Chapter 2713 | Arrest And Bail

Section 2713.01 | Arrest.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

In a civil action, a defendant can be arrested before judgment only in the manner prescribed by sections 2713.01 to 2713.29, inclusive, of the Revised Code. This section does not apply to proceedings for contempt, nor to actions prosecuted or judgments obtained in the name of the state to recover fines or penalties.

Section 2713.02 | Order of arrest.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

An order for the arrest of the defendant shall be made by the clerk of the court in which the action is brought, when there is filed in his office an affidavit of the plaintiff, his authorized agent or attorney, made before a judge or clerk of any court of the state, stating the nature of the plaintiff's claim, that it is just, the amount of it as nearly as may be, and establishing one or more of the following particulars:

(A) That the defendant has removed, or begun to remove, any of his property out of the jurisdiction of the court with intent to defraud his creditors;

(B) That he has begun to convert his property, or a part thereof, into money for the purpose of placing it beyond the reach of his creditors;

(C) That he has property, or rights of action, which he fraudulently conceals;

(D) That he has assigned, removed, disposed of, or begun to dispose of his property, or a part of it, with intent to defraud his creditors;

(E) That he fraudulently contracted the debt or incurred the obligation for which suit is about to be or has been brought;

(F) That the money, or other valuable thing, for which a recovery is sought in the action, was lost by playing at any game or by means of a bet or wager.

The affidavit also must contain a statement of the facts claimed to justify the belief in the existence of one or more of such particulars.

Section 2713.03 | Bond.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The order of arrest provided for by section 2713.02 of the Revised Code shall not be issued by the clerk of the court until there is executed, by sufficient sureties of the plaintiff, a bond to the effect that the plaintiff will pay to the defendant all damages, not exceeding double the amount of the plaintiff's claim stated in the affidavit, which he may sustain by reason of the arrest if the order proves to have been wrongfully obtained.

Section 2713.04 | Time for issuance of order of arrest.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The order of arrest provided for by section 2713.02 of the Revised Code may be made to accompany the summons or at any time afterward before judgment.

Section 2713.05 | Contents of order of arrest.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

With a copy of the affidavit, the order of arrest provided for by section 2713.02 of the Revised Code shall be addressed and delivered to the sheriff, and must specify the names of the parties, the court in which the action is brought, the amount of the plaintiff's claim stated in the affidavit, and require the sheriff to arrest the defendant, hold him in bail in double that sum, and to make return thereof on a day to be named therein, with the bond of the bail, if any is given.

Section 2713.06 | Return day of order of arrest.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The return day of the order of arrest provided for by section 2713.02 of the Revised Code, when it is issued at the commencement of a suit, shall be the same as that of the summons. When issued afterward, it shall be fifteen days after its date.

Section 2713.07 | Execution of order of arrest.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The sheriff shall execute the order of arrest mentioned in section 2713.02 of the Revised Code by arresting the defendant, and delivering to him a copy thereof and of the affidavit. If the defendant cannot be found before the return day, the plaintiff may have further orders without other affidavits or bond until the defendant is arrested. An order of arrest shall not be issued to any other than the county in which the action is brought.

Section 2713.08 | Custody of the defendant.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The defendant, when arrested pursuant to section 2713.07 of the Revised Code, must be committed to the jail of the county and kept in custody until discharged by law.

Section 2713.09 | Defendant may deposit money.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Before or after giving bail, the defendant may deposit with the sheriff, or in court, the amount specified in the order of arrest issued pursuant to section 2713.02 of the Revised Code; whereupon the defendant must be discharged, or his bail be released.

Section 2713.10 | Money to be paid into court.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The sheriff shall pay into court the money received by him in lieu of bail under section 2713.09 of the Revised Code. If it is received in vacation, he shall pay it on the first day of the next term; if received during the term, immediately.

Section 2713.11 | Control of money.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The court shall make proper orders for the safekeeping of money deposited in lieu of bail under section 2713.09 of the Revised Code, and may direct the sheriff to keep it, and after final judgment in the action shall order it to be paid to the party entitled to it according to the result.

Section 2713.12 | Sheriff and sureties liable for money.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Money deposited with the sheriff as provided in section 2713.09 of the Revised code, or directed by the court to be kept by him, shall be held upon his official responsibility; and he and his sureties shall be liable, and may be proceeded against, for any default in relation thereto as in other cases of delinquency.

Section 2713.13 | Bail may be given before judgment.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Bail may be given by the defendant on his arrest under section 2713.07 of the Revised Code, or afterward, before judgment. It shall be done by causing sufficient bail to execute a bond to the plaintiff, in the presence of the sheriff, to the effect that, if judgment is rendered in the action against the defendant, such bail will be amenable to the process of the court thereon. The bond, when accepted, shall be returned to the clerk's office, and the defendant shall be discharged.

Section 2713.14 | Plaintiff may object to bail.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The plaintiff, or his attorney, may object to the bail provided under section 2713.13 of the Revised Code, for insufficiency, within ten days after the bond is given, by serving upon the sheriff a written notice that he does not accept the bail. Failure to serve such notice shall be deemed an acceptance of the bail, and the sheriff is exonerated from liability. When the bond is given after the return of the order of arrest, the plaintiff shall have notice thereof.

