Lucas County

Lucas County follows Ohio law on arrests, release, and courts. These rules are the same in every county in the state; the full set covers prosecutors, defense, and jails too.

Who decides release first

Every court must keep a bail schedule for misdemeanors so people can be released before they see a judge. When no judge, magistrate, or clerk is available, the sheriff, police, or jailer may set bail from that schedule. Only a judge or magistrate sets bail on a felony.

Ohio Rev. Code 2937.23Ohio Rev. Code 2937.011(I)

Time to see a judge

A person arrested and still held must see a judicial officer for a bail hearing by the second court day after arrest. After a warrantless arrest, a judge or magistrate must also review probable cause within 48 hours, but that review can happen on paper. If the person had no lawyer at the first hearing and is still held, a second bail hearing with appointed counsel follows two court days later.

Ohio Rev. Code 2937.011(J)Ohio Crim. R. 4(E)(2)

Money bail

Ohio courts may set money bail. The constitution tells courts to weigh public safety, the charge, and the person's record when setting the amount. State law requires the least restrictive conditions and any money terms to be the least costly that will bring the person back to court.

Ohio Const. art. I, sec. 9Ohio Rev. Code 2937.011(A)-(B)

Courts

Each county's court of common pleas tries felonies. Municipal and county courts hear misdemeanors and hold first appearances in felony cases. Mayor's courts in some cities and villages without a municipal court hear ordinance and traffic cases.

Ohio Rev. Code 2301.01Ohio Rev. Code 1905.01Ohio Rev. Code 1907.13

Judges and magistrates

Voters elect common pleas judges to six-year terms on a ballot that shows no party, and judges must have six years of law practice. Municipal and county court judges are elected the same way and must also be lawyers. A mayor, who need not be a lawyer, hears mayor's court cases or appoints a lawyer as magistrate.

Ohio Rev. Code 2301.01Ohio Rev. Code 3505.04Ohio Rev. Code 1901.06Ohio Rev. Code 1901.07Ohio Rev. Code 1905.05

Read from the statutes and court rules cited, 2026-09-30. Crim.R. 46 was repealed July 1, 2023; bail rules now sit in R.C. 2937.011. Common pleas candidates may run in party primaries even though the general ballot is nonpartisan; not confirmed from statute text here. Magistrate lawyer requirement under Crim.R. 19 not read. That city prosecutors handle misdemeanors is general practice, not read from statute.

Pretrial practice

Advancing Pretrial lists it as a Public Safety Assessment site since 2015.

Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research, PSA sites list (page modified 2026-06-03)

• Toledo Police DepartmentToledo city264,490 served
• Lucas County Sheriff's OfficeCounty52,939 served
• Sylvania Township Police DepartmentSylvania township31,858 served
• Oregon Police DepartmentOregon city19,676 served
• Sylvania Police DepartmentCity19,118 served
• Maumee Police DepartmentMaumee city13,566 served
• Waterville Police DepartmentWaterville city6,023 served
• Whitehouse Police DepartmentCity5,103 served
• Ottawa Hills Police DepartmentOttawa Hills village4,800 served
• Swanton Police DepartmentSwanton village3,884 served
• Washington Township Police Department, Lucas CountyWashington township3,077 served
• Waterville Township Police DepartmentWaterville city2,042 served
• Holland Police DepartmentCity1,788 served
• Berkey Police DepartmentBerkey village285 served
• Toledo Fire Department Fire Investigation UnitOther
• Toledo Metropolitan Park DistrictOther
• Toledo-Lucas County Port AuthorityOther
• University of ToledoUniversity or College

Agencies: FBI NIBRS master file 2025 batch headers; names from the FBI agency list, pulled 2026-09-29. An agency that serves several counties appears on each. Population served is the FBI's figure.