Kerr County Detention Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Kerr County bail help for families
Here is how bail works in Kerr County, Texas. Arrests are booked at the county jail, run by the sheriff. Inmate search: Kerr County Inmate Search.
How do I find a Kerr County inmate?
The quickest check is the Kerr County Inmate Search.
Arrests here go to the county jail. Call the Kerr County Sheriff's Office, 400 Clearwater Paseo, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830-896-1216).
When you call:
- Give their full legal name.
- Add a birth date, if known.
- Ask whether bail is set.
Staff may not discuss the charges.
Which Kerr County office keeps felony records?
The Kerr County District Clerk is at 700 Main St, Ste 236, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830-792-2281). District courts hear felony cases (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 4.05).
Bond filings for felonies land there.
Ask which payment forms they take.
Which Kerr County courts hear misdemeanors?
The county court or a county court at law hears Class A and B cases (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 4.07). Justice courts take fine-only cases (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 4.11). Municipal courts handle city cases (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 4.14).
Justices of the peace also serve as magistrates (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 2A.151).
Does Kerr County have a bail bond board?
Paid sureties, including bail bond companies, can write bonds here. Smaller counties may create a board (Tex. Occ. Code §1704.052). Without one, a paid surety needs 8 hours of training (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.10(b)). Whoever takes the bond checks the surety (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.11).
A convicted felon may not write bonds for pay (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.10(c)).
Ask the sheriff which sureties are accepted.
After an arrest in Kerr County, who sets bail?
The arrested person goes before a magistrate within 48 hours (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17). This can happen by video from the jail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17). The bail decision must come by then too (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.028).
Release on jailable charges needs a magistrate with state training (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.023).
The magistrate also explains the right to a lawyer (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 15.17).
Why does a Kerr County magistrate check a report?
For Class B and above, a public safety report is required (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.022). It lists past cases, warrants, and missed court dates (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.021). It is due within 48 hours of arrest (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.022).
Bail is set only after the report is considered (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.022).
Does Kerr County grant release without money?
Sometimes. A personal bond is a signed promise to appear (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03). Magistrates must use the least restrictive terms that work (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.028).
It is not allowed for:
- Charges on the violent offense list (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03).
- Unlawful gun possession by a felon (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03).
- Violating a protective order (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03).
The delay rule is an exception (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151).
What bond options exist in Kerr County?
Common types include:
- Personal bond: release on a signed promise (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03).
- Cash bond: cash deposited for the whole bond (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.02).
- Surety bond: a bondsman or other surety guarantees it (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.11).
- Property bond: the surety states what property backs it (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.13).
Each surety needs assets of twice the amount (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.11).
What counts when bail is set in Kerr County?
The magistrate weighs these:
- Enough to assure appearance, but not oppressive (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
- The nature of the offense, including any violence (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
- Whether the person can afford it (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
- Risk to the victim and the public (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
- The record and past failures to appear (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
- Whether the person is a citizen (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
A person who cannot pay may file an affidavit (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.028).
When might Kerr County hold someone without bail?
Most people have a right to bail (Tex. Const. art. I, §11). Capital cases with evident proof are the long-standing exception (Tex. Const. art. I, §11).
Bail may also be refused when:
- The accused has two prior felonies (Tex. Const. art. I, §11a).
- The person was already on bail for a felony (Tex. Const. art. I, §11a).
- A release condition tied to safety is broken (Tex. Const. art. I, §11b).
- Someone violates a protective order in a family case (Tex. Const. art. I, §11c).
A district judge holds a hearing first (Tex. Const. art. I, §11a).
Did Proposition 3 change bail in Kerr County?
Voters approved Proposition 3 on Nov. 4, 2025 (Tex. Const. art. I, §11d). It covers murder, aggravated robbery, and similar charges (Tex. Const. art. I, §11d). Bail must be denied if the State proves the risk (Tex. Const. art. I, §11d).
For flight risk, the bar is a preponderance (Tex. Const. art. I, §11d). Safety risk needs clear and convincing proof (Tex. Const. art. I, §11d).
The person has a right to counsel at that hearing (Tex. Const. art. I, §11d).
Who sets bail if a new Kerr County felony happens on bond?
