Who is eligible for a PR bond in Texas?

Today we are going to talk about PR bonds. All hope is not lost if you are charged with a crime, you have pretrial options and one of them is the PR bond. A PR bond, also known as a Personal Recognizance Bond, is when a Judge allows the defendant to be released without any deposit or collateral. Defendants still have to promise to appear in court even though they had their bond conditions removed. These bonds are very rare, and if they are granted then the release is on their personal recognizance.

How are PR Bonds obtained?

To be granted a PR bond, the judge takes in a number of factors such as the type of case it is, if it was violent or non-violent as well as the defendant’s criminal history. Other things the judges look for are if they have a good standing in the community in which they reside. These will be typically granted if the defendant has no criminal history, in other cases the defendant may need to write a one-page letter to the judge explaining the situation. This motion could go through the title of Motion for Personal Recognizance Bond or Motion for Bond Reduction.

After the motion has been submitted you have to request and set a date for evidence to be provided for why the defendant needs the PR bond. The opportunity to receive a PR bond is very rare and aren’t necessarily given out frequently, so defendants must be prepared to give a good case the first time they apply for it.

Should I get a PR bond?

There are many advantages to getting a PR bond. The first is that you are not incarcerated during the duration of your court case, so you will be able to be at home with friends and family and not in jail. The second big advantage is that you are able to avoid a bond deposit. This does not mean however that it’s completely free and you may need to pay additional undisclosed costs such as having to visit a probation officer for a cost or signing up for a class. Since PR bonds are exclusively given out by a judge, you may have to wait and indefinite amount of time until the judge is ready to see you, so you have no guarantee on when exactly you will be out if you go for the PR bond.

Since its original conception the medieval period, bail has evolved and become diverse through different forms; one of which is the personal recognizance bond.

What is a Personal Recognizance Bond?

Known as PR Bond or personal bond, a Personal Recognizance Bond grants a defendant to be released during a pre-trial hearing without posting bail. The condition is that the person has to strictly follow the rules set by the judge and to attend all the hearings or meetings with parties involved.

How Available is the PR Bond?

The Pretrial Services begins examining most defendants and submits a recommendation to the judge on whether the person is qualified for a PR bond or not.

Because of the fact that the defendant can walk freely amidst the pre-trial period without posting bail, there are many factors to consider before the judge grants a personal bond. Among the considerations include the following:

  • Nature of the crime charged
  • Record in the community; criminal history
  • Source of income / employment reference
  • Credibility in not leaving the country during the pre-trial period
  • Possibility of becoming a threat to the public

Granting the PR bond is not limited to the above mentioned factors. There are times when the Pretrial Services interviews not only families, but also the defendant’s colleagues, friends, and acquaintances. If the crime is already considered grave or may be punishable by death penalty, a personal bond is already out of the question. There are also cases when a judge denies this bond altogether despite the defendant seemingly qualified.

Having the Best Option

Basing on its most basic definition, obtaining a personal bond might seem like the best option. However, trying to have it granted may lead a defendant’s case downhill.

Because the entire bond requires a long process of interviews and research, soley relying on the judge’s time frame and not the defendant’s, there is a high chance that the case might take longer than expected.

Contact Cagle Bail Bonds Today

For this reason, we at Cagle Bail Bonds recommend that before you resort to filing for a Personal Recognizance Bond, you need to understand that there are many complications before it is granted in court. For a faster and hassle-free experience in getting your loved ones out of jail, having a bail bondsman is still a good way to go.

Give us a call here at Cagle Bail Bonds so we can provide you with the best options in bail. We are open 24/7 here at Denton, Texas.

Call (940) 381-0338

The post Personal Recognizance Bond in Texas appeared first on Cagle Bail Bonds.

Who is eligible for a PR bond in Texas?

When you’re arrested and charged with a crime in Texas, the judge might release you from jail on a personal recognizance or PR bond. This means you aren’t going to have to put up any collateral or pay any deposit on bail because no bail amount is set. Instead, the judge has decided you’re trustworthy enough to release and believes you will return for your court date with no risk of flight.

In Travis County, Pretrial Services issues these types of bonds and the judge checks your references and approves the bond for your release. Other types of bail bonds that can be issued include:

  • Property bonds
  • Surety bonds
  • Attorney bonds

If you aren’t released on a PR bond and need bail bonds in Austin, TX, you can get reliable help from ATX Bail Bonds by calling 512.834.2245.

As with other bonds, when you’re issued a PR bond you are still required to appear at your appointed court date. These bonds are typically issued to first-time non-violent offenders with an otherwise good reputation in their community. With recognizance bonds, judges typically review evidence such as personal references before approving the bond. These types of bonds are rare.

How long does a PR bond take?

The time it takes to get a PR bond issued usually varies depending on the county in which you’re incarcerated. Travis County tends to expedite the process faster than most counties and through Pretrial Services working the case, it’ll take about 24 to 36 hours to get released. If you have an attorney handle the case, it can take as little as two hours.

Can you travel on a PR bond?

As with other bonds, a PR bond might come with certain restrictions, including travel restrictions. Much of this will depend on the circumstances of the case. Usually, no matter where you intend to go, if you’re traveling outside of your community or county, you will probably have to get permission from a court officer to do so. In-state travel is often permitted and you might have just a few restrictions. With out-of-state travel, you’ll likely have more restrictions and might only be allowed to travel in certain circumstances—a family emergency, a funeral, etc. International travel is usually not allowed.

Can a PR bond be revoked?

All bail bonds, including recognizance bonds, will have conditions set down by the court that you must follow. Conditions could include anything from maintaining employment to taking regular drug tests. What happens if you violate a PR bond? If you violate any of the conditions on a bond, you risk having the bond revoked. This means you might end up going back to jail until your trial. A judge might overlook a minor infraction, but something major like failing a drug test will likely result in the bond being revoked and you returning to jail until your court hearing.

What is PR bond supervised release?

If you see the word “supervised” on your release form when you receive a PR bond, as with all bail bonds, it means that once you sign, you agree to all conditions set forth by the court for your release. If you violate any of those conditions you risk having your bond revoked and returning to jail.

“Supervised release,” however, is not a term typically associated with a PR bond. Instead, it is a term used in the federal court system for a preliminary time of freedom from federal prison. This is also known as special or mandatory parole and the convict is supervised by a probation officer. The convict must follow all conditions of the release or risk going back to prison to serve out the terms set down in the release.

Who is eligible for a PR bond in Texas?

Who qualifies for a PR bond in Austin, TX? Technically, anybody could qualify for a personal recognizance bond. But, these bonds are very rare. To get one, often you usually need to have an attorney who will request one or request a bond hearing to determine if you should be released on personal bond.

At a hearing, evidence of your character is gathered and presented to the court. Personal and work references will be consulted. In particular the court needs to know that you’re not a danger to the community and that you are not a flight risk. Defendants with a solid work record, no prior criminal record, and with an upstanding reputation within their community stand a better chance of getting a personal bond.

Another way a defendant can qualify for personal bond is to be incarcerated for 90 days without being indicted. If the offense is a misdemeanor, the time is 30 days. This is known as a release because of delay.

If you don’t quality for a PR bond and bail has been set, call ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245 for superior bail bonds services. We’ll get you released as quickly as possible.