Fort Worth Jail Release

How does Bail Work in Tarrant County?

When someone is arrested in Tarrant County, a judge or magistrate decides if they can be released before trial and what kind of bail is required. Bail is a promise that the person will return to court. It can be a personal promise, money, or a bond through a bail company.

The bail amount in Tarrant County depends on several things, including:

• How serious the charge is, misdemeanor or felony
• The person’s criminal history, if any
• Whether the person has missed court before
• Any danger to the victim or to the community
• Ties to the area, such as work, school, or family in Tarrant County

Judges are supposed to set bail high enough to make sure the person comes back to court, but not so high that it becomes unfair or a hidden punishment.

2025 Bail Numbers for Tarrant County (with Percentages)

Data from the Texas Office of Court Administration’s Public Safety Report System shows how often bail is used in Tarrant County in 2025.

• There were about 63,279 total criminal offenses reported on bail forms in 2025.
• About 60,422 cases had bail set and not denied, with an overall average bail of roughly $11,000 per case.
• Judges denied bail in about 2,854 cases, which is around 4.5% of all offenses.

Cash, Surety, and Personal Bonds in Tarrant County

In 2025, most people in Tarrant County were released using cash or surety bonds, not personal bonds.

• Cash / Surety bonds: about 54,717 bonds, which is roughly 91% of all bonds in 2025.
• Personal bonds: about 5,705 bonds, which is about 9% of all bonds.
• Bail denied: about 2,854 cases, or around 4.5% of all offenses.
• By dollar amount, cash and surety bonds made up about 99% of all bail money in 2025 (over $657 million), while personal bonds made up about 1% (just under $6 million).

Looking at several years of data together, the Office of Court Administration shows that from 2023 through 2025, about 98.8% of Tarrant County bail dollars came from cash and surety bonds and about 1.2% came from personal bonds.

Average Bail Amounts in Tarrant County

Bail amounts change a lot from case to case, but recent numbers from 2025 help show the big picture:

• Average cash / surety bail: about $12,015 per bond in 2025.
• Average personal bond amount: about $999 per bond in 2025.
• Across all years from 2023 to 2025, the overall average cash / surety bail was about $9,700, and the overall average personal bond amount was about $930.

These averages show that many Tarrant County families are facing five figure bail amounts, even for non violent cases. That is one reason why bail reductions can be so important.

Offense Levels in Tarrant County Bail Cases

The Office of Court Administration also tracks the level of each charge. For 2025 in Tarrant County there were 63,279 total offenses on bail forms. The rough breakdown looks like this:

• Misdemeanor A: about 15,582 cases, which is around 24.6% of all offenses.
• Misdemeanor B: about 14,676 cases, or about 23.2% of all offenses.
• State jail felonies: about 11,632 cases, about 18.4% of all offenses.
• Third degree felonies: about 11,917 cases, about 18.8% of all offenses.
• Second degree felonies: about 6,572 cases, about 10.4% of all offenses.
• First degree felonies: about 2,861 cases, about 4.5% of all offenses.
• Capital felonies: fewer than 1 in 1,500 cases, less than 0.1% of all offenses.

This means that in Tarrant County most bail cases are for misdemeanors or lower level felonies, not the most serious crimes.

Most Common Charges in Tarrant County Bail Cases

For 2025, the Public Safety Report System lists the most common charges in Tarrant County bail cases. Here are some of the top ones, with their share of all offenses:

• Assault causing bodily injury to a family member: about 3,636 cases, roughly 5.7% of all offenses.
• Possession of a controlled substance, Penalty Group 1, under 1 gram: about 3,371 cases, around 5.3% of all offenses.
• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI): about 3,328 cases, about 5.3% of all offenses.
• Possession of marijuana under 2 ounces: about 2,921 cases, around 4.6% of all offenses.
• Criminal trespass: about 3,034 cases, around 4.8% of all offenses.
• Aggressive assault with a deadly weapon: about 2,619 cases, about 4.1% of all offenses.
• Theft of property between about $100 and $750: about 2,324 cases, around 3.7% of all offenses.
• Possession of a controlled substance between 1 and 4 grams: about 1,915 cases, about 3.0% of all offenses.
• Unlawful carrying of a weapon: about 1,494 cases, about 2.4% of offenses.
• Theft under $2,500 with two or more prior convictions: about 1,482 cases, about 2.3% of offenses.
• Resisting arrest, search, or transport: about 1,491 cases, around 2.4% of offenses.

