BAIL JUMPING AND FAIL TO APPEAR
Bail Jumping and Fail to Appear in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “BAIL JUMPING AND FAIL TO APPEAR” means
Texas Penal Code § 38.10 defines bail jumping and failure to appear. The State must prove that the defendant was lawfully released from custody, with or without bail, on the condition that the defendant subsequently appear, and that the defendant intentionally or knowingly failed to appear in accordance with the terms of the release. The statute makes it a defense that the required appearance was incident to community supervision, parole, or an intermittent sentence, and a separate defense that the defendant had a reasonable excuse for the failure to appear. Subsection (d), the provision cited on court records, is the grading provision that classifies the offense as a Class A misdemeanor in the ordinary case — where the offense for which appearance was required was neither punishable by fine only, which is covered by subsection (e), nor classified as a felony, which is covered by subsection (f).
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
Bail for BAIL JUMPING AND FAIL TO APPEAR in Texas
Across 7,828 Texas bail settings for this charge (50 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $4,000 (middle half: $2,000 – $5,000). 3% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 616 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (1,571 records), the median was $4,000 and 3% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | 966 | $2,500 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 4% | 3% |
| Howard | 715 | $2,500 | $1,500 – $5,000 | 1% | 5% |
| Bandera | 573 | $2,000 | $2,000 – $5,000 | 3% | 4% |
| Angelina | 320 | $1,500 | $1,500 – $5,000 | 18% | 0% |
| Travis | 318 | $4,000 | $2,000 – $7,500 | 10% | 32% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
How real BAIL JUMPING AND FAIL TO APPEAR cases ended
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
Related charges
Charged with BAIL JUMPING AND FAIL TO APPEAR?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.