Getting Out of Jail In Travis County for $40
If you’re in the Austin area and someone you care about has been arrested, one of your first thoughts on your mind will be how to get them out of jail. In a previous post I talked about the types of bonds in Texas. Depending on what type of crime was committed, a Judge may set the bond amount in the thousands of dollars range ($2,500 – $75,000+). This can get pricey to hire a Bail Bondsman. One option for getting out of jail is called a Personal Recognizance Bond or a “PR Bond.” A PR Bond is basically your promise to appear at all future court dates. These bonds are much cheaper for people arrested. Getting out of jail in Travis County for $40 is possible. However, courts in Williamson County rarely grant PR Bonds.
How do you get a PR Bond?
a. Travis County Pre-Trial Services
In Travis County you can get a PR bond in one of two ways. The first way is through a reccomendation by Pre-Trial Services in the Thurman-Blackwell Building downtown. Pre-Trial Services will usually interview people who have recently been arrested. In the interview they will want details about the person arrested. These details include age, DOB, SSN, address, employment info, and a few references. Pre-Trial Services WILL CALL these references to make sure that the person’s information checks out. This is to make sure that the information is true, correct, and that the person arrested is likely to show back up to court in the future. Once the interview is complete, if a PR Bond is reccomended, Pre-Trial Services will take the documents over to the Judge to sign. Once they are signed, you will be released after you’re booked. You will need to pay a $40 PR Bond fee to Pre-Trial Services within a week of your release.
b. By a Privately Hired Attorney
If you hire a private attorney to get you out of jail, they can also fill out and ask the Judge for a PR Bond for you. A private attorney will usually charge a fee for this “jail release.” Most often this fee is cheaper than a bail bondsman and the money paid to the lawyer will go toward representing you in court. In some situations this may not be available. Talk to a lawyer before you make the decision. It can save you thousands.
