Bond conditions in Tarrant County: how they are set, monitored, and modified

By Reggie London & Njeri LondonState Bar of Texas #24043514 · #24043266 · Reviewed June 6, 2026 · ~7 min read · 1,541 words

In Tarrant County, bond conditions are set at the article 15.17 magistration at the Fort Worth Corrections Center and supervised by Tarrant County Pretrial Services. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 17.40 governs both their imposition and their modification, and specialty courts can substitute their own program-based conditions.

What bond conditions are — and why Tarrant County uses them

When someone is arrested in Tarrant County, the first court appearance happens at the Tarrant County Corrections Center magistrate court (jail magistration). Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 17.40 lets that magistrate impose conditions on bond "that are reasonably necessary to ensure the defendant's appearance at trial and the safety of the community." Those conditions ride with the bond until the case is disposed.

Bond conditions in Tarrant County range from routine reporting (pretrial check-ins, no new offenses) to highly restrictive (no-contact orders with named alleged victims, surrender of firearms, GPS or ignition interlock, residency restrictions, and electronic monitoring with curfew).

Violating a bond condition is independent legal exposure. It can trigger a motion to revoke under article 17.40(b) and, in family-violence cases, a separate misdemeanor under Penal Code § 25.07.

How bond is set at the article 15.17 magistration

Texas requires that an arrested person be brought before a magistrate within 48 hours of arrest. In Tarrant County, magistration runs around the clock at the Corrections Center on West Belknap Street in downtown Fort Worth, handled by rotating magistrate judges.

At magistration, the magistrate (a) informs the person of the charges and rights, (b) decides probable cause for continued detention, (c) sets bond using the article 17.15 factors, and (d) imposes conditions under article 17.40 where appropriate. The Tarrant County bond schedule is the magistrate's starting point, but article 17.15 requires individualized consideration of ability to pay, the offense charged, criminal history, community safety, and victim safety before fixing an amount.

Defense counsel can appear at the article 15.17 hearing or coordinate with Tarrant County Pretrial Services beforehand to argue for a lower bond, a personal-recognizance (PR) bond, or specific conditions that keep the client employed. Non-violent misdemeanor cases with stable employment and no significant criminal history are typical PR-bond candidates.

Conditions you should expect to see in Tarrant County

Common conditions imposed by Tarrant County magistrates and county-court-at-law judges include:

• Pretrial Services reporting — weekly check-ins for most felony cases; bi-weekly or monthly for misdemeanors.
• No new criminal offenses — default on every bond.
• No-contact orders with named alleged victims (mandatory under article 17.292 in family-violence arrests; discretionary otherwise).
• Surrender firearms for the duration of the bond (mandatory in family-violence cases under article 17.292 and federal Lautenberg).
• Drug or alcohol testing — random urinalysis through a county-approved lab; cost typically falls on the defendant.
• Ignition-interlock device in DWI cases with a prior, DWI-with-BAC-≥-.15 cases, and any DWI involving a minor passenger (CCP art. 17.441 makes this mandatory in most repeat DWI cases).
• SCRAM or continuous-alcohol monitoring — used in serious DWI and assault-family-violence-with-alcohol cases.
• GPS or electronic monitoring — common in high-bond felony cases and family-violence assault cases.
• Travel restrictions — surrender of passport for federal cases or any state case where flight risk is alleged.
• Curfew — most often paired with electronic monitoring.
• Stay-away orders from specified residences, schools, or workplaces.

Family-violence cases get a magistrate's order for emergency protection (MOEP) under article 17.292 at magistration. The MOEP can run up to 91 days and is independent of any later Family-Code protective order.

Who supervises bond conditions in Tarrant County

Tarrant County Pretrial Services — part of the Community Supervision and Corrections Department — supervises defendants released on PR bonds and many defendants released on surety bonds with reporting conditions. Pretrial Services tracks compliance, monitors drug-testing results, runs criminal-history checks for new arrests, and files notices of violation with the court.

The bondsman (or the defendant on a cash bond) is independently responsible for ensuring court appearance. Substantive condition violations go through Pretrial Services to the prosecutor; the prosecutor decides whether to file a motion to revoke or modify.

Tarrant County's higher volume means Pretrial Services has dedicated units for family violence, mental health, and high-risk supervision. Defendants in those categories may be assigned to a specialized officer with additional reporting requirements.

Modifying a bond condition: the article 17.40 motion

Either side can move to modify a bond condition at any time. The defense typically files when a condition becomes unworkable — a no-driving condition that blocks a client from getting to work, a no-alcohol condition that conflicts with the defendant's hospitality job.

