Williams County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Williams County bail and bond: arrests in Bryan, custody in Stryker
Williams County arrests end up at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio in Stryker, a regional jail that Williams shares with four other jurisdictions. Use Williams County Inmate Search to see if a person is in custody and what the bail is. The jail line is 419-428-3800. Bryan Municipal Court explains how to post bond.
Is there a jail in Bryan?
Williams County sends its adult prisoners to the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, 3151 County Road 2425, Stryker, OH 43557. Williams holds 55 of the beds there. Stryker is the place to look for anyone arrested by the Williams County Sheriff's Office, whose headquarters is at 1425 E. High Street, Suite 103, Bryan.
Who operates the Stryker facility?
The Corrections Commission of Northwest Ohio, formed in 1987, with Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas and Williams as members. Business lines at 419-428-3800 are staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and those calls are not forwarded to inmates.
What is the quickest way to learn whether he is in custody?
Use Williams County Inmate Search. It lists the booking and the court. The jail's own booking roster names the court on each case, and Bryan Municipal Court is among the courts listed, so that court name on a record is normal.
Where should I take bond money?
Pay the court that owns the case. For a misdemeanor or traffic arrest in Bryan, that is Bryan Municipal Court, 1399 E. High Street, Bryan, OH 43506, at 419-636-6939. A felony belongs to the Williams County Court of Common Pleas, and the Bryan Municipal clerk can point you to the right office. Ask the clerk what payment types are accepted before you go, and keep the receipt.
Do I call Stryker or the court first?
Call the court first, because the court sets and accepts the bond. After the bond is accepted, call 419-428-3800 during business hours to ask how long the Stryker release takes. A hold from another court can keep him inside even after bond is paid on this case.
What does Bryan Municipal Court hear?
Traffic cases, non-traffic misdemeanors, municipal ordinance violations, evictions, and civil claims of $15,000 or less.
Is there a printed bond amount for a misdemeanor?
Ohio law requires each court to keep a misdemeanor bail schedule whose only job is to allow release before the first appearance. Courts must review it by January 31 of even-numbered years (R.C. 2937.011(I)). A judge who sets the amount controls over the schedule. Ask the clerk for the figure for your charge.
Can the bond be paid by card?
Every Ohio county and municipal court must have a rule allowing bail by credit card (R.C. 2937.011(I)). Ask Bryan Municipal Court at 419-636-6939 how its rule works and whether a service fee applies.
Which forms of bond can a Williams County judge accept?
The person paying chooses from an unsecured bond, a ten percent deposit bond, a surety bond, real estate or securities, and a full cash deposit (R.C. 2937.011(C)). When the ten percent deposit is used, ninety percent comes back after the case if every condition was met.
How do I choose a bondsman?
The agent must carry an Ohio Department of Insurance license, charge the filed premium rate and disclose any expense fee (R.C. 3905.93). Beginners cannot execute bonds in their first 180 days (R.C. 3905.85). Ask for a copy of every paper you sign, and never agree to give up title to your home, which Ohio Adm.Code 3901-1-66 forbids an agent to require.
Can land or a home secure bond?
Yes. The owner swears to the property, the liens on it and other bonds already signed, and the court approves the bond only if the owner can cover its full amount (R.C. 2937.011(L)). Ask the court to explain the forms before you pay for a title search.
How quickly does a judge review the arrest?
Within two court days of the arrest the person must receive an initial bail hearing (R.C. 2937.011(J)). If he is still in jail with no lawyer, a second hearing follows two court days after that, and the state pays for appointed counsel if he is indigent.
May a judge refuse to set bail?
Only for a capital offense with strong proof, or a felony where the proof is evident or the presumption great and the person is a substantial risk of serious physical harm to anyone (Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9). A hearing is required, and the judge needs clear and convincing evidence that nothing short of jail will keep people safe (R.C. 2937.222).
What other conditions might come with release?
A judge may order contact limits, travel limits, treatment, monitoring or house arrest, along with or in place of money (R.C. 2937.011(D)). Statements made at a bail hearing cannot be used as evidence of guilt at trial (R.C. 2937.011(H)).
Where is the juvenile court?
The Williams County Juvenile Court is at 1 Courthouse Square, first floor, Bryan, OH 43506, at 419-636-2934. Williams County has its own juvenile detention center, and the court can tell a parent whether a child is there and when the detention hearing is.
What if the case is from Defiance or another member county?
Each member county keeps its own cases. If your relative was booked into Stryker on a case from Henry, Fulton or Defiance, bond is paid to the court that handles that case, not in Bryan.
What if he is a no-show for court?
A no-show lets the judge declare the bail forfeited and issue a warrant (R.C. 2937.011(K)). Surrendering the person before the date, or paying what is due after a default, discharges the depositor or surety (R.C. 2937.40).
Does a refund cover fines?
If someone else posted the bail, the court cannot use it for fines or costs without that person's express approval. If the defendant paid it and is not indigent, the court is allowed to apply it to fines and costs after a conviction or plea (R.C. 2937.40).
Does Stryker also hold federal prisoners?
Yes, under a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service. Look for federal inmates on the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
How do I avoid a payment scam?
Courts and clerks do not ask for gift cards, crypto or app transfers. Hang up on any caller who does and phone 419-428-3800 or 419-636-6939 to check.
Williams County bail contacts
- Jail
- Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, 3151 County Road 2425, Stryker, OH 43557; 419-428-3800
- Sheriff's Office
- 1425 E. High Street, Suite 103, Bryan, OH 43506
- Bond guide
- Williams County jails and bail instructions
- Custody lookup
- Williams County Inmate Search
- Municipal Court
- 1399 E. High Street, Bryan, OH 43506; 419-636-6939
- Juvenile Court
- 1 Courthouse Square, first floor, Bryan, OH 43506; 419-636-2934
- Federal
- Bureau of Prisons inmate locator
Bond amounts, hours and phone lines can change, and a judge can order something different. Contact Bryan Municipal Court or the Stryker jail before you send money. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Williams County Jail
The Williams County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams County Jail, or the courthouse in Williams County where the offense took place.
Call 419-428-3800 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Williams County inmate locator.
Williams County Jail
Address:
1425 E. High Street – East Annex
Bryan, OH 43506
Phone:
419-428-3800
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Williams County
Does Williams County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Williams County?
Who can set bail in Williams County?
When is bail set in Williams County Ohio?
Does Williams County have bail?
Yes, Williams County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Williams County?
Bail in Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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, Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams County have bail?
Yes, Williams County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Williams County?
Bail in Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams County Ohio?
Yes, Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams County Jail for more information about posting bail in Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams 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.