Bond Conditions on Internet Use? Understand What the Order Says Before You Act

The written order states exactly which conditions apply, including any limit on communication with a protected person. This page explains how bond conditions internet use sex crime Texas cases can involve, what the order controls, and how a court can be asked to clarify or change it. This is general information, not legal advice for your case.

How a Texas bond order sets conditions beyond the bond amount

Bond terms are worth reviewing with a lawyer. Those conditions tell you what you may and may not do while you are out of jail.

Texas law ties some conditions to specific case types. Tex. Penal Code § 25.07 covers violations of bond conditions in family violence, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, and trafficking cases. The condition must relate to the safety of a victim or the safety of the community.

Two people charged with similar offenses can receive different orders. That’s why you should get a copy of your signed order and read every line.

What kinds of internet and phone limits a judge may impose

Judges can restrict several things that touch phones and devices, mainly contact and tracking. The law gives the court a specific list to work from.

A protective order can bar communication with the protected person or family members in a threatening or harassing manner. It can also bar contact in any manner except through the person’s attorney or a court-appointed person, if the court finds good cause. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 7B.005 sets out these limits.

The same article lets a court prohibit tracking or monitoring a protected person’s property or vehicle without consent. It specifically covers using a tracking application on a personal electronic device.

Emergency orders can reach devices too. After an arrest for an offense involving family violence, or for certain trafficking, sexual assault, indecent assault, aggravated sexual assault or stalking offenses, a magistrate may issue an order for emergency protection under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.292. That article also allows a magistrate to require participation in a global positioning monitoring system.

Online cases work differently. Tex. Penal Code § 33.021 defines a minor as someone younger than 17, or someone the actor believes is younger than 17. It is about specific online conduct.

Why the exact wording of the order matters

The written order controls, so its exact words decide what is forbidden. Phrases like “no internet” or “no unsupervised access” can be read in more than one way.

Get clear answers to these questions from the written order:

• Does a work email account count as covered use?
• Are online banking and bill pay covered?
• Does a child’s school platform or homework app count?
• Does a work phone count, or only a personal one?

Violations carry real consequences. Under Texas Penal Code § 25.07, a person commits an offense when, in violation of a bond condition or a qualifying protective order, he or she knowingly or intentionally commits one of the acts listed in the statute in a family violence, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case related to the safety of a victim or the safety of the community. Under Tex. Penal Code § 25.072, two or more violations within 12 months or less can be a separate offense.

Permission from anyone doesn’t change the order. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 7B.006 says no person, including a protected person, may give permission to ignore or violate any provision.

How to ask the court to clarify or modify device and internet conditions

A court can modify part of an emergency protection order after notice and a hearing.

Your defense lawyer can raise the request with the court. A request is stronger when it proposes a narrower option instead of a full ban. Examples include work-only access, supervised use, or specified monitoring.

Support helps the court understand the need. An employer letter describing job duties, a school schedule, or records showing family needs can all help.

The court decides whether to grant the request. Until a court signs a changed order, the original order controls.

Preparing for a bond hearing where device limits are at issue

Start by reviewing the charging documents, the current order, and the defendant’s daily obligations. Each item should be checked against the exact wording.

List every way the defendant uses phones and computers. Include work, banking, school, and medical portals. This list shows which limits are most disruptive and which narrower terms might be proposed.

Until a court changes the order, the defendant must follow every current condition. Avoid discussing the facts of the case on phones or online. A new charge under Tex. Penal Code § 25.07 requires a knowing or intentional act listed in the statute, not merely a violated condition, and the bond condition or order must have been set in a family violence, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case related to the safety of a victim or the safety of the community.

Talk with Heather Barbieri about a device restriction in your bond order

If a bond order blocks the phone or computer you need for work or family, raise it with counsel soon. Waiting can leave you trying to follow a rule that may not fit your daily life.

Common questions