond?
An initial bail hearing must take place by the second court day after arrest (R.C. 2937.011). If the person has no lawyer and stays in custody, the second hearing comes two court days later, with a lawyer appointed at state expense for someone who cannot pay.
A judge may raise, lower or remove the bond at either hearing.
10. Which court hears which charge?
Misdemeanors and traffic cases from most of the county go to the Warren County Court at 822 Memorial Drive. Cases from the Mason area go to Mason Municipal Court. Felonies are heard in the Common Pleas Court.
The Clerk of Courts, at 500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, is reached at 513-695-1120.
11. Does the court ever deny bail?
It can, but only in narrow cases. Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9 allows denial for a capital offense, or a felony where the proof is evident and the person poses a substantial risk of serious physical harm to anyone.
A judge decides after a hearing under R.C. 2937.222 and needs clear and convincing evidence that no release conditions would keep people safe.
12. What if my relative is a teenager?
Warren County's Juvenile Detention Center is at 900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036, and answers at 513-695-1392. The Juvenile Court is in the same complex and can be reached at 513-695-1160.
A parent should call the detention center first to confirm a child is there, then ask the court for the next hearing date.
13. Who represents a person who cannot afford a lawyer?
A person who cannot afford counsel may ask for a public lawyer at the first bail hearing, and the judge weighs the request.
A lawyer can argue for lower bail or release without money.
14. What happens if the defendant does not show up?
The judge may forfeit the bond, and a bond forfeiture hearing is scheduled. If a bondsman posted the bond, the hearing is set with the surety.
A deposit you made for another person cannot be applied to that person's fines or costs unless you approve (R.C. 2937.40).
15. How do I get my bond money back?
Bring the bond receipt and a driver's license or photo ID to the County Court clerk's office and complete the Request for Refund of Bond form. The court then issues a check.
At the end of the case you may instead apply the bond to the defendant's fines and costs. A Mason Municipal Court poster who makes no choice gets a refund check by mail, minus fees.
16. Can land or a house secure a bond?
Ohio law allows a bond secured by real estate or securities (R.C. 2937.011). The person who pledges the property signs an affidavit that describes it, lists the loans against it and names any other bonds the person has backed. The court will approve it only if the pledger can cover at least the full bond amount.
Lawyers are barred from acting as sureties. For the filing steps in Warren County, ask the County Court clerk at 513-695-1370.
17. Will a federal arrest show on the Warren County search?
Federal prisoners do not appear in county jail records. Use the Bureau of Prisons locator at bop.gov inmate locator to find one.
If the arrest was made by local police on a state charge, Warren County Inmate Search is the right tool.
18. What do fake bond calls sound like?
Callers claiming to be clerks sometimes ask for gift cards, crypto or a payment to a private person. The jail and court do not.
Pay only at the jail kiosk, a court clerk or through a licensed bondsman, and hang up on anyone who rushes you. Booking at 513-695-1287 can confirm a request.
Warren County bail contacts
- Jail
- Warren County Correctional Facility, 822 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036; booking 513-695-1287
- Bond guide
- Warren County bail and bond instructions
- Custody lookup
- Warren County Inmate Search
- County Court
- Criminal Justice Building, 822 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036; 513-695-1370
- Mason Municipal Court
- 5950 Mason-Montgomery Road, Mason, OH 45040; 513-398-7901
- Clerk of Courts
- 500 Justice Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036; 513-695-1120
- Juvenile
- Juvenile Detention Center, 900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, OH 45036; 513-695-1392; Juvenile Court 513-695-1160
Fees, hours and phone lines can change, and a judge may order a different amount. Ask the jail or the clerk before you pay. General information is all this page offers, and it is not legal advice.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Warren County
The Warren County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Middletown Jail, or the courthouse in Warren County where the offense took place.
Call 513-425-7700 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Warren County inmate locator.
Middletown Jail
Address:
1 Donham Plaza
Middletown, OH 45042
Phone:
513-425-7700
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Warren County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Warren County?
Who can set bail in Warren County?
When is bail set in Warren County Ohio?
Does Warren County have bail?
Yes, Warren County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Warren County?
Bail in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Middletown 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, Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County have bail?
Yes, Warren County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Warren County?
Bail in Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County Ohio?
Yes, Warren 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 Warren 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 Middletown Jail for more information about posting bail in Warren 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 Warren 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 Middletown 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.