These numbers help show that a large share of Tarrant County bail cases involve family violence, drug possession, DWI, theft, and other non capital offenses.

Types of Bail in Tarrant County

Cash Bonds

A cash bond means the full bail amount is paid directly to the court or sheriff. If the defendant goes to every court date, the money may be returned at the end of the case, minus any fees and fines ordered by the court.

In Tarrant County, if a person or family member wants to pay the bond themselves, they must pay the full amount. Many families cannot afford to do this, especially when bail is set in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Surety Bonds (Bail Bonds)

With a surety bond, a licensed bail bond company promises the full amount of the bail to the court. The family pays the bondsman a fee, usually a percentage of the bail amount. This fee is the bondsman’s charge for taking the risk and is usually not refunded, even if the case is dismissed or the person is found not guilty.

Because the average cash / surety bail in Tarrant County is over $12,000, most people who bond out use a surety bond instead of paying the full amount in cash.

Personal Bonds

A personal bond, sometimes called a PR bond, is a written promise by the defendant to appear in court and follow any conditions set by the judge. No up front cash is paid to the court. However, if the person does not show up, the court can enter a judgment for the full amount of the personal bond.

In 2025, personal bonds in Tarrant County made up only about 9% of all bonds and less than 1% of the total bail dollars, which shows they are used far less often than cash or surety bonds.

Where and How to Post Bail in Tarrant County

Bonds may be posted at any time, 24 hours a day, at the main bond desk in downtown Fort Worth:

Tarrant County Corrections Center, Bond Desk
100 N. Lamar
Fort Worth, TX 76196

To see if bail has been set and to find the bond amount, you can call the Tarrant County Jail Inmate Information Line at 817-884-3000.

When you contact the jail or a bondsman, it helps to have this information ready:

• The defendant’s full legal name
• Their date of birth, if you know it
• Booking number, if available
• Current jail facility
• The charges, if known

What Happens after Release on Bail in Tarrant County

After bail is posted and the person is released from the Tarrant County jail, they must follow all court rules and bond conditions. Some common conditions include:

• Obeying all laws and avoiding new arrests
• Having no contact with the complaining witness or alleged victim if ordered
• Avoiding alcohol or drugs in certain cases, such as DWI or drug cases
• Checking in with the bondsman or pretrial services

Most of all, the person must appear at every court date. Missing court can lead to a warrant, loss of the bond, and new criminal charges for failure to appear. If a cash bond was used, the money may be kept by the court. If a surety bond was used, the bondsman can seek payment from the family or any co signer.

Recent Changes in Texas Bail Law

Texas has changed its bail laws in recent years to focus more on risk to public safety. For some serious violent charges, sex offenses, and other high risk situations, judges have more power to deny bail or set strict conditions when they believe a person is likely to harm others or not return to court.

This means that in some Tarrant County cases, especially serious felonies, a judge may deny bail altogether or set a very high bail that is hard for a family to pay. In those situations, a well prepared bail reduction motion is especially important.

Data Source for this Tarrant County Bail Information

The numbers and percentages on this page are based on public data from the Texas Office of Court Administration, Public Safety Report System, focusing on Tarrant County bail forms and bail bonds from 2023 through 2025. Dunham & Jones has used this data to better explain how bail really works in Tarrant County courts.

Bail Reductions and Bond Reductions in Tarrant County, Texas

If your loved one is stuck in a Tarrant County jail because bail is too high, you are not alone, and you are not powerless. Dunham & Jones is one of the largest criminal defense law firms in Texas, and we help families in Tarrant County ask for lower bail amounts, called bail reductions or bond reductions.

