Understanding Bell County Jail's in-person visit limit (two 20‑minute visits) — and how remote visits supplement it

Bell County Jail caps face-to-face time at two 20‑minute visits per week per inmate. That's it. If you're juggling rides, childcare, or time off work, plan around this limit - once those two slots are used, you'll wait until the next week for another in-person visit.

Break the visitation rules and you'll be suspended from future visits. The takeaway? Follow the rules every time. One bad visit can cost you all future contact.

Remote visitation runs daily from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, seven days a week. That's a solid window to work with - whether you're squeezing in a call during lunch, coordinating across time zones, or waiting until the kids are in bed.

Here's the key planning detail: remote visits don't count against your two weekly in-person visits. Save face-to-face time for when it matters most, and use remote visits during the 11:00 AM–7:00 PM window to stay connected more often.

Remote visits run through Smart Communication/SmartInmate. You'll need to sign up through SmartInmate first, then use that system to schedule your visits.

Once you're set up, you can connect from a laptop or tablet at home. If home internet is spotty or you don't have a device, you can also schedule a visit at the Loop Jail through Smart Communication.

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• ✓ Treat the two 20‑minute in-person visits per week like “reserved time” and plan them for the conversations you don’t want rushed.
• ✓ Use remote visitation (11:00 AM–7:00 PM, seven days a week) to fill the gaps between in-person visits.
• ✓ Remember that remote visits don’t count against the in-person limit, so you don’t have to “save” remote time.
• ✓ Follow all visitation rules every time - rule violations can lead to suspension from any further visits.