Misdemeanor Bail Bonds in San Marcos: Class A and B Bonds in Hays County

Bobcat Bail Bonds writes misdemeanor bail bonds in San Marcos and across Hays County, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your family member is held on a Class A or Class B misdemeanor, we can post a surety bond at the Hays County Jail once bail is set. Se habla español.

Need help right now? Call (737) 414-0422. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Se habla español.

How do misdemeanor bail bonds in San Marcos work?

After a misdemeanor arrest in San Marcos, the person must see a magistrate within 48 hours of the arrest. The magistrate sets bail and any conditions. Release can then come through a cash bond, a personal bond if the magistrate grants one, or a surety bond, where a licensed bail bond company like Bobcat posts the bail.

Hays County holds magistrate hearings seven days a week, 365 days a year. Once the bail amount is set, you call us, a bail bondsman goes over the paperwork with you, and we post bail with the jail. The Hays County Corrections Bureau says releases are processed 24 hours a day, and that bonds are processed in the order they are received. We do not promise a release time.

What are the classes of misdemeanor in Texas?

Texas has three classes of misdemeanor. The class decides the most a person can face if convicted, and it also decides which court hears the case. Chapter 12 of the Penal Code sets the ranges, shown here:

A court can order a fine, jail time or both for a Class A or Class B misdemeanor. A Class C misdemeanor is punishable by a fine only. How any of this applies to one person’s charge is a legal question a bail bond company cannot answer.

Class C: often no bail bond at all

Because a Class C charge cannot bring jail time, it is handled differently. Texas law lets an officer give a citation instead of taking the person before a magistrate for a Class C misdemeanor, except for public intoxication. For a few Class A and B charges, such as some low-value thefts, an officer may also give a citation if the person lives in the county. The citation tells the person when and where to appear.

Fine-only cases are heard by a justice of the peace court. When the offense happened inside city limits, a municipal court can hear it too. If your loved one is in custody on a Class C charge alone, call us before you pay anyone. We will tell you straight whether a bail bond is even the right tool.

Where Class A and B cases go in Hays County

Class A and Class B misdemeanors in Hays County are heard in the County Courts at Law. The county lists three of them and says they handle all Class A and B misdemeanor criminal cases. A felony goes to a district court instead; our page on felony bail bonds in San Marcos covers that path.

The first court date is on the bond paperwork, so keep a copy where your loved one can find it. Later dates come from the court. The person has to appear at every setting the court requires, and missing one puts the bond at risk. If you are not sure of a date, confirm it with the court clerk rather than guessing.

Some common misdemeanor arrests have their own page. A first DWI, for example, is generally a Class B misdemeanor; see DWI bail in Hays County for the extra steps it brings.

Personal bond or bail bond: which one applies?

A personal bond is a signed promise to appear, made without sureties or posting the bail money. Texas law lets a magistrate grant one at the magistrate’s discretion. Texas law bars a personal bond for some charges, including offenses involving violence. If a personal bond is granted, you may not need a bail bond company at all.

If it is not granted, or if it is not allowed for the charge, release takes either cash for the full bail or a surety bond. That is the part we handle. When setting bail, the magistrate looks at factors written into Article 17.15, such as the nature of the offense, the person’s ability to make bail and the safety of the community. For the full picture, read how bail bonds work in Hays County.

What to do now if someone is held on a misdemeanor

A few steps get things moving. Here is what helps most:

• Find the person in the jail roster and note the charge and the bail. Our Hays County Jail inmate search guide shows how.
• Check whether the charge is Class A, B or C. The class changes what happens next.
• Ask whether a personal bond was granted or is being considered.
• Have the person’s full name and date of birth ready when you call us.

Bail bond fees are set case by case, and qualified applicants may be eligible for payment plans. If you would rather start in writing, you can start a bail bond online with the details you have. We answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and se habla español.

This page is general information, not legal advice, and it may not fit your situation. Bail law and local procedures change; the sources below show where each fact came from. Bobcat Bail Bonds is a bail bond company, not a law firm. We cannot give legal advice and we do not recommend lawyers.