How Do I Get Bail?

The Ohio constitution provides that all persons charged with a non-capital offense are entitled to reasonable bail. What constitutes “reasonable” is a question for a court that will be determined in various stages of criminal proceedings. Bail in misdemeanor cases and lower level felonies, under some circumstance, may be set prior to a first court appearance. Generally, however, bail is set at an initial court appearance before a judge or a magistrate. If the matter is proceeding directly to the grand jury and there is no municipal arrest, then bond will be set at the time of the arraignment with input by the Cuyahoga County Bond Commissioner. The setting of a bail is an important stage of a criminal matter and an experienced criminal defense lawyer can make a difference at this crucial point.