Felony Bail Bonds in Licking County

Ohio felony degrees

Ohio ranks felonies from first degree, the most serious, to fifth degree. The degree appears next to each charge on the Licking County listing as F1 through F5. Here is how the degrees look with charges that appear on that listing.

Some offenses, such as murder, sit outside the five degrees. Others, such as theft or drug possession, change degree with the value or amount involved. The charging document controls, so read the level printed on the entry.

From arrest to the Court of Common Pleas

Every felony prosecution in this county ends up before the General Division of Common Pleas, housed in the old courthouse on the Newark square (county court page). A typical case passes these points, and the listing records most of them in its dispositions:

1. Arrest and booking. The entry shows "FIELD ARREST" or "WARRANT" with a docket number containing "CR."
2. First bond decision. A blank amount may carry the note "AWAIT CPC 1ST BOND HEARING." Division (J)(1) of R.C. 2937.011 puts that hearing within two court days for a defendant who is still locked up, and division (J)(2) adds a second hearing two court days later, with a court-appointed lawyer, for anyone who went without counsel and cannot pay for one.
3. Waiting for indictment. "AWAIT CPC INDICTMENT" means a grand jury has not yet returned charges.
4. Indictment and arraignment. "INDICTMENT SERVED" and "N/G PLEA" show the formal charges and a not guilty plea. Charges can be added or dropped here.
5. Bond review. Either side can ask the judge to change the amount or conditions. The listing shows results such as "BOND MODIFICATION DENIED."

Our Common Pleas arraignment guide explains steps 3 to 5 in more detail.

Detention hearings on the most serious charges

For first- and second-degree felonies, murder, and a few other charges, Ohio lets the prosecutor or the judge ask for a hearing to deny bail entirely (R.C. 2937.222). The state has to prove its case for detention by clear and convincing evidence, and the person stays in custody until the hearing ends. Continuances are short by law. If the judge denies bail, there is nothing to post until that order changes.

How the amount is set and changed

Judges must use the least restrictive conditions that will bring the person back to court and protect the public, and any money bond has to relate to those goals (R.C. 2937.011, divisions (A) and (B)). In setting the amount they look at the charge, whether a weapon was involved, the evidence, the person's record and history of showing up to court, family and work ties, and whether they were already on probation, parole or bail.

Bond can change during the case. A judge can raise it, lower it or change its conditions after a hearing, and the original conditions continue until a verdict or plea unless changed (division (G)). If you hope to post a lower amount after a modification hearing, wait for the new order to appear before you pay.

Larger bonds, collateral and holders

Felony bonds on the Licking County listing run from a few thousand dollars into seven figures. On a large bond, expect a longer conversation about security and who is signing; the premium, any expense fee, any security we ask for and how payment works are all set out in writing before a felony bond is signed.

Check below the charges for holders before anyone pays. A "HOLDER WARRANT" from another county or state, an "APA HOLDER" for parole, or a probation holder can keep the person in the Justice Center after the felony bond is posted. Some entries also show "CAPIAS (CPC)," which appears to be a Common Pleas warrant that brought the person back in. For holder questions the listing does not answer, phone the sheriff's Jail Division, (740) 670-5501.

On a felony, the premium is computed from the state-approved rate we have on file, applied to the bond the judge set, and any expense fee is named in writing up front as R.C. 3905.93 requires. Our fees page compares it with a court deposit.

Conditions that often come with felony release

Felony release orders commonly include no contact with named people, travel limits, reporting to pretrial supervision, electronic monitoring, or an assessment and treatment where alcohol or drugs played a part (R.C. 2937.011, division (D)). Read every line of the bond paperwork, since breaking a condition can lead to revocation, which the listing shows as "BOND REVOKED."

Because felony cases can run for months, the indemnitor's promise that the defendant will appear lasts a long time; see an indemnitor's obligations before signing. The documents created along the way, from the complaint to the exoneration, are listed in our felony-to-release paperwork walkthrough.