Following arrest and the booking process, a person will usually be allowed to use a jail telephone to call a lawyer, a bail bondsman, and a relative or other person. There is no Constitutional right to make these telephone calls following arrest and incarceration and the ability to make such phone calls is usually governed by state law or by the jail’s policy.

For example, some states provide by statute that an arrested person is entitled to make at least three telephone calls at no expense if the calls are completed to telephone numbers within the local calling area, or at the person’s own expense if outside the local calling area. Some states require that these telephone calls be permitted within three hours following arrest if possible—and in some states, within one hour. And some states more generally require that an arrested person be allowed to use the telephone within a reasonable time following arrest.

Laws regarding an arrested person’s ability to make telephone calls vary from state to state and are generally located in a state’s statutes or in the state’s rules of criminal procedure.

In Ohio, the regulations regarding an arrested person's ability to make telephone calls after arrest and booking are not explicitly outlined as a statutory right in the Ohio Revised Code. However, the practice is generally governed by local jail policies and the Ohio Administrative Code. Typically, after the booking process, individuals are allowed to make phone calls to contact an attorney, a bail bondsman, or a relative. The specific number of calls allowed and whether they are free or at the person's own expense can vary by jurisdiction and facility. Ohio jails and correctional facilities have their own set of rules and regulations that dictate when and how detainees can access telephones. While there is no constitutional right to these phone calls, Ohio's local rules and jail policies often aim to allow detainees to make phone calls within a reasonable time following arrest, which can be influenced by operational circumstances and safety considerations.