Opinion No.

The Honorable Ken Armbrister Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources Texas State Senate P.O. Box 12068 Austin, Texas 78711

Re: Authority of a judge or magistrate to attach a financial condition to a personal bond or to permit a cash deposit of less than the full bail amount (RQ-0618-JC)

Dear Senator Armbrister:

You ask whether a judge or magistrate may permit or require a defendant to deposit cash with the court in less than the full amount of bail set by the court, or to attach a financial condition to a personal bond.

Your question is prompted by what you characterize as the apparent…