Only the earlier court, or its pick, may set bail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.027). That court may revoke or change the old bond (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.027(a-1)).
Since 2025, prosecutors may ask a district judge to review felony bail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.029).
Review comes by the next business day (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.029).
With no probable cause finding, can Kerr County keep someone?
After a warrantless arrest, a magistrate must find probable cause (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.033).
- For a misdemeanor, release by hour 24, bond up to $5,000 (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.033(a)).
- For a felony, release by hour 48, bond up to $10,000 (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.033(b)).
Those who cannot pay get a personal bond (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.033). Prosecutors can seek up to 72 hours (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.033(c)).
Can delay lead to release in Kerr County?
If the State is not ready, release comes after:
- 90 days for a felony (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151).
- Class A misdemeanor: 30 days (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151).
- Class B misdemeanor: 15 days (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151).
- 5 days for a fine-only case (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151).
Release is by personal bond or lower bail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151). It does not cover safety-condition violations (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.151).
What rules come with a Kerr County bond?
Bond can carry conditions for safety (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.40). These include curfew and electronic monitoring (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.43). Some must pass drug tests (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.44).
A repeat DWI usually means an interlock device (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.441).
A violation can end the bond after a hearing (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.40).
Are family violence bonds different in Kerr County?
Expect a magistrate's emergency protection order (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.292). With a deadly weapon or serious injury, it is required (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.292). Bond can add no-contact and GPS terms (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.49).
A violation may lead to denial of bail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.152).
For violent charges, a magistrate sets bail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.20(d)).
How do we change bail in Kerr County?
Bail can be changed for good cause (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.09). The usual step is a written motion to the trial court. Show what the family can pay (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15).
Felony filings go to the District Clerk.
Is missing court in Kerr County a crime?
First, the court calls the name at the door (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.02). Then a judgment nisi forfeits the bond (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.02).
- On a felony, it is a third-degree felony (Tex. Penal Code §38.10).
- On a misdemeanor, it is a Class A misdemeanor (Tex. Penal Code §38.10).
- On a fine-only case, it is a Class C misdemeanor (Tex. Penal Code §38.10).
Call the court or a lawyer right away.
How does forfeiture work in Kerr County?
Sureties get a citation to answer (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.03). Some reasons excuse the surety, like illness (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.13). A remittitur may return some money (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 22.16).
Sureties can return the person to jail (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.16).
Do we get Kerr County bond money back?
The person on the cash receipt gets the refund (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.02). Fees and costs may be taken out (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.02). The fee paid to a bondsman stays with them.
Ask in writing; collateral is due within 30 days (Tex. Occ. Code §1704.301).
Keep the receipt (Tex. Occ. Code §1704.305).
What if a teen is arrested in Kerr County?
A child goes to a juvenile office or is released (Tex. Fam. Code §52.02). Release to a parent is common (Tex. Fam. Code §52.02). A detention hearing follows by the second working day (Tex. Fam. Code §54.01).
The juvenile judge sets release terms instead (Tex. Fam. Code §54.01).
How are federal arrests in Kerr County handled?
Federal cases from Kerr County go to the San Antonio Division of the Western District (28 U.S.C. §124). A U.S. magistrate judge decides release (18 U.S.C. §3142).
Court sits at San Antonio.
Before going to a Kerr County office, what should I confirm?
Hours, fees, and payment types can change.
Call before you go.
- Bring a photo ID.
- Have the case number ready.
- Ask how payment can be made.
Laws change. A lawyer can confirm details.
Kerr County bail contacts
- Sheriff
- Kerr County Sheriff's Office, 400 Clearwater Paseo, Kerrville, TX 78028, 830-896-1216
- District Clerk
- 700 Main St, Ste 236, Kerrville, TX 78028, 830-792-2281
- Federal court
- U.S. District Court, Western District, San Antonio Division (San Antonio)
- Bail bond board
- Not required; ask the sheriff about approved sureties
- Inmate search
- Kerr County Inmate Search
Judges and magistrates set release terms case by case. Nothing here is legal advice.
Kerr County Detention Center
Address:
400 Clearwater Paseo
Kerrville, TX 78028
Phone:
830-896-1257