Licking County Court of Common Pleas Bail Bonds & Bond Information

After arraignment at Licking County Court of Common Pleas

In Licking County, the initial arraignment and bond setting for a person facing felony charges typically occurs first in the Licking County Municipal Court (40 West Main Street, Newark), which handles initial appearances and sets bond, while hearing misdemeanor cases from beginning to end. The Licking County Court of Common Pleas (1 Courthouse Square, Newark) is a trial court of general jurisdiction with jurisdiction over all felony criminal cases. A felony case is bound over to Common Pleas after a preliminary hearing or upon indictment by the grand jury. At arraignment, the judge advises the defendant of the charges and sets bail amount and conditions of release; in setting bond the court weighs factors such as the seriousness of the offense, the defendant's ties to the community, and the risk of flight. Release may be on own recognizance, cash, surety (bail bond), or deposit bond, and may include non-monetary conditions such as no-contact orders or GPS monitoring. Once in Common Pleas, the defendant is formally arraigned on the indictment, where bond may be continued, modified, or newly set. The Clerk of Courts (740-670-5791) maintains the criminal case records and dockets for the Common Pleas Court.