State ex rel. Denton v. Bedinghaus

{¶ 1} On January 23, 1998, the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, issued a warrant for the arrest of James Kinney. On March 6, 1998, following Kinney’s arrest, his friend, appellant Cheryl Denton, posted $800 as bail with the juvenile court to secure Kinney’s release and to ensure his appearance in court. Denton’s receipt noted that the money “can be applied to fines and costs.”

{¶ 2} A juvenile court magistrate found Kinney in contempt of a child-support order. The magistrate ordered that the $800 that Denton had posted be applied to Kinney’s child-support arrearage.…