Dallas County Bail Amounts by Charge Type: What to Expect
Provides typical bail amount ranges for the most common charges in Dallas County — DWI, drug possession, assault, theft, domestic violence, and felony offenses — based on charge classification and aggravating factors.
Bail amounts in Dallas County are not set by a fixed statewide schedule—Texas does not mandate specific bail amounts for specific charges. Instead, magistrates at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center use a recommended bond schedule as a starting point, then adjust based on the individual circumstances of each case as required by Article 17.15 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. The recommended schedule provides baseline amounts tied to the offense classification, but the final bail amount can be higher or lower depending on the defendant’s criminal history, flight risk, community ties, and the severity of the specific allegations within the charge.
For Class B misdemeanors—which include first-offense DWI, criminal trespass, and theft of property valued between $100 and $750—bail in Dallas County typically starts in the range of $1,000 to $3,000. Class A misdemeanors such as assault causing bodily injury, second-offense DWI, and unlawful carrying of a weapon generally carry bail amounts ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. State jail felonies, including possession of a controlled substance in Penalty Group 1 (one gram to four grams), typically see bail amounts from $5,000 to $20,000. Third-degree felonies, second-degree felonies, and first-degree felonies carry progressively higher bail amounts, with first-degree felony bail in Dallas County averaging over $100,000 for offenses like aggravated robbery or aggravated assault.
These ranges are general guidelines, and actual bail amounts in Dallas County can vary significantly. A defendant with no criminal history and strong ties to the Dallas community may receive bail at the lower end of the range, while a defendant with prior convictions, pending charges, or a history of failing to appear will likely face higher amounts. The magistrate also weighs victim safety, particularly in domestic violence and sexual assault cases. For an estimate of what bail might look like for a specific charge, contact Act Quick Bail Bonds at (214) 744-1414.