CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30KTexas Penal Code (PC) § 28.03(b)(4)(a)
“CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K” stands for Criminal Mischief at least $2,500 under $30K, a state jail felony under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 28.03(b)(4)(a). It is punishable by 180 days to 2 years in a state jail and a fine up to $10,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K” mean?
“CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K” stands for Criminal Mischief at least $2,500 under $30K, a state jail felony under Texas PC § 28.03(b)(4)(a).
Criminal mischief, Texas Penal Code § 28.03, requires proof that the actor, without the effective consent of the owner, intentionally or knowingly damaged or destroyed the owner's tangible property, tampered with the property and caused pecuniary loss or substantial inconvenience, or made unauthorized markings — inscriptions, slogans, drawings, or paintings — on it. This variant, § 28.03(b)(4)(A), is the state jail felony bracket based on the amount of pecuniary loss: $2,500 or more but less than $30,000. Pecuniary loss is calculated under § 28.06 — for destroyed property, generally the fair market value at the time and place of destruction; for damaged property, generally the cost of repair or restoration. The same subsection separately reaches certain lower-dollar conduct, such as damaging a habitation by firearm, but this charge denotes the dollar-bracket form of the offense.
What usually happens to a CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K charge?
56% ended without a conviction, 14% in deferred adjudication and 28% in a conviction.
How 2,268 resolved CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 13 counties (Bastrop, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):
| County | Resolved | Not convicted | Deferred | Convicted | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 1,536 | 64% | 9% | 25% | 269 |
| Collin | 189 | 33% | 33% | 33% | 197 |
| Hays | 110 | 49% | 13% | 38% | 314 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (38) 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 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K case take to resolve?
Typically about 8 months: half of resolved cases closed within 258 days of filing.
Across 2,268 resolved CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 258 days. The middle half took between 131 and 456 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K 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 Criminal Mischief at least $2,500 under $30K in Texas?
180 days to 2 years in a state jail and a fine up to $10,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| State jail felony | 180 days to 2 years in a state jail | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.35 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K in Texas?
The median bail is $5,000, and 11% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 13,294 Texas bail settings for this charge (63 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $5,000 (middle half: $3,000 – $10,000). 11% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 912 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (4,362 records), the median was $5,000 and 23% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 1,334 | $2,500 | $1,500 – $5,000 | 7% | 4% |
| Harris | 1,092 | $7,500 | $5,000 – $15,000 | 64% | 1% |
| Bexar | 1,090 | $5,000 | $3,500 – $10,000 | 5% | 9% |
| Travis | 993 | $6,000 | $4,000 – $10,000 | 24% | 5% |
| El Paso | 970 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $11,375 | 5% | 12% |
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 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF >=$2,500<$30K?
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.