Bond Hearing Set for Tonya Couch

This Monday Tonya Couch and her attorneys will have an opportunity to try and have a judge lower her one million dollar bond. Couch is being held on the third degree felony charge of Hindering Apprehension. The current bond set far exceeds the bond schedule for third degree felonies. The current bond amount of a million is most often set in capital murder cases.

Under Texas law a judge can consider several factors in determining the bond amount. The type of crime and the particular facts. Danger to the community if the defendant were released and flight risk. A bond is not supposed to be a tool to keep a defendant in jail but rather a way of assuring that a defendant will show up for court.

The major factor the judge will consider in Tonya couch’s case is flight risk. Her trip to Mexico and capture has been in the news for the last month. Whether  Judge Salvant lowers the bond or keeps it the same he has put strict bond conditions on Couch if she is released. She will have to find a residence and be under home confinement and wearing an ankle monitor. Couch must also surrender her passport.