BRIBERYTexas Penal Code (PC) § 36.02

Bribery is a second-degree felony under Texas PC § 36.02.

Texas Penal Code § 36.02 defines bribery. The State must prove that the defendant intentionally or knowingly offered, conferred, or agreed to confer on another — or solicited, accepted, or agreed to accept from another — a benefit as consideration for one of the exchanges the statute lists: a decision, opinion, recommendation, vote, or other exercise of discretion by a public servant, party official, or voter; a decision, vote, recommendation, or other exercise of official discretion in a judicial or administrative proceeding; a violation of a duty imposed by law on a public servant or party official; or, in the case of political contributions or reported lobbying expenditures, a benefit given under an express agreement to take or withhold a specific exercise of official power or discretion. The statute reaches both sides of the corrupt exchange — the person offering the benefit and the official soliciting or accepting it.

84% ended without a conviction, 10% in deferred adjudication and 6% in a conviction.

How 82 resolved BRIBERY charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 8 counties (Brazoria, Collin, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Montgomery, Travis):

Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) covers waived counts, bond forfeitures, transfers and unrecorded outcomes. Bexar County records disposition dates but not outcomes, so it counts toward time-to-disposition only. Tarrant County criminal records are not in this dataset.

Typically about 8 months: half of resolved cases closed within 240 days of filing.

Across 82 resolved BRIBERY charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 240 days. The middle half took between 132 and 378 days.

Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.

2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.

Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.

The median bail is $10,000, and 6% of defendants were released on a personal bond.

Across 693 Texas bail settings for this charge (5 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $10,000 (middle half: $3,500 – $15,000). 6% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 22 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (121 records), the median was $10,000 and 23% got a personal bond.

Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.