Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 17.032 – Release On Personal Bond of Certain Defendants With Mental Illness or Intellectual Disability
(a) In this article, “violent offense” means an offense under the following sections of the Penal Code:
(1) § 19.02 (murder);
(2) § 19.03 (capital murder);
(3) § 20.03 (kidnapping);
(4) § 20.04 (aggravated kidnapping);
(5) § 21.11 (indecency with a child);
(6) § 22.01(a)(1) (assault), if the offense involved family violence as defined by § 71.004, Family Code;
(7) § 22.011 (sexual assault);
(8) § 22.02 (aggravated assault);
(9) § 22.021 (aggravated sexual assault);
(10) § 22.04 (injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual);
(11) § 29.03 (aggravated robbery);
(12) § 21.02 (continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual); or
(13) Section 20A.03 (continuous trafficking of persons).
(b) Notwithstanding Article 17.03(b), or a bond schedule adopted or a standing order entered by a judge, a magistrate shall release a defendant on personal bond unless good cause is shown otherwise if:
(1) the defendant is not charged with and has not been previously convicted of a violent offense;
(2) the defendant is examined by the service provider that contracts with the jail to provide mental health or intellectual and developmental disability services, the local mental health authority, the local intellectual and developmental disability authority, or another qualified mental health or intellectual and developmental disability expert under Article 16.22;
(3) the applicable expert, in a written report submitted to the magistrate under Article 16.22:
(A) concludes that the defendant has a mental illness or is a person with an intellectual disability and is nonetheless competent to stand trial; and
(B) recommends mental health treatment or intellectual and developmental disability services for the defendant, as applicable;
(4) the magistrate determines, in consultation with the local mental health authority or local intellectual and developmental disability authority, that appropriate community-based mental health or intellectual and developmental disability services for the defendant are available in accordance with § 534.053 or 534.103, Health and Safety Code, or through another mental health or intellectual and developmental disability services provider; and
(5) the magistrate finds, after considering all the circumstances, a pretrial risk assessment, if applicable, and any other credible information provided by the attorney representing the state or the defendant, that release on personal bond would reasonably ensure the defendant’s appearance in court as required and the safety of the community and the victim of the alleged offense.
Terms Used In Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 17.032
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) The magistrate, unless good cause is shown for not requiring treatment or services, shall require as a condition of release on personal bond under this article that the defendant submit to outpatient or inpatient mental health treatment or intellectual and developmental disability services as recommended by the service provider that contracts with the jail to provide mental health or intellectual and developmental disability services, the local mental health authority, the local intellectual and developmental disability authority, or another qualified mental health or intellectual and developmental disability expert if the defendant’s:
(1) mental illness or intellectual disability is chronic in nature; or
(2) ability to function independently will continue to deteriorate if the defendant does not receive the recommended treatment or services.
(d) In addition to a condition of release imposed under Subsection (c), the magistrate may require the defendant to comply with other conditions that are reasonably necessary to ensure the defendant’s appearance in court as required and the safety of the community and the victim of the alleged offense.
(e) In this article, a person is considered to have been convicted of an offense if:
(1) a sentence is imposed;
(2) the person is placed on community supervision or receives deferred adjudication; or
(3) the court defers final disposition of the case.