Types of Bail Bonds in Texas: Which One Will You Encounter at Lew Sterrett?

When someone is booked into Lew Sterrett Justice Center, Dallas County’s main jail, the court sets a bail amount at a magistrate hearing. That amount is not always the same thing as the method used to satisfy it. Texas law recognizes several distinct bond types, and the one that applies in a given case depends on the charge, the defendant’s history, the judge’s assessment, and the financial resources available. Southern Bail Bonds holds Dallas County License #258 and Kaufman County License #014 and has helped defendants and their families navigate every bond type listed below for over 30 years. We are available 24 hours a day at 214-372-2500.

The comparison table below summarizes all five bond types. The sections that follow explain each one in detail, including how often each type appears in Dallas County cases.

Texas Bond Types at a Glance

Surety Bonds: The Most Common Path Out of Lew Sterrett

A surety bond is what most people mean when they say “bail bond.” It involves three parties: the defendant (the principal), the court (the obligee), and the bail bond company (the surety). The bail bond company pledges to the Dallas County court that the defendant will appear for every required hearing at the Frank Crowley Courts Building. In exchange for accepting that financial risk, the company charges the defendant or their family a fee. The standard rate in Texas is 10% of the bail amount set by the court.

That 10% fee is not refundable. If a magistrate sets bail at $20,000 after a Lew Sterrett booking, the surety bond fee is $2,000. The defendant’s family does not need to produce the full $20,000 in cash. The bail bond company posts the full amount and assumes responsibility for the defendant’s appearances.

Most surety bonds require a cosigner, also called an indemnitor. The indemnitor signs an agreement taking on financial liability if the defendant fails to appear. Under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1704, bail bond companies are regulated by county bail-bond boards, and the indemnitor’s obligation is a legal commitment with real financial consequences, not a formality.

Surety bonds are by far the most common bond type in Dallas County cases. Southern Bail Bonds, licensed under Dallas County License #258, writes surety bonds at Lew Sterrett around the clock and also serves Kaufman County under License #014. Payment plans are available without a credit check.

Cash Bonds: Full Payment Directly to the Court

A cash bond requires the defendant or a family member to pay the court the full bail amount in cash, by cashier’s check, or by money order. No bail bond company is involved. The court holds the funds as a guarantee that the defendant will appear at all required hearings.

Once the case concludes, the court returns the full amount to whoever posted it, minus any applicable court fees. That return can take several weeks to process after the case closes.

The practical limitation is the upfront requirement. Dallas County felony bail amounts regularly run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and most families cannot produce that amount in cash within hours of an arrest at Lew Sterrett. Cash bonds are more commonly seen in lower-level misdemeanor cases where bail amounts are more manageable.

The main advantage is the refund: if the defendant appears as required and the case concludes, the money comes back. The main risks are forfeiture if the defendant fails to appear, and having the funds tied up for the full duration of a case that may take months to resolve at the Frank Crowley Courts Building.

For a detailed side-by-side comparison of cash and surety bonds, see our Dallas bail bond services page.

Personal Recognizance (PR) Bonds: Release on a Signed Promise

A personal recognizance bond, commonly called a PR bond, requires no payment. The court releases the defendant from Lew Sterrett based on a written promise to appear at all future hearings. The defendant signs a document acknowledging the conditions of release and the consequences of failing to comply.

PR bonds are uncommon in Dallas County. A judge must have sufficient confidence that the defendant will return to court voluntarily. Under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 17.15, as amended by the 2021 Damon Allen Act, magistrates setting bail must consider: the nature and circumstances of the offense charged; the defendant’s criminal history, including prior failures to appear; the defendant’s ability to make bail; the future safety of any victim and the community; and the defendant’s family, employment, and community ties. That same framework governs whether a PR bond is appropriate.

In practice, PR bonds in Dallas County are most often granted for defendants with no prior record, stable community ties, and charges at the lower end of the offense spectrum. Even then, the court may attach supervision conditions to the release, such as periodic check-ins with a pretrial services officer, travel restrictions, or protective orders.

If a defendant released on a PR bond fails to appear for any scheduled proceeding at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, a warrant is issued immediately and the court may revoke the PR bond entirely, requiring the defendant to post a different form of bail or remain in custody until trial.

Property Bonds: Using Real Estate Equity as Collateral

A property bond allows a defendant or a family member to pledge real estate equity to the court instead of paying cash or hiring a bail bond company. The property owner files a lien against the real estate in favor of Dallas County. If the defendant appears as required throughout the case, the lien is released when the case concludes. If the defendant fails to appear, the county can move to foreclose on the property to recover the forfeited bail amount.

Property bonds are rare in Dallas County for two reasons. First, the approval process is slow: the court must verify the property’s title, confirm it carries sufficient equity to cover the bail amount, and formally execute the lien before any release from Lew Sterrett can occur. This process can take days or longer, during which the defendant remains in custody. Second, most families are unwilling to risk losing their home or investment property when a surety bond is available at 10% of the bail amount without risking real estate.

Property bonds may be worth exploring in specific situations, such as when bail is set at an unusually high amount and the family has substantial property equity but limited liquid cash. Anyone considering this option should consult a licensed Texas attorney before proceeding.

Federal Bonds: A Separate System for Federal Charges

Federal bonds apply when a defendant is charged in federal court rather than in Dallas County or Kaufman County state court. Federal cases are processed through the federal court system, not through Lew Sterrett or the Frank Crowley Courts Building. The charging agencies include the FBI, DEA, ATF, Homeland Security, and similar federal law enforcement bodies.

In federal cases, a federal magistrate judge holds a detention hearing shortly after arrest to determine whether bail is appropriate and at what amount. Federal charges frequently involve offenses such as drug trafficking, wire fraud, immigration violations, and firearms violations. Bail amounts in federal cases tend to be substantial, and the conditions attached to release are often more restrictive than in state cases.

Federal bail bonds require a bail bond company that is separately licensed to operate in federal court. That licensing is separate from the state licensing administered by county bail-bond boards. Not all state bail bond companies hold a federal license. If a family member has been arrested on federal charges in the Dallas area, it is important to confirm upfront that the company they contact holds the appropriate federal license before signing any paperwork.

Which Bond Type Will You Actually Encounter in Dallas County?

For the large majority of arrests processed through Lew Sterrett, the bond type is a surety bond arranged through a licensed Dallas County bail bond company. Cash bonds are present but less common due to the full-payment requirement. PR bonds are possible but require judicial approval and are most likely for first-time, lower-level offenses. Property bonds are rare and slow. Federal bonds apply only to federal charges and are handled through a separate process entirely.

Under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 15.17, a magistrate hearing must occur within 48 hours of arrest. That is the point at which bail is set and the bond type becomes relevant. Having a bail bond company available immediately after that hearing shortens the time between the hearing and release from Lew Sterrett.

Southern Bail Bonds, licensed in Dallas County under License #258 and in Kaufman County under License #014, is available 24 hours a day to write surety bonds as soon as bail is set. Se habla Español. Payment plans are available without a credit check.

Get a Bond Posted at Lew Sterrett Today

If someone you know has been arrested in Dallas County or Kaufman County, Southern Bail Bonds can explain which bond type applies to the specific situation and begin the process immediately. We operate from four offices: Riverfront (downtown Dallas), North Dallas, Oak Cliff, and Terrell. Call us any time at 214-372-2500.