One county portal holds both court files and jail records. Here's the routine:

1. Pull up the jail and court records search in any web browser.
2. If it asks which records you want, pick the jail side.
3. Type a surname. A common one may need the given name too, to trim the results.
4. Tap the best match and read the whole entry slowly.
5. Copy down whatever booking or case number appears. Jail staff can find the file faster with that number.

Page won't load, or the entry leaves out something you need? The detention desk at 325-691-7423 can help. In June 2022 the state put this jail's capacity at 874, so expect several hits on a popular surname.

A blank screen rarely signals bad news. Usual causes:

• Booking isn't finished. Fingerprinting and intake forms at 27th Street come before the online entry.
• They're already out. A relative or bondsman might have covered bond, or a magistrate might have granted release on a promise.
• They were moved. For safety reasons, the jail won't say ahead of time when someone is transferred or extradited.
• The spelling differs. Retry with a shorter first name, a hyphenated surname or any former last name.
• They're 16 or younger. Youth cases go through the juvenile center, which is separate from adult booking.

If city officers made the stop, the police front desk at 4565 South 1st St., Abilene, TX 79605, 325-673-8331, can tell you where they took the person. For any other arrest, ring the jail at 325-691-7423.

Two county lockups serve the area, and each one has its own job:

• Adult Detention Center, 910 S. 27th St., Abilene, TX 79602, 325-691-7423. This is where adults arrested in the county are booked and held. On one day in 2022, the state also counted 26 people from this jail housed in other counties. Call to learn whether your person is one of them.
• Juvenile Justice Center, 889 South 25th Street, Abilene, TX 79602, 325-691-7462. This locked center keeps up to 22 boys and girls, ages 10 to 17, while their juvenile cases move forward. It sits beside the Sheriff's Department.

Arrested just over the county line? Then the sheriff in that county is the one to call. A federal prisoner may be in any jail the U.S. Marshals choose, so check the federal answer below.

We can't promise that the county portal displays booking photos. Mugshots can still be requested in other ways:

• Ask for the booking photo in writing, as a Texas Public Information Act request to the Sheriff (Gov't Code 552.108(c)). Phone 325-674-1300 to learn where it should go.
• Private mugshot sites that charge at least $150 for removal must correct a wrong or partial entry at no charge. Under Business and Commerce Code ch. 109, those sites also must not post expunged or sealed files.
• For a photo snapped by immigration agents, file an ICE FOIA request.
• Federal agencies generally keep booking pictures private. The U.S. Marshals may still publish one, say while a fugitive is on the run.

Texas families can enroll at no cost in Texas IVSS-Counties, the system Texas chose to succeed VINE. Registration works online or by phone at 866-268-8959, staffed day and night in English or Spanish.

After you enroll, a message reaches you when the person's custody status changes, a release included. The jail keeps transfer plans private for security. So a move may only show up once it is done.

Each arrested adult must appear before a magistrate within 48 hours. Locally, Justices of the Peace rotate through these morning hearings, held face to face or by video. The magistrate reads the accusation and rights, helps with the form to ask for a free lawyer, and sets the bond and its conditions.

Texas bonds come in three main kinds. A cash bond means paying the whole amount. A surety bond is bought from a licensed bondsman. A personal bond is a signed promise to return. Certain violent accusations bar the personal bond option. A hold from another county, a parole office or immigration can keep someone in custody even after bond is posted.

Before you head out, ring 325-691-7423 and ask where the bond is accepted and which forms of payment work. Our bail page lays out each step, and for state law in more depth, try our Texas bail laws page.

The jail, at 325-691-7423, can share the booking charges. Formal charges come later, when the prosecutor files them with a clerk:

• Felonies are filed with the District Clerk, 300 Oak St., Suite 400, Abilene, TX 79602, 325-674-1316.
• Class A and B misdemeanors are kept by the County Clerk, 300 Oak St., Suite 100, Abilene, TX 79602, 325-674-1202.
• Fine-only Class C tickets land in a precinct justice court or a municipal court.

