Bexar County Jail Inmate Search

There are a few ways to help locate someone recently arrested. Here are some links to help you.
• Use the official Bexar County Central Magistrate Search
• For arrests over 48 hrs use the Jail Search
• Call the Bexar County Jail Information Desk 210-335-6201
• To speed up the process when calling, have the person’s name, DOB and/or SID number

What Happens After an Arrest in Bexar County

After an arrest in San Antonio or elsewhere in Bexar County, a person is usually taken to the Bexar County Adult Detention Center to be booked into jail. However, booking does not always happen immediately.

Depending on the situation, officers may first take the person in for questioning or conduct additional investigation. In DWI cases, for example, officers will usually complete breath or blood testing before the individual is formally booked into jail.

Booking and Processing

Once a person arrives at the jail, they must go through the booking process. During booking, law enforcement records identifying information, fingerprints the individual, and enters the arrest into the jail system.

If it is a person’s first arrest, the process may take longer because they must be entered into the system and assigned a State Identification Number (SID).

Magistration and Bond

After booking, the arrested person must wait to see a magistrate judge. This hearing is called magistration, where the judge reviews the charges and sets a bond amount.

If someone is arrested by the San Antonio Police Department, they may actually go through two magistration hearings. The first may occur before a city magistrate, and then the person will be transported to the Bexar County Jail where a county magistrate reviews the case again. This additional step can slow down how quickly a bond is set.

A person cannot post bond until the magistrate hearing has taken place.

Posting Bond and Release from Jail

Once the bond amount is set, the person can arrange for their release by posting bond. In many cases, families work with a bail bondsman or an attorney who provides attorney bonds.

Typically, the cost to post bond is about 10% of the total bond amount, although the exact fee can vary depending on the person’s history and residency status. For example, a $5,000 bond may cost approximately $500 plus administrative fees.

After a bond is posted, release from the Bexar County Jail can still take time. In most cases, the release process takes between 6 and 48 hours, depending on jail processing and the number of people awaiting release.

Bondsman vs. Attorney Bonds

When working with a bail bondsman, the payment made is strictly for the service of posting the bond.

In some situations, a criminal defense attorney may also post an attorney bond. In those cases, the payment can apply not only to securing release from jail but also toward legal representation in the case.

How to Get Someone Out of Bexar County Jail

If someone you care about has been arrested in Bexar County, the next step is usually posting a bond so they can be released from jail.

Our firm provides Attorney Bonds, which means you can hire a lawyer who can also post the bond to secure release from the Bexar County Jail. In many cases this allows families to begin working with a defense attorney immediately while arranging for the person’s release.

Attorney bonds work similarly to bail bonds through a bondsman, but the difference is that you are hiring a criminal defense lawyer who can begin working on the case right away.

If you need help getting someone released from jail, contact our office now.

Call (210) 212-8888 to speak with a San Antonio criminal defense lawyer.

If you need to get someone released quickly, read our guide on how to get someone out of Bexar County Jail.

If you need help with a criminal charge, learn more about:

DWI Defense
Drug Possession Defense
Assault & Family Violence Defense
San Antonio Bail Bond Lawyer