Can I Go to Jail in Ohio for Not Paying My Bills?

If you live in Ohio (or any other state) don’t believe harassing creditors, who threaten to call the police or send you to jail, if you don’t pay your bills.  Creditors won’t call the police and they can’t send you to jail in Ohio or any other state.  (If creditors are threating to have you sent to jail, they are in fact in violation of federal law and can be forced to pay you money and your attorney fees.) In fact, neither creditors nor the court can send you to jail for not paying your bills.  Debtors prisons were eliminated in the United States over 200 years ago; and, you are entitled to both federal and Ohio bankruptcy protections and a fresh start, thanks to the United States Constitution and Congress.
That’s the good news.  The bad news is that the court can send you to jail if you are in contempt of court for something other than not paying your debts.  This means that you can be sent to jail if you don’t do what the court says, such as show up in court at an assigned time.  While you can ignore creditors and you won’t go to jail; you cannot ignore the court.  Ignoring the court will, likely, result in jail time.
For example, if a creditor gets a judgment against you, that creditor can request information about your assets and income via the court.  As a result, the court will issue an Order to Appear at a Debtor’s Exam.  Show up or you’ll, likely, go to jail.
While the court can’t send you to jail for not paying your bills, they can allow the creditor to try to collect on your debt.  To avoid having a judgment filed against you, wage garnishment, interest on your debt assessed, property seizure, a lien on your home or business real property, and other creditor harassment and attempts to collect on your debts, you can file bankruptcy.
The court will issue an automatic stay the moment your bankruptcy petition is accepted.  This stops all the stressful collection efforts.  To determine whether bankruptcy is a solution to your debt problems, consult with a qualified Ohio bankruptcy attorney.
Where do I get help filing Bankruptcy in Ohio?
Bankruptcy is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on bankruptcy and helping people like you.  We focus our practice on bankruptcy law and help people just like you.  You can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com. 
We will analyze your case, answer your questions, walk you through the bankruptcy process, and aggressively fight for your legal rights.  We look forward to your call or email in our Ohio bankruptcy law office.