The motion is filed in the court of jurisdiction (the County Criminal Court at Law for misdemeanors; the Criminal District Court — 213th, 297th, 371st, 372nd, 396th, or 432nd — for felonies). The defense usually attaches employer letters, proposed alternative conditions, and any documentation showing compliance with the existing bond. The court holds a brief hearing, often by Zoom, and rules on the record.

Section 17.40(b) requires bond conditions to be reasonable and proportional to the State's interest. A condition that is no longer necessary — or has become punitive — should be modified or removed. Conditions like passport surrender or GPS are easier to modify after a defendant demonstrates a stretch of compliance.

When a bond condition is violated

Article 17.40(b) authorizes the trial court, on a motion to revoke or modify, to (a) issue a warrant, (b) increase the bond, (c) add additional conditions, or (d) revoke the bond entirely and order the defendant returned to custody.

Prosecutorial response depends on severity. A missed drug test or late check-in often draws a written warning followed by an added condition (such as SCRAM). A positive drug test, new arrest, or contact with an alleged victim in violation of a no-contact condition is far more likely to trigger an immediate motion to revoke.

In family-violence cases, contact with the named victim — even at the victim's request — can be charged independently as a violation of a protective order under Penal Code § 25.07, a Class A misdemeanor (or third-degree felony with two priors).

Procedural details that are particular to Tarrant County

Local-practice points that come up often in Tarrant:

• Magistration runs 24/7 at the Corrections Center. Family members trying to attend should call the Sheriff's office to confirm timing for a specific defendant.
• The Tarrant County bond schedule is the magistrate's starting point but not the ceiling. Defense counsel can and should argue downward at magistration using article 17.15 factors.
• Pretrial Services intake typically happens within 24-72 hours of release. Defendants who skip intake are routinely returned to custody on a Pretrial Services hold.
• Specialty courts — Tarrant operates Drug Court, Veterans Court, Mental Health Court, and DWI Court. Bond conditions for participants are governed by the specialty-court contract and can be more restrictive than baseline article 17.40 conditions, but often replace incarceration on revocation.
• Bond-modification motions in the misdemeanor County Criminal Courts at Law are commonly set within seven to ten days. Felony district-court motions typically take two to four weeks depending on the court's docket.
• Tarrant County uses centralized e-filing for bond motions; a call to the court coordinator can expedite time-sensitive employment or housing motions.

Cited authorities

• Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17 — magistration / first appearance.
• Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15 — factors for setting bond.
• Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.40 — conditions related to victim or community safety.
• Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.441 — ignition-interlock condition for DWI.
• Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.292 — magistrate's order for emergency protection (MOEP).
• Tex. Penal Code § 25.07 — violation of protective order / bond condition in family-violence case.

Related resources

• Bond conditions in Denton County, Texas — counterpart for the northern DFW county.
• Bond conditions in Collin County, Texas — counterpart for the McKinney intake court.
• Texas Bond Amount Estimator — predicts bond ranges by charge and county.
• DWI defense — interlock conditions and DWI-specific bond practice.
• Family-violence defense — covers MOEPs and § 25.07 prosecutions.

Statutes referenced

• Magistration / first appearance — Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17 (read statute).
• Factors for setting bond — Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15 (read statute).
• Conditions related to safety — Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.40 (read statute).
• Ignition-interlock condition — Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.441 (read statute).
• Magistrate's Order for Emergency Protection — Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.292 (read statute).
• Violation of bond condition — Tex. Penal Code § 25.07 (read statute).

Statutes cited are current through the 2026 regular session of the Texas Legislature. Verify the latest text on statutes.capitol.texas.gov before relying on any provision in active litigation.

Frequently asked questions

Related on L and L Law Group

• Denton County bond conditions counterpart
• Collin County bond conditions counterpart
• Texas Bond Amount Estimator
• DWI defense
• Family-violence defense

Topic cluster: This article is part of the Criminal Defense practice cluster. Browse the complete directory for every related guide.

Unfamiliar with a term? Look it up in our Texas criminal-law glossary or the DefinedTerm reference.

About the authors

Reggie London

Co-Founding Partner · Texas Bar #24043514

Co-founder of L and L Law Group, PLLC. Licensed in Texas since 2005. Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Handles state and federal criminal defense across the nine DFW counties.

Njeri London

Co-Founding Partner · Texas Bar #24043266

Co-founder of L and L Law Group, PLLC. Licensed in Texas since 2005. Trial-trained criminal defense attorney with deep experience in family-violence and licensing-intersection matters. Practices statewide.

L and L Law Group, PLLC publishes this material as legal information, not legal advice. Our editorial policy describes how we verify and update content.

Not legal advice. This article is general information about Texas criminal law and procedure. Every case turns on its specific facts. If you face a criminal charge, retain counsel licensed in Texas before any contact with law enforcement, prosecutors, or magistrates. Call (972) 370-5060 for a free consultation with L and L Law Group, PLLC.