The county's records portal at this link may also list the case once it is filed. The Criminal District Attorney decides which charges to pursue.

The easiest moment to ask is the magistrate hearing. The magistrate must help with the request form and forward it within 24 hours. Missed that chance? Jail staff can hand over the indigence form later.

• Under the three-county plan, an appointment should follow within three working days of the request reaching the court.
• Once named, the appointed attorney is expected to reach out within one more working day.
• Many appointments go to a regional public defender office based in San Angelo: 113 W. Beauregard St., 1st Floor, San Angelo, TX 76903, 325-229-4671.
• Questions about an appointment go to the Indigent Defense Coordinator, 300 Oak St., Suite 504, Abilene, TX 79602, 325-738-8541.

A family is always free to hire its own lawyer instead.

The county's visiting page describes three kinds of video visits:

• Local, at no charge: two 30-minute visits a week. The last start time is 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. Weekday and Saturday visits start as early as 8:00 a.m. Sunday visits start at 3:00 p.m.
• Visitors from far away, at no charge: people who live more than 150 miles outside the city limits get two one-hour visits a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. daily. Bring a valid ID and a current utility bill showing that home address.
• From home: as many as you like, at $0.19 a minute, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Sign-ups go through the vendor website the county links. An older county page lists different hours and asks for sign-up at the jail window. So call 325-691-7423 to confirm before you go. Court, sick call or a housing change can bump a visit. See our visitation page too.

There are two separate accounts, and each one is funded its own way:

• Commissary (snacks, hygiene items and the like): use the vendor website the county names, the kiosk in the jail lobby, or the vendor's help line at 855-836-3364. See our commissary page.
• Phone account: load it at the lobby kiosk or through customer service at 877-618-3516.

Never mail cash, checks or money orders. The letter service turns them away. More tips are on our money page.

Inmate phones at the 27th Street jail work from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily, billed at standard rates. Keep the phone account funded, at the lobby kiosk or by dialing 877-618-3516, so your calls can go through.

The county's mail page notes that short typed messages can also travel through the vendor's website. Paid video calls from home run during those same hours. There's more on calling at our phone service page, and on typed notes at our email page.

Handwritten letters never go to 27th Street. A contractor in Maryland receives them at a post office box. Address each envelope exactly this way:

Offender First and Last Name
Offender ID Number
Taylor County Jail, TX
P.O. Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131

• Write "Taylor County Jail, TX" in full, with no abbreviation.
• Put your own first and last name on the envelope. Letters missing details get thrown away.
• The center opens each letter, scans it and sends it to the inmate as email.
• It rejects legal mail, money orders, personal checks, gift cards and cash.

Two kinds of mail skip Maryland and go straight to 910 S. 27th St., Abilene, TX 79602. One is legal mail from a licensed lawyer on the case, which state jail rules say is opened only with the inmate there. The other is books, newspapers and magazines sent by the publisher or an approved seller such as Amazon. Texas jail standards allow an unlimited number of letters. Visit our mail page for more.

Wallets, phones and clothing collected during booking are stored until release day. When they can't collect them themselves, phone 325-691-7423 before making the trip. Questions worth asking first:

1. Has the inmate signed a release naming me?
2. When can I come, and to which window?
3. Is any cash in the property bag, and how is it paid out?

Bring a photo ID. Keep in mind that items held as evidence stay with the police or prosecutor until the case ends.

Call the jail at 325-691-7423 and ask that the concern reach the medical team. Name every medication, the daily amount and the prescribing doctor. Staff may limit what they share about health, but they can still take the facts you give.

When a health issue goes unresolved, families may contact the state commission that inspects county jails at 512-463-5505. The defense attorney may bring medical needs to the court's attention too.

