Getting a call from the Harris County Jail can be a shock, particularly when it’s from a family member or friend who has been arrested and needs help. Getting someone out of jail isn’t difficult, but you’ll need to ask the right questions and follow a few key steps.

Here’s everything you need to know to make the process as simple as possible.

How to Bail Someone Out of Jail in Harris County

If a friend or family member has been arrested, one of their first concerns may be posting bail, and they may need your help.

This typically isn’t complicated, but it will probably involve some money. First, you will need to find out where your friend is being held and whether bail has been set.

Gather the Important Details

Harris County Jail offers up to four free phone calls per week for detainees. Because of this, it’s important to gather as much information as possible from your initial call. That way, the remaining calls can be used to contact attorneys or bail bond companies.

If you attempt to transfer a call, or add someone else to create a conference call, the call will immediately be terminated.

It’s also crucial that you understand that all calls to anyone other than an inmate’s attorney of record are likely being recorded, so you will need to be careful about what you ask and say.

Information from the call can be used as evidence against your friend or family member. 

If this involves a DUI or DWI, stick to the basics. Don’t ask specifics about how much they had to drink or other questions that would require them to provide information that could be used against them. Parents may be tempted to ask these questions, but they will do more harm than good.

Take notes and record as much information as you can. Stress may prevent you from retaining key information, and sometimes a detail that seems insignificant at the time can be valuable information.

Ask:

• Their full legal name and date of birth
• Where they’re being held
• Their booking number
• Whether they’ve seen a judge to set bail
• If bail has been set, how much is it?

If they’re unsure where they’re being held, Harris County maintains a searchable database.

READ MORE: How to find an inmate in Harris County

Contact an Attorney

If your friend or family member hasn’t already contacted an attorney, suggest that they contact one and offer to help them search. Make sure they choose someone experienced with criminal cases in Harris County. Michael and Associates offers a free consultation 24/7 and we will help you navigate the bail process. We may even be able to help you procure a personal bond, which, as we will explain, could potentially save you quite a bit of money on bail.

Low-cost personal bonds are relatively common in Harris County, particularly for misdemeanor and non-violent felony offenses. 

Do You Need to Go to the Jail?

Don’t immediately go to the jail unless you’re certain bail has already been set. Sometimes the magistration process can take several hours – or even days – particularly if the arrest occurred overnight. The jail isn’t a fun place to spend several hours waiting.

Instead, spend your time finding an attorney, who may be able to expedite the release process.

If bail has already been set, cash bail typically needs to be paid in person, and you’ll need to show ID. An attorney will be able to help you with the next steps.

Post Bail

“Bail” is a dollar amount that must be paid to the county to release your friend or family member. It is set by a judge. Once bail has been posted, the inmate will be released. 

Bail is a security deposit, ensuring that the person will appear in court as directed. If they don’t show up, the bail money is forfeited. 

There are three primary types of bail:

• Personal bonds: Also called PR (personal recognizance) bonds, this is the most common type of bond in Harris County. It requires meeting some specific criteria and paying a nominal fee. Here, that fee will typically range from $25 to $150, but the amount will vary.
• Cash bonds: This means that a judge or magistrate sets a bail amount, and that amount will be paid by cash, a cashier’s check, or by money order, and that money is refunded when your case is resolved. Harris County is unique in that they also accept debit and credit cards through AllPaid.com. However, AllPaid charges a fee, typically between 3.35% to 5% of the total amount, and that fee is nonrefundable.
• Surety bonds: If you can’t afford to pay the full bail amount in cash, you will need to contact a bail bond company. The bail bond company will bail out your friend or family member, but will charge a fee of about 10% of the total bail amount, and that fee is not refundable.

Cash bail can be paid at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, which is located at 700 N. San Jacinto Street in Houston. You can also post bonds at the Harris County Joint Processing Center. 

Average Bail in Harris County

Capital offense: $1,241,515.15

First-degree felony: $92,273.40

Second-degree felony: $29,733.59

Third-degree felony: $16,997.90

State jail felony: $6,528.48

Class A misdemeanor: $2,818.13

Class B misdemeanor: $1,561.69

Class C misdemeanor: $5,250

Bail can be denied in cases involving a violent offense, where the accused is a repeat offender or a flight risk. If your relative has been arrested on a felony probation violation, they may have a “no bond” warrant. In either of these instances, the defendant must remain in jail until their case is resolved. 

What Happens If You Can’t Afford to Post Bail?

Many people can’t afford to post $1,000 or more in cash bail at a moment’s notice. This is where a surety bond can help.

A bail bond company will essentially lend you the money to post bail, but you’ll have to pay a nonrefundable fee of about 10% (about $250 if bail is set at $2,500). 

If you cosign for a bail bond for a friend or family member, it’s important to understand the risks. If your friend or family member fails to appear for their court date, the bail bond company will seek to recover the bail money the company has lost. You may be responsible for paying them.

Sometimes, particularly for violent offenses, bond can seem incredibly high – even $1 million or more. In these cases, even the 10% fee for a bail bond is financially impossible. In Texas, nearly 70% of inmates – about 40,000 people – are pretrial detainees who can’t afford to post bail.

If you can’t afford the bail bond fees, your friend or family member will remain in custody until a plea deal is negotiated or their case is resolved.

Harris County Jail has problems with overcrowding and will sometimes relocate inmates to overflow housing. If your friend or family member will be in custody for a significant amount of time, it’s possible that they could be transferred to one of these facilities, which are:

• Newton County Correctional Facility in Newton, TX
• LaSalle Corrections Center in Olla, LA 

What Happens After Bail Has Been Posted?

After bail is posted, it could still take another couple of hours for your friend or family member to be released. At that point, they can go home. 

However, this isn’t over. If they haven’t found an attorney, this must be done as soon as possible. 

The attorney will start by reviewing the case details. An experienced attorney who knows the key players in Harris County may be able to get the charges dropped altogether or negotiate a plea deal for a reduced charge. This is not a time to try to save money or do it yourself.

Where Do People Go After They’re Arrested in Harris County?

The primary detention facility for Harris County is Harris County Jail. It is located at:

701 N. San Jacinto Street

Houston, TX 77002

Parking at the jail can get expensive, ranging from $5 to $50, depending on the parking lot. You can check prices and availability at parkopedia.com.

The following transit lines have routes that pass near the Harris County Jail: 

• Bus: 108, 161, 162, 20, 30
• Light rail: 700