Our Role
- Pretrial Officers interview defendants in custody at the Travis County Jail and make recommendations to the Court regarding release on Personal Bond, and which conditions, if any, should be required of the defendant if he/she is released. The Court decides whether to grant release on Personal Bond and orders the conditions of release.
- Pretrial Officers collect information from defendants, both in custody and out-of-custody, so that the Court can make an informed decision about a defendant's indigence status and whether he/she qualifies for court-appointed counsel.
- Pretrial Officers conduct bond interviews of defendants who report to Court pursuant to a Field Release Citation issued by law enforcement as allowed by the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure §14.06 (c).
- The Pretrial Investigations Unit is staffed 365 days per year, 20 hours per day (6:00 AM - 2:00 AM), and is open to the public Monday through Friday 7:30 AM - 8:30 PM, and weekends and holidays 8:00 AM - 8:30 PM.
- We provide information to the public regarding the status of defendants who were interviewed for Personal Bond.
Elements of a Pretrial Services Investigation
- Collecting information from defendant regarding residence, employment, and references
- Verifying information, including employment, with references
- Conducting a criminal history check
- Obtaining a summary of the allegations against the defendant
- Obtaining input from the Complaining Witness concerning the defendant's possible release in most victim-oriented offenses (i.e. Family Violence Cases)
For more information please read the FAQs.
