When a Bail Bondsman Can't Help
Some holds a county bondsman simply cannot post. Knowing which is which saves you a night of calling the wrong people, so here they are, plainly.
tell you who can help
Call anyway. Even when we can't post the bond, we can usually tell you within a couple of minutes what kind of hold you're dealing with and who does handle it. That's free, and it beats phoning six bondsmen who each take a message.
A fast no is worth more than a hopeful maybe
Most bail bond websites list only what they can do. The problem is that families in a crisis don't know the difference between a county charge, a federal case, and an immigration detainer, so they burn hours getting vague answers from people who won't say no. We'd rather you found this page, understood the situation, and spent that hour on something useful.
Federal charges
Federal cases run through the U.S. District Court, not Denton County, and they don't use the county bail bond system. There's no 10% premium and no county bondsman in the process. Federal release is decided at a detention hearing before a federal magistrate, and conditions are set there.
What to do: a federal criminal defense attorney is the first call. Some agents specialize in federal bonds where one applies, but the attorney should direct that, not a county bondsman.
ICE holds and immigration detainers
This one causes the most heartbreak, so it's worth being precise. If someone has an immigration detainer, posting their county bail may not get them released. They can be held for immigration authorities instead. Families sometimes pay a bond and then discover their person never came home.
What to do: speak to an immigration attorney before paying anything. Immigration bonds are a separate process with separate specialists. Ask us to check whether a detainer exists. We'd much rather flag it than take your money for a release that won't happen.
Juveniles under 17
Texas handles under-17s through the juvenile justice system, which doesn't use bail bonds at all. Release is a decision for a juvenile court and probation department, based on a detention hearing rather than a dollar amount. At 17 and above, someone is handled as an adult and normal bail applies.
What to do: contact Denton County juvenile probation and, if the matter is serious, a defense attorney who handles juvenile cases.
Cases outside Denton County
Texas licenses bondsmen county by county. Ours is Denton County. If a case is filed in Tarrant, Collin, or Dallas County we can't post it. Which comes up constantly on the Frisco and Carrollton pages, since both cities straddle county lines.
What to do: call us to confirm which county actually has the case. That's the part most people can't determine on their own, then engage a bondsman licensed there.
No-bond holds
Sometimes there is no bond to post, because a court hasn't set one. This is common on probation violations, on certain serious charges, and where a hold comes from another jurisdiction. A bondsman can't create a bond a judge hasn't set.
What to do: a defense attorney can ask the court to set a bond. We'll confirm what's on the hold, and we'll be ready to post the moment an amount exists.
Be wary of anyone who won't tell you no. If a bondsman takes a deposit on a federal case, an ICE detainer, or a no-bond hold without explaining the situation first, that's a bad sign. Ask directly: is there a bond amount set, and will posting it actually result in release? A straight operator will answer both.
Two minutes to find out what you're facing
Give us a full legal name and date of birth and we'll check what's actually holding your person, a county charge, a detainer, a no-bond hold, or a case in the wrong county. That call costs nothing, carries no obligation, and ends with you knowing what to do next.
30+ years in Denton County means we've seen every one of these situations. Sometimes the most valuable thing we do is tell someone they need a different kind of help, and point them at it.
Three systems, one confusing night
County, federal and immigration holds look identical from a jail lobby. They are not, and the difference decides whether anyone can help you tonight.
Common questions
How do I know if there's an immigration detainer?
Ask, and ask specifically, a detainer is separate from the criminal charge and won't necessarily be mentioned. We can help check. Do this before paying any bond, because posting bail on the county charge doesn't clear a detainer.
Can you refer me to someone?
We can point you toward the right kind of help, an immigration attorney, a federal defense attorney, juvenile probation, or a bondsman in the correct county. Call and describe the situation; that's a conversation we're glad to have.
My relative is 16. Isn't there any bond?
Not in the bail bond sense. Under 17, Texas uses the juvenile system, where release is decided at a detention hearing by a juvenile court rather than by posting money. Contact Denton County juvenile probation, and get an attorney if the allegation is serious.
Another bondsman said they could do it. Who's right?
Ask them two questions in writing: what bond amount has been set, and will posting it result in release given any other holds. If the answers are vague, be careful. There are legitimate specialists in federal and immigration bonds, but they'll answer those questions directly too.
What if part of the case is in Denton County?
Then we may be able to help with that part. People do sometimes have holds from more than one jurisdiction, and posting one doesn't clear the others. We'll walk through what's there so you understand the whole picture before spending anything.
If your case is a Denton County matter, start with Bail 101 or the FAQ, and here's everywhere we cover.