Questions about bench warrants in Texas - Harris County Jail

[redhaired_dolly]

My guy has been sent back to Harris County on a bench warrant. They want him to testify in a trial. So I've got a few questions and if anyone can help me out I'd appreciate it. Are they letting TDCJ inmates bring hygiene products to the floor or do they have to leave all their belongings and start over with new stuff? If I put money on his books in county, and he doesn't spend it all, it will be transferred to his books when he's back in TDCJ, right? Also, does TDCJ forward his mail to county? I have no idea yet how long they will keep him there. Do they send them back asap when they are done with them (after trial) or will he have to wait for a few weeks or something? The last time he was on a bench warrant he was in county almost 2 years, seriously. So I'm wondering if this is going to be a long stay or just a couple weeks. The trial should take place anytime, now. I know they'll send him back through transfer units and who knows whether he'll get to go back to Hughes or will get sent elsewhere. But I'd like to know some basics about being there. Like how do I know how long it will be so I know if it's worth putting money on his books, etc. I'm also wondering about his mail. I don't want to send a bunch of mail to county only to find out he's already at a transfer facility.
Anyway, sorry this is so long but I can't find all the above questions and since there are so many I wanted them in one place. Thanks.

[KatyBee]

I don't think there is any way to know how long they might keep him on the bench warrant. Trials get postponed all the time and that might explain why he was gone for so long before. If you put money on his county book it will go back to TDC with him but it can take a few weeks for it to post on his books. You might call the unit mail room and ask about his mail. I'm not sure if they will forward it but they should. I wish I could help you more but there just aren't any answers to some of your questions. I hope he is back at a regular unit soon because I hear Harris Co. is not a very good place to be. Let us know how things are going.

[redhaired_dolly]

Thank you. Harris County is definitely not a good place to be. For sure. But he's pretty used to all this by now. I just worry about him and I want to make sure if I send money it will get to him even if he is transferred. The last time he was there it was for a different trial and there were different circumstances. I'm thinking this time it won't be for so long. But who knows in Texas? They are definitely not interested in making things easier for families and other loved ones.

[RobinsMan]

He can take all his things with him to county or leave them in storage. That's up to him but he may not trust that his belongings will be there waiting on him if he leaves them in storage. When Robin left TDC on bench warrant she took all her blongings as well as her hygienes with her to county and it was a good thing that she did because it took a while for county to get the money on her books that I sent to her. I don't know if all counties will let hygiene products in. On the way back in to TDC they can carry with them anything that they can prove was acquired while in TDC except food or hygiene. How well that works out in actuality may depend on who is working intake when they arrive back in TDC. One thing that I think that you can count on is mail being forwarded to him from TDC while in county. Robin received all of the letters from me that were in transit when she was bench warranted plus both magazine subscriptions that she is receiving found her in county just fine. I would send him commissary money while he is in county because there is no way to know how long he will be there. Robin waited more than two months in county after she was finished with business there before she caught chain. Any case may be different than that but when he moves may depend on population management in TDC at the time. I would also go ahead and send mail to him while in county. Why not? They won't forward it to him once he is gone back to TDC but all you lost is the stamps and I'm sure he'll still be looking forward to the mail. And besides that, receiving mail says something the jailers and to other inmates, too. The guy has someone on the outside.

[redhaired_dolly]

I'm definitely sending mail. It's almost as important to me as it is to him. But I hope if they don't forward it that they at least send it back. I wouldn't want it lost in the system or just thrown out. It means too much to him. I'm not going to send pictures or stuff like that, but at least he can hear from me. Now if only my phone accepted collect calls!
Thanks for your answers. I'm feeling a little better today. It just irritates me so much how they do this. They literally moved him every day or other day for two weeks before they finally got him settled and just when he's getting used to being there he's back on bench warrant. They are so inefficient sometimes!

[MBB]

This is how it worked with my brother.
June 26th he was brought back to our county on a bench warrant.
It was a custody case with his 7 year old. He stayed here
6 weeks. They can keep them as long as they want. In our case
it was up to the jail administrator. He was a friend of the family
and he kept him a little longer, he is 6 hrs. from us and alot of
family hadn't seen him in 4 years. But they usually keep them
4 weeks anyway, that's what I was told. He got to bring
3 paper back books from his unit, nothing else. He had to start
over in county. Then when he left county he couldn't take anything
but bible and his glasses. He had to process back through Gurney
and they even took his TDC tennis shoes, and made him buy new
ones. No they didn't forward his mail, but the lady in the mail
room likes him and she is holding his stuff. He just last week
on the 12th made it back to his unit almost three months.
He had to start all over. They will send any money on his books
in county into his inmate account.