How Have Texas Bail Bond Laws and Procedures Changed Recently?

 Posted on April 26, 2022 in Bail Bonds

If you or someone you love have been arrested and charged with a crime, you may be unsure of what will happen next. The criminal justice system can be complicated and confusing, and in most cases, the first step a person will need to take is to determine how they can get out of jail. This is usually done by posting bail, but as you may know, new laws have been passed recently, and the rules followed when setting and paying bail have changed. Fortunately, you can get released by obtaining a bail bond. The bail agents at Doc’s Bail Bonds can explain the rules that apply to you and the procedures that will be followed in your case.

Bail Reform Laws and Changes to Policies

In 2021, Texas passed a new law that requires cash bail for people who have been arrested and charged with violent crimes. Judges will also be required to consider a person’s criminal history when setting bail, and even if a person is charged with a misdemeanor or a lower-level offense, they may need to pay high amounts of bail if they had previously been convicted of a violent crime. This law went into effect on December 2, 2021.

Authorities in Harris County have also recently made some changes to how bail bonds are handled for certain types of crimes. Court officials had become concerned that some bail agents were posting bail on behalf of offenders at discounted rates, allowing some people to be released without paying a significant percentage of the amount of bail set by a judge. The Harris County Bail Bond Board passed a new regulation that will require bail bondsmen to charge a 10 percent fee for people charged with violent or sexual offenses, including murder, sexual assault, child abuse or neglect, aggravated assault, or violation of an order of protection. 

While people in the Dallas/Fort Worth area may not be directly affected by changes to the rules in Harris County, they may still be required to pay significant amounts of bail after being arrested. Recently, several people filed a class-action lawsuit against Dallas County that claimed that the county’s cash bail system was unfair to people who did not have the resources to pay bail. However, an appeals court dismissed this lawsuit, meaning that the current bail system in Dallas County will remain in place.

Contact a Dallas Bail Bondsman

Being required to pay bail can cause difficulties for a person or their loved ones. However, Doc’s Bail Bonds can help make this process easier and more affordable. We offer flexible payment plans and other options for payment, including holding collateral in place of cash. We can work with you to post bail in Dallas County, other surrounding counties, or anywhere in the state of Texas. Contact our Collin County bail agents 24/7 at 214-747-4110.

Sources:

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/harris-county-new-bail-bond-rule-17081393.php

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-countys-cash-bail-system-will-continue-federal-judges-rule-13286752

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2021/09/14/even-after-bail-reform-cash-not-risk-is-king-in-texas/