In recent years, both the Ohio Supreme Court and the state legislature have changed existing bail laws and passed new statutes to codify the bail process. The changes have been quick and consequential. Understandably, anyone facing jail time in the Buckeye State likely finds themselves asking, “How do bail bonds work in Ohio?”
Recent Bail Reform Laws in Ohio
In Ohio, the total bail amount is ultimately set by the presiding judge but is affected by each individual county’s local bail schedule. These schedules offer guidelines for total bail amounts based on the offense, setting separate amounts for specific offenses such as assault, murder, or hate crimes. These schedules, in addition to factors considered by the judge, determine the total bail amount. In recent years, what these factors can and cannot include have changed multiple times as the result of legal battles and legislation.
Following the passing of a statewide referendum in 2022, judges now have the ability to consider whether defendants are a “threat to the community” while deciding whether to set bail and determining the total bail amount. This referendum came as the direct result of a decision by the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio (DuBose v. McGuffey) in 2022, in which the bail for a defendant was deemed to be “excessive” and was lowered to fit the financial situation of the accused.
The high court’s ruling also limited the judges’ ability to set bail procedures through rule, and as a result, in 2023, the Ohio Legislature passed a bail reform law codifying the bail procedure which allowed for courts to set the rules for their own proceedings. The law also officially stated the factors a judge can consider while determining total bail amounts and whether a defendant is bail eligible to be “public safety, the person’s criminal record, the likelihood the person will return to court, and any other factor the Ohio General Assembly requires.”
Understanding the Bail Bonds Process in Ohio
So, how do bail bonds work in Ohio? Though the cash bail system has seen many changes in recent years, obtaining bail bonds in Ohio is still similar to the rest of the United States. If you or a loved one have been granted a total bail amount but cannot afford to pay it, you may choose to work with a local, reputable bail bondsman. An Ohio bail bondsman acts as a surety to secure your release from jail. Typically, a bail bondsman charges a non-refundable fee, often around 10% of the total bail amount. In exchange for this fee, the bail bond agent secures your release from jail while you await trial.
If you’ve been granted a total bail amount by an Ohio judge and are considering working with a bail bondsman, use our online bail bond fee calculator to help determine the non-refundable fee you’ll need to pay. We also offer an extensive database of bail bond companies in Ohio who are ready and eager to help you secure your release from jail today.