Below we explain what a bail reduction is, when you can ask for one, how the hearing works, and how a Tarrant County bail reduction lawyer can use real data and facts about your life to fight for lower bail.

What is a Bail or Bond Reduction in Tarrant County?

A bail or bond reduction is a formal request asking the judge to lower the bail that was first set after an arrest. The goal is simple, to make bail fair and reasonable so the person can get out of jail and help defend the case.

Under Texas law, bail is meant to do two main things, make sure the person comes back to court, and help protect the community. Bail is not supposed to be punishment before trial. When bail is much higher than a family can afford, it can become unfair. That is when a bail reduction may be needed.

When Can You Ask for a Bail Reduction in Tarrant County?

In most Tarrant County cases, you can ask for a bail reduction after the first bail amount is set. A bail reduction can make sense when:

• The original bail is far more than the family can pay, even with a bondsman.
• New facts show the person is not a danger or a flight risk.
• The evidence looks weaker than it first appeared.
• The person has strong ties to Tarrant County, such as a steady job, family, or long term address.
• The person has little or no criminal record and has shown up for court in past cases.
• Average bails for similar charges in Tarrant County, based on Office of Court Administration data, are lower than the bail set in this case.

In a small number of very serious cases, Texas law allows judges to deny bail, especially for certain violent or repeat offenses. If bail is denied or set extremely high, having an experienced Tarrant County bail reduction lawyer becomes even more important.

How a Bail Reduction Hearing Works in Tarrant County

A bail reduction hearing is usually a short court hearing before a Tarrant County judge. Your lawyer first files a written motion that explains why bail should be lower. The court then sets a date and time for the hearing.

At the hearing, your lawyer may:

• Explain why the current bail is too high based on your income, bills, and family needs.
• Show pay stubs, rent or mortgage records, and other proof of your real ability to pay.
• Present evidence of strong ties to Tarrant County, such as long term work, school, or family here.
• Show that many similar cases in Tarrant County had lower bail amounts or more personal bonds, using data from the Office of Court Administration.
• Call witnesses, such as employers, family members, or pastors, to speak about your character and reliability.

The prosecutor can ask questions and argue against lowering the bail. The judge can then decide to lower the bail, keep it the same, change the conditions of release, or in rare cases, raise it.

What Judges Look at in a Tarrant County Bail Reduction

In a Tarrant County bond reduction hearing, judges must consider many factors, including:

• The seriousness of the charge, such as misdemeanor, state jail felony, or higher felony.
• Any claim of violence, use of a weapon, or threat to a victim.
• The strength of the evidence at that time.
• The person’s criminal record, including any past failures to appear in court.
• Any other pending cases in Tarrant County or elsewhere.
• Ties to the community, such as work history, school, children, and other duties.
• The person’s physical and mental health needs.
• The person’s real ability to pay, not just what a bail schedule or chart might say.

By using both personal facts and county wide data, a defense lawyer can show that a lower bail will still protect the community and make sure the person comes back to court.

How a Tarrant County Bail Reduction Lawyer Helps

A strong bail reduction case does not come together by accident. Our Tarrant County bond reduction lawyers take several important steps, including:

• Reviewing the arrest, probable cause affidavit, and charging papers for legal errors.
• Gathering financial records to show how much the family can realistically afford.
• Collecting school, medical, or treatment records when they may help show stability or special needs.
• Preparing letters from employers, pastors, teachers, and family members to support release.
• Using Office of Court Administration data to show typical bail amounts for similar charges in Tarrant County.
• Advising the family on the pros and cons of cash bonds, surety bonds, personal bonds, and different release conditions.

We then present this information to the judge in clear, simple language that focuses on safety, fairness, and your right to a reasonable bail under Texas law.

Talk to a Tarrant County Bail Reduction Lawyer Today

All statistics and percentages used on this page are based on public data from the Texas Office of Court Administration’s Public Safety Report System for Tarrant County bail forms and bail bonds from 2023–2025.