BRIBERY

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.

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

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.