Article 17.151 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure provides:

A defendant who is detained in jail pending trial of an accusation against him must be released either on personal bond or by reducing the amount of bail required, if the state is not ready for trial of the criminal action for which he is being detained within … 90 days from the commencement of his detention if he is accused of a felony ….

The State is not ready for trial if the defendant has not been indicted. If a defendant was in jail for ninety days without being indicted, he is entitled to release either by bail reduction or by personal bond.

The problem is not corrected by an indictment after the ninety days is up. If the defendant is indicted on day ninety-one, he still gets bail that he can make.

It’s not automatic, of course: A lawyer has to call the issue to the attention of a judge, usually with an application for writ of habeas corpus.

Following is a list of people currently in the Harris County Jail on felony charges who were not indicted within ninety days of charges being filed against them. Some of them may have been arrested after charges were filed (and so might not be entitled to relief) but most will be entitled to bail or personal bonds.

If you represent one of these people, get on it. If you see one of your relatives or loved ones on the list, get on their lawyer to get on it.