What Is a Peace Bond in Texas?
Peace bonds in Texas require individuals to refrain from certain offensive or harmful activities for a period of one year. These peace bonds serve as one of three types of protective orders issued by a magistrate or legal professional. They give people convicted of felonies several options: either a nonrelated individual may post the requisite bail for release or the sentenced individual completes a predetermined jail sentence, say authorities at The Colony, Texas.
Peace bonds, although appearing in Texas as legal instruments, originate in Canadian law. There, like in Texas, people must exhibit good behavior for a certain period of time. During the time of peace, individuals must have a clean record and not harm or harass others.
To initiate a peace bond, people perceiving themselves victims of another’s actions must file a formal complaint called an affidavit. The complaint explains specific reasoning for requesting a peace bond and shows evidence of wrongdoing, say authorities at The Colony, Texas. Courts consider some evidence insufficient for demonstrating harm, such as submissions of a person’s behavior while under the influence or engaged in a bet or dare. Courts recommend all people submitting affidavits provide as detailed information as possible, including date and time of the incident, people involved, specific language used and perceived threats. Upon receiving affidavits, judges authorize an arrest or set a court date for a hearing.
