DEADLY CONDUCTTexas Penal Code (PC) § 22.05(a)
Deadly Conduct is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 22.05(a). It is punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “DEADLY CONDUCT” mean?
Deadly Conduct is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 22.05(a).
Deadly conduct under Texas Penal Code § 22.05(a) is committed when a person recklessly engages in conduct that places another person in imminent danger of serious bodily injury. Recklessness means the actor was aware of, but consciously disregarded, a substantial and unjustifiable risk. The State does not have to prove that anyone was actually injured or that the actor intended harm; the offense turns on creating imminent danger. The statute supplies a built-in presumption: recklessness and danger are presumed if the actor knowingly pointed a firearm at or in the direction of another, whether or not the actor believed the firearm was loaded. 'Serious bodily injury' means injury that creates a substantial risk of death or causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of a bodily member or organ. This subsection is the Class A misdemeanor form, distinct from the felony firearm-discharge variants in § 22.05(b).
What usually happens to a DEADLY CONDUCT charge?
30% ended without a conviction, 22% in deferred adjudication and 46% in a conviction.
How 2,884 resolved DEADLY CONDUCT charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 15 counties (Bastrop, Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):
| County | Resolved | Not convicted | Deferred | Convicted | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 1,769 | 26% | 19% | 54% | 311 |
| Collin | 197 | 16% | 47% | 38% | 176 |
| Dallas | 166 | 55% | 19% | 22% | 204 |
| Galveston | 145 | 48% | 13% | 38% | 272 |
| Hays | 118 | 49% | 24% | 27% | 478 |
| Brazoria | 109 | 37% | 24% | 39% | 276 |
| Williamson | 101 | 40% | 15% | 46% | 272 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (21) 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 DEADLY CONDUCT case take to resolve?
Typically about 9 months: half of resolved cases closed within 284 days of filing.
Across 2,884 resolved DEADLY CONDUCT charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 284 days. The middle half took between 157 and 474 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real DEADLY CONDUCT 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 Deadly Conduct in Texas?
Up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for DEADLY CONDUCT in Texas?
The median bail is $5,000, and 4% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 7,523 Texas bail settings for this charge (52 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $5,000 (middle half: $2,000 – $10,000). 4% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 192 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (2,108 records), the median was $4,000 and 7% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 933 | $2,000 | $1,500 – $5,000 | 0% | 1% |
| Bexar | 756 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $10,000 | 1% | 4% |
| Tarrant | 587 | $2,500 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 2% | 3% |
| Travis | 414 | $6,250 | $5,000 – $10,000 | 24% | 7% |
| Hidalgo | 356 | $10,000 | $3,000 – $50,000 | 2% | 0% |
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 DEADLY CONDUCT?
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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.