MCLENNAN COUNTY CHARGE GUIDE
Probation Violation Bonds in Waco, TX
Probation violations are the hardest category to bond out of, and sometimes there is nothing to bond at all until a judge acts. Chapman's Bail Bonds will check the hold for you at 254-855-9885.
How a violation turns into a warrant
The chain usually starts with the probation officer. The officer reports alleged violations to the prosecutor, who decides whether to file a formal motion. If the defendant is on straight community supervision after a conviction, the filing is a Motion to Revoke Probation. If the defendant is on deferred adjudication, it is a Motion to Adjudicate Guilt. Either one is presented to the judge, and a warrant for arrest generally follows.
Common allegations are positive drug screens, missed reporting appointments, unpaid fees, incomplete community service, and new criminal charges. The motion lists the specific allegations, which is why getting a copy matters more than guessing.
Why it often says no bond
This is the part families find hardest to accept. A person facing a motion to revoke straight probation has no right to a bond, and many judges will not independently set one when the motion is filed. The technical reason is that a person on straight probation has already been convicted and sentenced, so the pretrial bail framework does not apply the same way it does to a new accusation.
That means a bondsman cannot post anything until a judge sets an amount. Anyone who tells you they can get someone out of a no-bond revocation hold is not being straight with you. What can happen is that a defense attorney files a motion asking the court to set a bond, and if the judge sets one, a bondsman posts it.
Deferred adjudication cases sit in a different posture than straight probation cases, which is one more reason the exact status matters. A lawyer can tell you which one you are in. We cannot give legal advice on it.
What a new charge does on top
If the violation is a new arrest, there are now two matters running side by side: the new case with its own bail decision under Article 17.028, and the revocation motion on the old case. Posting bond on the new charge does not release someone who is also held on a revocation warrant. The hold has to be cleared separately.
Article 17.03 also bars a personal bond for a defendant who, while released on bail or community supervision for an offense involving violence, is charged with any new felony or with assault, deadly conduct, terroristic threat, or firearm-related disorderly conduct. And Article 17.151, the delay-based release provision, does not apply to a defendant being detained for violating conditions of a previous release related to victim or community safety.
Sequence matters here. Ask the jail or your bondsman what every hold is before you pay anything, so you are not buying a release that will not happen.
What you can actually do tonight
Three things. Find out exactly what is on the person's record at the jail, including whether a bond amount exists on any of it. Get a defense attorney who practices in the 19th or 54th District Court or the County Courts at Law at 501 Washington Ave., Waco, 254-757-5000, depending on where the original case sits. And start gathering the paperwork that answers the allegations, because a revocation hearing is about specific alleged violations.
A bonding agency can do the first part in a phone call. They pull records at the jail every day and can tell you whether there is a bondable amount or a straight hold.
- Confirm every hold and whether a bond amount is set
- Get a copy of the motion and its specific allegations
- Hire a defense attorney for the revocation hearing
- Collect proof of compliance: pay stubs, receipts, class certificates
- Do not miss any reporting date that is still in effect
If a bond does get set
When a judge sets a bond on a revocation matter, it is often higher than the original bond in the case, because the court is looking at a record that now includes an alleged violation. On a surety bond the premium is customarily around 10% of the amount, up to roughly 15% on higher-risk bonds, and a revocation is by definition higher risk.
Break 'Em Out Bail Bonds at 254-400-2663 keeps collateral negotiable and says no bond is too large, which is relevant if the number comes back big.
Chapman's Bail Bonds at 254-855-9885 will check the hold, tell you plainly whether anything is bondable, and post it the moment it is. They are at 700 E. Waco Dr., open 24/7/365, with payment plans, free notary, and a 30 to 45 minute posting guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
can you bond out on a motion to revoke probation in Texas
Only if a judge sets a bond. A person facing a motion to revoke straight probation has no right to a bond, and many judges do not set one when the motion is filed. A defense attorney can ask the court to set one.
what is the difference between MTR and MTAG
A Motion to Revoke applies to someone on straight community supervision after a conviction. A Motion to Adjudicate Guilt applies to someone on deferred adjudication, where guilt was never formally adjudicated. The procedural posture differs, including on bond.
does posting bond on a new charge get someone out of a probation hold
No. Each hold has to be cleared separately. If a revocation warrant is in place, the person stays in custody on that hold even after the new charge is bonded.
how long can someone sit in jail on a revocation warrant
There is no fixed period, and the 90-day delay-based release provision in Article 17.151 does not apply to a defendant detained for violating conditions of a prior release related to victim or community safety. This is why a defense attorney matters more than a bondsman here.
can a bondsman find out if there is a bond amount
Yes. Chapman's Bail Bonds pulls McLennan County jail records daily and will tell you at 254-855-9885 whether the hold is bondable, at no cost and with no obligation.