Jail Release
It’s a call no one wants to get: That your loved one or friend is in Travis County Jail. You are likely worried for your loved one — worried for his or her future if he or she faces charges, worried about his or her safety behind bars, and worried about his or her mental state. Whether you’ve been in this situation before or if this is the first time you’ve gotten “the call,” you may be in a panic trying to determine the quickest way to free your loved one.
Hiring an attorney right away is often the fastest way to get your loved one or friend out of jail. An attorney has special skills and certain abilities that may help him to secure the quickest possible release.
Austin Jail Release Lawyer
If you’ve gotten “the call” from Travis County Jail, your first call should be to an experienced Austin jail release lawyer who can represent your loved one or friend and seek their release. Kevin Bennett is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to assist people who have been arrested and are in the Travis County Jail, which is located on 10th Street or those who are located in Del Valle at the Travis County Correctional Complex.
He has helped the loved ones of many get free, and can help you. Kevin Bennett can give you an estimate on the anticipated attorney fee for the jail release and take payment information over the phone. Call today at (512) 476-4626 to speak to The Law Office of Kevin Bennett about your friend or loved one behind bars.
Kevin Bennett limits the number of cases that he handles at any one time so every single client can receive a level of personal attention that is unequaled. He assists people in jails in Travis County, whether they were arrested in Austin, Lakeway, Lago Vista, Manor or anywhere else.
Information on Travis County Jail Release
- Travis County Booking Process After Arrest
- Types of Bail Bonds Allowed in Travis County
- How An Attorney Helps in Jail Release
- Jail Locations for Travis County Arrests
Travis County Booking Process After Arrest
After being arrested, a person is taken to Travis County Central Booking for the booking process. Booking is the process by which law enforcement take the arrestee’s name, fingerprints, “mug shot,” and all other information required under law and county procedure. Their personal property is inventoried and stored. They will not have access to their cell phones.
While your loved one or friend is in jail, the arresting officer will file a police report or probable cause affidavit with the Court. A magistrate judge will review the document, the charges, and the inmate’s criminal history. He or she will determine the type or types of bail bond that the inmate may use to bond out of jail, and the amount of the bail bond.
A bail bond is an amount of money that a person who is arrested and booked in jail may pay to be released from jail. The bond acts as a security, meaning it is held to ensure that the person attends future court hearings. The more serious the offense or the more extensive the criminal history, the higher the bond will be. If you skip a court date or flee, bail may be revoked or forfeited and an arrest warrant could be issued.
If your loved one or friend was arrested late at night or early in the morning, he or she will usually not be seen by the judge or have their bail amount set until the next day or later. A criminal defense attorney, however, can usually speed up the process, often by a considerable amount of time.
Types of Bail Bonds Allowed in Travis County
Personal Bonds
Your loved one will be interviewed by the Travis County Pre-Trial Services Office. The Pre-Trial Services Office seeks to determine whether the inmate qualifies for a personal bond. A personal bond is, in most cases, is the most desirable type of bond an inmate can receive. The inmate is not required to deposit any money with Travis County, other than a $40 administrative fee or 3 percent of the bond set within seven days of release. However, like both cash and surety bonds, a defendant is still liable for the full bond amount if the personal bond is revoked or forfeited.
Only Pre-Trial Services or your attorney can recommend a personal bond to a judge. Pre-Trial Services’ criteria is very strict. Often, Pre-Trial Services will not recommend a personal bond unless the inmate is represented by an attorney. There are often conditions set on a personal bond.
If Pre-Trial Services recommends against personal bond, an attorney can still present a personal bond to the Magistrate for consideration of release.
An attorney that either works towards or obtains a personal bond on behalf of a defendant will charge a non-refundable fee for this service.
Cash Bond
A cash bond means simply paying the full amount in cash, cashier’s check or money order. Travis County does not accept credit cards, personal checks or other forms of payment.
Cash bonds are often the most expensive option. Bonds can range up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Travis County will keep the bond until the case is resolved, which may be months or even years.
Surety Bond
When a bail bondsman is involved, it is called a surety bond. A surety bond means you pay the bail bondsman a percentage of the bond, usually 10 to 20 percent, and he or she submits the full amount. The amount you pay the bondsman is a fee, meaning you do not get it back.
Usually, a bail bondsman will require a co-signer, who will be liable for the full amount of the bond if bail is revoked or forfeited. The co-signer may also be required to offer collateral, sometimes for up to twice the amount of the bond.
If bail is set very high, it can be necessary to work with a bail bondsman. Kevin Bennett can work closely with the bail bonds company to help secure release.
How An Attorney Helps in Jail Release
One of the most significant factors in how quickly your loved one will be released will be how quickly he or she appears before a magistrate judge. Simply waiting for his or her turn is likely to take hours and hours, and sometimes days.
An attorney with experience assisting those in jail knows the courts and knows ways of pushing your loved one to the front of the line. If you are anxiously awaiting the release of a loved one, not knowing his or her condition or if he or she is safe, minutes can seem like hours and hours can seem like days.
A lawyer can also interview the client to learn crucial details, start correctly completing the bond paperwork and complete the necessary background checks. This could make a tremendous difference in the total time before your loved one is out of jail.
Having an attorney can also help your loved one’s case in obtaining a personal bond. Being allowed a personal bond could make the difference of thousands of dollars.
If The Law Office of Kevin Bennett is ultimately retained to represent the accused on the underlying criminal charge, the attorney fees for jail release can usually be applied in whole or in part against the lawyer fees paid to the firm in defense of the criminal case.
Jail Locations for Travis County Arrests
If arrested in Travis County, your loved one will likely be taken to the Travis County Jail:
Travis County Jail / Central Booking500 W. 10th Street
Austin, TX 78701
If an inmate has not been released from jail after approximately 48 hours of their arrest, they will usually then be transferred to the Travis County Correctional Facility.
Travis County Correctional Facility (TCCC)3614 Bill Price Road
Del Valle, TX 78617
You can learn where your loved one is incarcerated by using the county’s online inmate search tool.
Helping Free Loved Ones from Travis County Jail
Kevin Bennett is an experienced Austin jail release lawyer who has helped many get their loved ones out of the Travis County jail as quickly and as painlessly as possible. Hiring an attorney should be the first step when a loved one is in jail, both to get him or her out of jail and to ensure his or her rights are protected. Call The Law Office of Kevin Bennett today at (512) 476-4626 to set up a consultation.
