Free Attorney Calls and Registration at Travis County Jail: What Attorneys and Families Need to Know

Travis County gives incarcerated individuals one free local phone call to reach an attorney. This helps people in custody connect with legal counsel without paying for a call.

These calls are capped at 20 minutes. Have your most urgent questions ready - once your client gets phone access, the clock starts immediately.

One practical limitation: the jail only authorizes one business telephone number per attorney on the call list. Pick your primary office number and stick with it.

Need the jail to notify your client to call you? Leave a message at 512-854-4666. This is the direct line to request that your client be prompted to place an attorney call.

• ✓ Client’s booking number
• ✓ Client’s full name
• ✓ Client’s date of birth

Travis County uses ViaPath for both phone service and video visitation - but they're two separate systems. Each has its own attorney registration process.

Registration is what makes your communications privileged. You must register as an attorney in both systems - phone and video - so the jail recognizes your contact as confidential legal communication, not routine personal calls.

1. Register for ViaPath phone as an attorney - Phone and video are separate systems, so start by completing the attorney registration for the phone system to support privileged calls.
2. Register for ViaPath video as an attorney - Complete the separate attorney registration for video visitation as well; it’s not automatic just because your phone profile is set up.
3. Use one consistent business number - Only one business telephone number is authorized for the jail’s attorney call list, so decide which office line you want tied to attorney communications.
4. If you need a callback, request a client notification - Leave a message at 512-854-4666 asking that your client be notified to call you.
5. Have the required identifiers ready - Include the client’s booking number, full name, and date of birth in that message so staff can match the request to the right person.
6. Plan around the call limits - Attorney calls are free and limited to 20 minutes each, so be prepared to use that time efficiently.
7. Protect privilege by confirming registration status - If a number/person isn’t registered as an attorney on the TCSO Private Do Not Record List, the conversation is subject to recording, so don’t assume you’re covered until the attorney registration is complete.