Penal Code
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Title 1 — General Provisions Title 2 — Offenses Against Persons Title 3 — Offenses Against Property Title 4 — Fraud, Financial, and Cyber Offenses Title 5 — Public Order and Community Safety Title 6 — Government, Courts, and Administration of Justice Title 7 — Weapons and Explosives Title 8 — Controlled Substances Title 9 — Motor Vehicles and Traffic Title 10 — Business, Licensing, and Regulated Activity Title 11 — Emergency Services and Critical Infrastructure Title 12 — Wildlife, Animals, and the Environment Title 13 — Aviation, Maritime, and Rail Title 14 — Sentencing Enhancements and Administrative Penalties Title 15 — Field Reference Appendixes
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Title 6 — Government, Courts, and Administration of Justice

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Chapter 6A — Police process and custody

SectionOffenseGradeElements
§ 6.01Obstructing a peace officerM2Intentionally obstructs, delays, or interferes with a known peace officer performing a lawful duty through physical conduct, destruction, concealment, or a knowingly material falsehood. Mere criticism or refusal of consensual cooperation is excluded.
§ 6.02Resisting arrestM1Intentionally uses or threatens physical force to prevent a lawful arrest, detention, search, or transport of self or another. Passive noncompliance alone is M3.
§ 6.03Evading on footM2Knowing a peace officer is lawfully attempting detention or arrest, intentionally flees on foot after a clear command to stop.
§ 6.04Evading in a vehicleF5While operating a vehicle, knowingly flees or attempts to elude a clearly identified peace officer after a signal to stop. Reckless flight is F4; serious injury is F3.
§ 6.05Failure to identify after lawful arrestM3After lawful arrest, knowingly refuses to provide true identifying information reasonably required for booking.
§ 6.06False identifying information to policeM2Knowingly gives a false name, date of birth, credential, or other material identity information during lawful detention, citation, or arrest.
§ 6.07Impersonating a peace officerF4Falsely represents oneself as a peace officer and performs or attempts an official act, detention, search, command, or acquisition of property. Mere costume without official conduct is excluded.
§ 6.08Impersonating a public servantF5Falsely claims public office or authority and acts in that capacity to obtain compliance, access, information, or value.
§ 6.09Escape from detentionF4Knowingly departs from lawful arrest, detention, transport, or custody without authority. Force, weapon use, or secure-facility escape is F3.
§ 6.10Failure to return from temporary releaseF5Knowingly fails to return as required from work release, furlough, medical release, or authorized temporary absence.
§ 6.11Aiding escapeF4Knowingly provides tools, transport, concealment, force, or information to facilitate escape from lawful custody. Secure-facility or armed escape is F3.
§ 6.12Introducing contraband into a detention facilityF4Knowingly brings or provides a weapon, controlled substance, communications device, escape tool, or prohibited item into a jail or prison.
§ 6.13Possession of detention contrabandF5While confined, knowingly possesses a weapon, controlled substance, communications device, escape tool, or item designated as serious contraband.
§ 6.14Unlawful rescue of an arresteeF4By force, threat, or planned interference, removes or attempts to remove another from lawful custody.

