How to Post Bail for Someone Held in LaGrange County: Options and What Families Can Do

LaGrange County allows bail to be posted several ways, depending on what the court orders. You can deposit cash or securities equal to the bail amount. You can use a surety bond backed by a licensed bail agent. In some cases, the court will accept a bond secured by real estate in LaGrange County - as long as the property value meets county requirements. Judges can also approve other bonds beyond these standard options, so the exact path depends on your loved one's case.

Posting cash or securities is the most straightforward option: you deposit an amount equal to the bail the court set. But here's something that catches families off guard in LaGrange County - any cash bail must be posted in the defendant's name. Once you hand over that money, the court treats it as the defendant's personal asset, not yours.

LaGrange County allows bail bonds backed by sufficient solvent sureties, as required by Indiana Code 35-33-8. This is the typical "surety bond" route - a bail bondsman guarantees the full amount. The local rules also give judges flexibility to accept other bonds if the standard options don't fit your situation.

Real-estate-secured bonds are allowed, but LaGrange County's rule is strict. The property must be located in LaGrange County, Indiana, and the court must approve the bond. The property's true cash value (as determined by the LaGrange County Assessor for tax purposes), minus any liens or encumbrances, must be at least twice the bail amount.

If you've heard about "10% bond," that's when the court allows a deposit that's a fraction of the full bail. LaGrange County's bond schedule gives you a sense of full bail amounts by charge level: a misdemeanor is listed at $2,000, a Level 6 felony at $4,000, a Level 4 felony at $30,000, and a Level 3 felony at $75,000. When the 10% option applies, families use these figures to estimate the deposit - 10% of $4,000 is $400; 10% of $30,000 is $3,000.

Even when a schedule exists, not everyone can post immediately. LaGrange County has a specific restriction for family-violence-related arrests: the person can't post bond until their initial hearing or 24 hours after arrest - whichever comes first. If you're told "you have to wait," this is one of the most common reasons.

Bond amounts climb quickly with more serious charges. LaGrange County's schedule lists a misdemeanor at $2,000 and a Level 6 felony at $4,000, but a Level 5 felony jumps to $10,000, a Level 4 felony to $30,000, and a Level 3 felony to $75,000. For Level 1 or Level 2 felonies, bond is set by the court at the initial hearing - another reason families sometimes can't "just pay it" right away.

Timing rules matter as much as the payment method. If someone is arrested for an offense involving family violence, LaGrange County's rules prohibit posting bond until the initial hearing or 24 hours after arrest - whichever comes first. If you've arranged the money but the jail says release can't happen yet, ask whether this hold applies so you know exactly what you're waiting for.

1. Confirm what bail type the court will accept in this case - LaGrange County allows cash/securities equal to the bail, surety bonds with sufficient solvent sureties, court-approved real-estate-secured bonds, and other court-approved bonds or sureties.
2. Verify the bail amount and any timing restrictions - the amount set controls what you’ll need to deposit (or secure), and some cases can’t be posted immediately even if you have funds available.
3. If you’re using cash, plan for it to be posted in the defendant’s name - local rules require cash bail to be posted in the defendant’s name and treat it as the defendant’s personal asset.
4. If you’re considering real estate, check the county’s value requirement before you start - the real estate must be in LaGrange County, and the assessor’s true cash value (minus encumbrance) must be at least two times the bail.
5. Ask how posted cash may be applied later - in LaGrange County, cash bail may be applied toward court-related fees and obligations, and only the remainder is released when the personal appearance bond is released.

• ✓ If you’re posting cash, confirm it will be posted in the defendant’s name (not yours) and treated as the defendant’s personal asset.
• ✓ Confirm you understand that posted cash bail may be applied toward court-related fees and obligations, with any remainder released when the personal appearance bond is released.
• ✓ Ask whether a family-violence rule applies, since those arrests may not be able to post bond until the earlier of the initial hearing or 24 hours after arrest.
• ✓ Confirm whether the charge is one the local rules list as no bond (Murder is listed as No Bond).