The county's FAQ says warrant questions can't be answered over the phone. So ask at the clerk's counter, or have a lawyer check. The Sheriff's Office at 325-674-1300 serves county warrants. The four precinct constables do too. In the city, the police Street Crimes Unit, 325-673-8331, tracks down people with active warrants. The state lists its top fugitives on DPS Texas 10 Most Wanted.

Before doing anything about a warrant, get a lawyer's view. Next, either surrender at the jail on 27th Street or ring that judge's staff about getting back on the calendar. For felony paperwork, the District Clerk is at 300 Oak St., Suite 400, Abilene, TX 79602, 325-674-1316.

Ask whichever clerk keeps the case. For felonies, that's the District Clerk at 325-674-1316. For misdemeanors, it's the County Clerk at 325-674-1202. Have the case number handy if you found one.

The county's records page links the same portal used for jail lookups. The statewide re:SearchTX site shows filings but leaves out hearing times. For how cases move from charge to trial, read our court guide.

A U.S. charge from this region goes to the federal court's Abilene Division, part of the Northern District of Texas. Find the clerk in the U.S. Courthouse, 341 Pine Street, Room 2008, Abilene, TX 79601, 325-677-6311.

• A few days after arrest, a magistrate judge weighs whether to hold the defendant or release them on conditions until trial (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• Until the case ends, the Marshals decide which jail houses the defendant. Marshals staff work from Room 207 at 341 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601, 325-672-2147.
• Federal prison terms are served under the Bureau of Prisons, whose inmate locator names the facility.

An immigration hold on a 27th Street inmate generally moves in five stages:

1. The detainer reaches jail staff on federal Form I-247A, naming one inmate.
2. From there, the jail may keep that inmate up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)). That window gives agents time to pick them up.
3. Texas made honoring detainers mandatory in 2017. That same law bans cities and counties from rules that hamper immigration enforcement (Gov't Code 752.053).
4. Because of Senate Bill 8, a 2025 law, every Texas county jail needs a signed 287(g) deal with ICE. The signing deadline falls on December 1, 2026.
5. Once agents collect the person, the ICE Online Detainee Locator searches by name and country of birth.

ICE's Dallas Field Office covers North Texas: 8101 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75247, 972-367-2200.

Someone given state prison time often waits at 27th Street until TDCJ has a bed. Intake comes first, with tests and a security rating. A permanent unit that suits them comes next.

The TDCJ inmate search finds them by name or state ID number. Our Texas prisons page explains visits, mail and money for state units.

Texas juvenile court handles offenses by children aged 10 to 16. Family Code 51.02 sends 17-year-olds to adult court.

A detained youth stays at the Juvenile Justice Center, 889 South 25th Street, Abilene, TX 79602, 325-691-7462. Juvenile probation works out of the same building and number. Inside, staff provide medical, mental health and recreation services, and the local school district teaches classes.

• Officers owe a parent quick notice of the arrest (Family Code 52.02).
• Family Code 54.01 requires a detention hearing within two working days, and a lawyer stands with the youth.
• For a teen of 14 or more charged with a grave felony, the juvenile judge may hold a transfer hearing and send the case to adult court (Family Code 54.02).

All of these agencies book adults into the 27th Street jail. For a copy of the arrest report, reach the agency involved:

• Sheriff's Office: 325-674-1300, the non-emergency line. It also runs a School Resource unit.
• Abilene Police Department: 4565 South 1st St., Abilene, TX 79605, 325-673-8331. Records requests are taken weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Merkel Police Department: 100 Kent Street, Merkel, TX 79536, 325-928-4766.
• Tye Police Department: 649 Scott Street, Tye, TX 79563, 325-692-2610.
• Constables: Precinct 1 325-674-1319, Precinct 2 325-271-8176, Precinct 3 325-738-8540, Precinct 4 325-260-9200.
• Abilene Christian University Police: for the campus department's number, ask the Sheriff's Office line above.

Arrested in Buffalo Gap, Impact, Lawn, Trent or Tuscola, or stopped by a state trooper? Call the Sheriff's Office line to learn who handled it.