Section 2713.15 | Notice of justification.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

Within ten days after receipt of the notice provided for by section 2713.14 of the Revised Code, the sheriff or the defendant may give to the plaintiff, or his attorney, notice in writing of the justification of the same or other bail before a judge or clerk of the court in which the action is brought, a probate judge, or judge of a county court, at a time, not less than five nor more than ten days thereafter, and a place to be specified therein. If other bail is given, a new bond must be executed.

Section 2713.16 | Manner of justification.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

For the purpose of justification, each of the bail must attend before the proper officer, at the time and place mentioned in the notice of justification provided for by section 2713.15 of the Revised Code, and may be examined on oath touching his sufficiency, in such manner as the officer deems proper.

If the officer finds the bail sufficient, he shall indorse his allowance on the bond and file it with the clerk of the court; and the sheriff thereupon shall be discharged from liability.

Section 2713.17 | Sheriff liable as bail - discharge.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

After the arrest of the defendant pursuant to section 2713.07 of the Revised Code, if he escapes or is rescued, or bail is not taken or is adjudged insufficient, or a deposit is not made, the sheriff shall be liable as bail; but he may discharge himself from liability by putting in sufficient bail before judgment.

Section 2713.18 | Extent of sheriff's liability.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The return of "not found" upon an execution against the body of the defendant is necessary to fix the liability of the sheriff as bail, which liability shall be the amount of the judgment, interest, and costs. This liability can be enforced only in a separate action against the sheriff, or against him and his sureties on his official bond, as in other cases of delinquency.

Section 2713.19 | Insufficient bail liable to sheriff.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The bail adjudged insufficient by an officer mentioned in section 2713.15 of the Revised Code shall be liable to the sheriff for the damages he sustains by reason of such insufficiency.

Section 2713.20 | Liability of bail.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The liability of the bail shall be fixed in the manner provided by law for fixing the liability of the sheriff as bail. The bail can be proceeded against in an action only.

Section 2713.21 | Surrender of defendant discharges bail.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

A surrender of a defendant to the sheriff of the county in which he was arrested, with a delivery of a certified copy of the bond of the bail, whether such surrender is made by the defendant himself or by his bail, discharges the bail. A surrender may be made before the return day of the summons in an action against the bail. The sheriff shall give to the bail a written acknowledgment of the surrender, and hold the defendant in his custody upon such copy of the bond of the bail as upon an order of arrest. The clerk of the court, on the production to him of the sheriff's acknowledgment of the surrender, shall enter on the bond an exoneration of the bail.

Section 2713.22 | Bail may arrest defendant.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

For the purpose of surrendering the defendant, the bail may arrest him at any time or place before he is finally charged, or, by a written authority indorsed on a certified copy of the bond, may empower any person of suitable age and discretion to do so.

Section 2713.23 | Bail shall be exonerated.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The bail shall be exonerated by the death of the defendant, his imprisonment in a state prison, his legal discharge from the obligation to render himself amenable to the process of the court, or by his surrender to the sheriff of the county in which he was arrested in the execution of such process, within the time fixed in section 2713.21 of the Revised Code, or within such further time as the court in which the action is pending allows.

Section 2713.24 | Bail may be substituted for a deposit of money.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

If the defendant deposits money as provided by section 2713.09 of the Revised Code, on notice such as is required for giving and justifying it, bail may be given and justified any time before judgment. Thereupon the court in which the action is brought, on being satisfied that bail has been given and adjudged sufficient, shall direct that the money deposited be refunded to the defendant, and it must be refunded accordingly.

Section 2713.25 | Stay of proceedings against bail.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

Before or after judgment against the bail, if an appeal is commenced on the judgment against the principal in the suit in which their bond was taken, on motion the court may stay proceedings against such bail for a reasonable time, on their payment of all costs accrued against them. On such appeal, if the judgment against the principal is reversed, and he is discharged from such suit, the bail must be discharged from the bond.

Section 2713.26 | Vacating order of arrest or reducing the amount of bail.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

A defendant who is arrested, on motion, at any time before judgment in the action, may apply to the court in which suit is brought, if in session, and, in vacation, to a judge thereof, or to any judge of a court of record of the state, to vacate the order of arrest or to reduce the amount of the bail. The court or judge shall allow him such time for preparation and the hearing of the motion as is just. Reasonable notice of such motion must be given to the plaintiff.

Section 2713.27 | Motion may be supported and opposed by affidavits.

• Effective: January 9, 1961
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 104th General Assembly

When the notice mentioned in section 2713.26 of the Revised Code is made upon affidavits on the part of the defendant, but not otherwise, the plaintiff may oppose it by affidavits or other evidence in addition to the evidence on which the order of arrest was made.

Section 2713.28 | Payment of jail fees.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

A person who causes another to be committed to jail under sections 2713.01 to 2713.29, inclusive, of the Revised Code, shall be liable in the first instance for the jail fees, and if required by the jailer must pay such fees weekly in advance. The fees so paid shall be a part of the costs of the case.

Section 2713.29 | Sheriff may discharge prisoner.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

The sheriff or jailer may discharge a person imprisoned on mesne or final process issued in a civil proceeding, when there is no money in his hands to pay for the sustenance of the prisoner, or he may detain such prisoner and hold the adverse party liable for such sustenance.