CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILYTexas Penal Code (PC) § 25.11(e)
Continuous Violence Against the Family is a third-degree felony under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 25.11(e). It is punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY” mean?
Continuous Violence Against the Family is a third-degree felony under Texas PC § 25.11(e).
Continuous violence against the family, Texas Penal Code § 25.11, is committed when, during a period that is twelve months or less in duration, a person engages two or more times in conduct that constitutes assault causing bodily injury under § 22.01(a)(1) against one or more persons whose relationship to the actor is described by the Texas Family Code — family members, household members, or persons in a dating relationship. The two or more assaults may involve the same victim or different victims, and the State need not have obtained arrests or convictions for the individual incidents. The jury is not required to agree unanimously on the specific conduct or the exact dates; it must agree only that at least two qualifying assaults occurred within a twelve-month period. Subsection (e) grades the completed offense as a third-degree felony.
What usually happens to a CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY charge?
61% ended without a conviction, 21% in deferred adjudication and 18% in a conviction.
How 2,605 resolved CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 14 counties (Bastrop, Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):
| County | Resolved | Not convicted | Deferred | Convicted | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 1,578 | 69% | 17% | 13% | 340 |
| Collin | 361 | 52% | 33% | 13% | 219 |
| Hays | 318 | 48% | 18% | 34% | 456 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (15) 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.
How long does a CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY case take to resolve?
Typically about 11 months: half of resolved cases closed within 328 days of filing.
Across 2,601 resolved CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 328 days. The middle half took between 170 and 561 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY cases end?
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
What is the punishment for Continuous Violence Against the Family in Texas?
2 to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-degree felony | 2 to 10 years in prison (TDCJ) | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.34 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY in Texas?
The median bail is $10,000, and 1% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 20,026 Texas bail settings for this charge (63 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $10,000 (middle half: $5,000 – $25,000). 1% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 1,363 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (6,256 records), the median was $15,000 and 1% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 3,415 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $10,000 | 0% | 4% |
| Bexar | 1,903 | $15,000 | $10,000 – $25,000 | 0% | 9% |
| Dallas | 1,294 | $15,000 | $8,000 – $25,000 | 0% | 5% |
| Denton | 1,186 | $10,000 | $5,000 – $20,000 | 0% | 4% |
| Harris | 1,131 | $15,000 | $10,000 – $30,000 | 0% | 1% |
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.
Charged with CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FAMILY?
Find Texas criminal defense attorneys with verified case histories in your county.
Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.