Code of Criminal Procedure · Art. 17.03

Personal Bond

Personal Bond (Art. 17.03): key points and worked practice questions for Texas peace officer exam preparation.

Key points

  • Written promise to appear
  • No security deposit required
  • Barred for offenses involving violence (art. 17.03(b-2))
  • Certain offenses: only the trial court may grant (art. 17.03(b))

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Worked examples

Worked example 1

A 'personal bond' (Art. 17.03) is:

  1. A bond with surety
  2. A written promise to appear without a security deposit; barred for defendants charged with an offense involving violence (with limited statutory exceptions) Correct
  3. A cash-only bond
  4. A bond payable only by the defendant's family
Why: A personal bond is the defendant's written promise to appear, without a security deposit. Under art. 17.03(b-2), except as provided by arts. 15.21, 17.032, 17.033, and 17.151, a defendant charged with an offense involving violence may not be released on personal bond at all. For certain other offenses listed in art. 17.03(b), only the court before which the case is pending may grant a personal bond.
Statute: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03

Statutory definitions for this topic

Personal bond Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.03
A bond made by the accused alone, without sureties, by which he promises to appear at trial. No security deposit required. Barred for a defendant charged with an offense involving violence, with limited exceptions (art. 17.03(b-2)); for certain other offenses only the trial court may grant it (art. 17.03(b)).