Fayette County Court of Common Pleas Bail Bonds & Bond Information

After arraignment at Fayette County Court of Common Pleas

In Fayette County, Ohio, the initial arraignment and first bond determination for most arrests occur in the Washington Court House Municipal Court, 119 N Main Street (740-636-2350), which has jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal and traffic offenses committed in Fayette County and holds arraignments on Wednesdays at 9:30 A.M. For felony charges, the defendant first appears in the Municipal Court, which sets an initial bond; the case then proceeds either by preliminary hearing or by grand jury indictment and is bound over to the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas, the trial court of general jurisdiction created by the Ohio Constitution, located at 110 E Court Street. A Common Pleas judge handles felony arraignment, can review and modify the bond, and sets conditions of pretrial release. In setting bond, the judge weighs the seriousness of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, ties to the community, and risk of flight, and may order recognizance release, a cash bond, a 10% deposit bond, or a surety bond posted by a licensed bail bondsman.