Felony Bail Bonds in Waco, TX

The felony ladder in Texas

Texas grades felonies in five steps, and each step carries its own punishment range under Chapter 12 of the Penal Code. A state jail felony is 180 days to two years in a state jail facility, plus a possible fine up to $10,000. A third-degree felony is two to ten years. A second-degree felony is two to twenty years. A first-degree felony is five to 99 years or life. A capital felony carries life without parole or death.

Enhancements based on prior convictions, deadly weapon findings, or the category of the alleged victim can move a charge up a level or more. That is why the offense name alone tells you very little about the exposure, and why the bond figure on a state jail felony and a first-degree felony are usually nowhere near each other.

• State jail felony: 180 days to 2 years, fine up to $10,000
• Third degree: 2 to 10 years
• Second degree: 2 to 20 years
• First degree: 5 to 99 years or life
• Capital felony: life without parole or death

Which court your felony lands in

In McLennan County, the felony criminal docket is carried by the 19th and 54th District Courts, which sit at the courthouse and annex at 501 Washington Ave., Waco, TX 76701. The main courthouse number is 254-757-5000. Under Government Code Section 25.1572, a county court at law here can also hold concurrent jurisdiction with the district courts in state jail, third-degree, and second-degree felony cases on assignment from a district judge.

That matters because your setting notices, your bond conditions, and any motion to reduce bond will all come out of the specific court the case is filed in. Get the court and cause number written down the day you post, and confirm the first setting before you leave the jail lobby.

When bail can be denied outright

Bail is not guaranteed on every felony. Texas voters approved Proposition 3 in the November 2025 constitutional amendment election, and the results were proclaimed effective November 19, 2025. It requires judges and magistrates to deny bail to people accused of certain violent or sexual felonies when the state carries its burden at a hearing.

The offenses reached by the amendment include capital murder, murder, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury or involving certain weapons, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child, human trafficking, and continuous human trafficking. The prosecutor must show flight risk by a preponderance of the evidence, and public safety risk by clear and convincing evidence. There has to be a hearing, and the accused is entitled to an attorney at it.

Article 17.03 separately bars a personal bond for a defendant charged with an offense involving violence, and for a defendant charged with certain new offenses while already on bail or community supervision for a violent offense. If you are in that category, a lawyer is not optional.

Felony bond conditions and the 90-day rule

Expect conditions. Article 17.40 lets a magistrate impose any reasonable condition related to victim or community safety, and a bond can be revoked at a hearing if the magistrate finds by a preponderance of the evidence that a condition was violated. When that happens the defendant goes straight back into custody, and the surety is discharged from future liability on the bond.

Article 17.151 provides a backstop for people stuck in jail. If the state is not ready for trial on a felony within 90 days of the start of detention, the defendant must be released on personal bond or the bail must be reduced. There are exceptions, including defendants serving another sentence and defendants held for violating a prior release condition.

Ninety days is a long time to sit. Most families do not wait it out, and posting a surety bond is how the case moves forward with the person at home and working.

Posting a felony bond in McLennan County

The premium on a surety bond in Texas is customarily around 10% of the bond amount, and up to roughly 15% on higher-risk bonds. Felony bonds are where collateral, cosigners, and payment structure actually come into play, because the dollar figures are larger. Chapman's Bail Bonds offers payment plans and free notary service, and they are licensed by the McLennan County Bail Bond Board at 501 Washington Ave., Ste. 110, 254-757-5004.

If collateral is the obstacle, Break 'Em Out Bail Bonds at 254-400-2663 negotiates collateral and does not always require property. That is the alternative worth a call on a large felony bond.

Otherwise, start with Chapman's Bail Bonds at 254-855-9885. They are open 24/7/365, work McLennan County only, and guarantee the bond posted and paperwork turned in within 30 to 45 minutes once the bond is set.