Chapter 6B — Evidence, witnesses, and proceedings

SectionOffenseGradeElements
§ 6.20Tampering with physical evidenceF4Knowing an investigation or proceeding is pending or likely, alters, destroys, conceals, plants, or removes evidence with intent to impair its availability or truthfulness.
§ 6.21Fabricating evidenceF3Creates, alters, or presents false evidence with intent that it be used in an investigation, charging decision, or judicial proceeding.
§ 6.22Witness tamperingF3Uses persuasion, deception, intimidation, benefit, or threat to cause a witness to withhold testimony, testify falsely, evade process, or alter evidence.
§ 6.23Retaliation against a witness or victimF3Harms or threatens a witness, victim, informant, juror, or cooperating person because of participation in a report or proceeding.
§ 6.24Jury tamperingF3Communicates with, bribes, threatens, surveils, or improperly influences a juror concerning a pending case.
§ 6.25PerjuryF4In an official proceeding and under oath, knowingly makes a material false statement. A retraction is a defense only if made before substantial prejudice and before exposure is imminent.
§ 6.26False swearingM1Under a legally authorized oath outside a judicial proceeding, knowingly makes a material false statement.
§ 6.27Unsworn falsificationM2Knowingly submits a materially false written statement bearing notice that false statements are punishable.
§ 6.28False report to law enforcementM1Knowingly reports an offense, suspect, emergency, or material fact to law enforcement that the actor knows is false. Substantial emergency response is F5.
§ 6.29False accusation of a felonyF5Knowingly causes or attempts the arrest, prosecution, or serious investigation of an innocent person through fabricated felony allegations or evidence.
§ 6.30Obstruction of judicial processM1Intentionally prevents or obstructs service of process, execution of a lawful warrant, court-ordered seizure, or appearance of a person.
§ 6.31Failure to appearM2After lawful notice and without sufficient excuse, knowingly fails to appear for a required misdemeanor proceeding. Felony proceeding is F5.
§ 6.32Bail jumpingF5While released on a felony case, knowingly violates a material release condition by flight, concealment, or failure to surrender.
§ 6.33Violation of probationM1 or underlying judicial sanctionKnowingly violates a material condition of probation. A new felony may support revocation in addition to the new charge.
§ 6.34Violation of paroleF5 or underlying judicial sanctionKnowingly violates a material condition of parole or supervised release.
§ 6.35Criminal contemptM1Willfully disobeys a clear court order, disrupts proceedings after warning, or commits contemptuous conduct substantially obstructing justice.
§ 6.36Unauthorized practice before a courtM1Knowingly represents another as legal counsel or exercises a reserved legal function without required authority. Fraud or harm may support additional charges.

Chapter 6C — Public corruption and official misconduct

SectionOffenseGradeElements
§ 6.40Bribery of a public servantF3Offers, gives, solicits, or accepts a benefit as consideration for an official decision, vote, exercise of discretion, violation of duty, or testimony.
§ 6.41Improper gift to a public servantM1Gives or accepts a substantial undisclosed benefit because of official position when no specific quid pro quo is proven. Lawful campaign, ceremonial, and nominal gifts are excluded.
§ 6.42Official misconductF5A public servant knowingly violates a law or mandatory duty, or misuses official authority, intending to obtain a benefit or harm another.
§ 6.43Official oppressionF4A public servant, acting under color of office, knowingly subjects another to unlawful detention, search, seizure, force, harassment, denial of service, or deprivation of a right.
§ 6.44Deprivation of civil rights under color of lawF3A public servant willfully deprives a person of a protected right through force, threat, fabricated process, or knowing abuse of legal authority, causing serious harm.
§ 6.45Misuse of confidential government informationF4Uses or discloses nonpublic government information to obtain a benefit, aid crime, retaliate, or interfere with an investigation.
§ 6.46Misuse of public funds or propertyF4A public servant knowingly converts, misapplies, lends, or disposes of public money or property contrary to lawful authority. Grade may increase by value.
§ 6.47Tampering with an official recordF4A public servant knowingly falsifies, destroys, conceals, or alters an official record to deceive, conceal misconduct, or affect a legal right.
§ 6.48Unlawful release of a person in custodyF3A public servant knowingly releases, assists release, or permits escape of a person in custody without legal authority.
§ 6.49Conflict-of-interest violationM1A public servant knowingly participates in an official decision creating a direct undisclosed financial benefit to self, household, or controlled business. Major benefit is F5.
§ 6.50Election fraudF4Knowingly casts an unlawful ballot, alters or destroys a ballot, falsifies election returns, buys a vote, or obstructs lawful counting. Organized or official conduct is F3.

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Chapter 6A — Police process and custody Chapter 6B — Evidence, witnesses, and proceedings Chapter 6C — Public corruption and official misconduct