Penal Code § 20.02(c)(1) · State jail felony

UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT LESS THAN 17 YRS OF AGE

Unlawful Restraint Less Than 17 Yrs of Age in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.

$10,000
Median cash bail
3%
Released on personal bond
653
Bail records

What “UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT LESS THAN 17 YRS OF AGE” means

Texas Penal Code § 20.02 defines unlawful restraint as intentionally or knowingly restraining another person — restricting the person's movements without consent, by moving or confining the person, in a way that substantially interferes with the person's liberty. For a child younger than 14, restraint is without consent if accomplished by any means, including the child's own acquiescence, when the parent or guardian has not agreed. This variant, § 20.02(c)(1), applies when the person restrained was a child younger than 17 years of age, raising the offense from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony. The statute supplies affirmative defenses aimed at family and near-peer situations: a relative who restrains a child under 14 with the sole intent of assuming lawful control of the child, and an actor no more than three years older than a child of 14 to 16 who uses no force, intimidation, or deception.

Charged asShare of bail recordsPossible confinementFineSource
State jail felony100% 180 days to 2 years in a state jail Fine up to $10,000 Penal Code § 12.35

Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.

Bail for UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT LESS THAN 17 YRS OF AGE in Texas

Across 653 Texas bail settings for this charge (6 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $10,000 (middle half: $3,500 – $25,000). 3% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 11 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (69 records), the median was $15,000 and 9% got a personal bond.

CountyRecordsMedian cash bailMiddle halfPersonal bondDenied
Tarrant 92 $4,500 $2,500 – $15,000 0% 0%
Travis 50 $10,000 $7,500 – $15,000 10% 0%
Navarro 41 $2,000 $2,000 – $2,500 0% 0%
Dallas 40 $12,500 $9,375 – $50,000 0% 0%
Denton 38 $5,000 $3,000 – $23,000 0% 0%

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.

Recent UNLAWFUL RESTRAINT LESS THAN 17 YRS OF AGE cases

CaseCountyFiledDisposedOutcome
19,144BastropApr 8, 2025Aug 19, 2026Guilty or no-contest plea
19,144BastropApr 8, 2025Aug 19, 2026Guilty or no-contest plea
F-22-16676DallasAug 21, 2023Aug 4, 2026Deferred adjudication
NA26-713ComalJul 28, 2026Jul 28, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
F-25-59248DallasOct 21, 2025May 12, 2026Deferred adjudication
105583-CRBrazoriaFeb 5, 2026May 1, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
F-25-34582DallasNov 17, 2025Feb 26, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
F-25-51447DallasJun 16, 2025Nov 24, 2025Dismissed by the prosecutor
F-24-47319DallasMar 27, 2024Oct 16, 2025Dismissed by the prosecutor
F-25-75286DallasMay 5, 2025Aug 20, 2025Guilty or no-contest plea

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Bail 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.