DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARMTexas Penal Code (PC) § 42.01(d)
“DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM” stands for Disorderly Conduct: Discharging or Displaying a Firearm, a Class B misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 42.01(d). It is punishable by up to 180 days in county jail and a fine up to $2,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM” mean?
“DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM” stands for Disorderly Conduct: Discharging or Displaying a Firearm, a Class B misdemeanor under Texas PC § 42.01(d).
Disorderly conduct, Texas Penal Code § 42.01, prohibits a list of public-order offenses committed intentionally or knowingly. This charge is the firearm-related form graded as a Class B misdemeanor by § 42.01(d), covering the two kinds of conduct listed in § 42.01(a)(7) and (a)(8): discharging a firearm in a public place other than a public road or a sport shooting range, and displaying a firearm or other deadly weapon in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm. For the display branch, the State must prove the manner of display was calculated to alarm, not merely that a firearm was visible — an important limit given Texas's 2021 permitless-carry changes. 'Public place' means any place to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access. These firearm variants are distinguished from the Class C forms of disorderly conduct, such as unreasonable noise, abusive language, or fighting.
What usually happens to a DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM charge?
43% ended without a conviction, 19% in deferred adjudication and 37% in a conviction.
How 2,214 resolved DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM 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 | 546 | 58% | 14% | 28% | 292 |
| Galveston | 328 | 59% | 2% | 38% | 143 |
| Dallas | 283 | 11% | 58% | 24% | 183 |
| Hays | 278 | 67% | 3% | 30% | 127 |
| Denton | 245 | 11% | 6% | 83% | 282 |
| Williamson | 179 | 29% | 37% | 34% | 27 |
| Collin | 140 | 32% | 38% | 30% | 178 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (26) 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 DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM case take to resolve?
Typically about 7 months: half of resolved cases closed within 206 days of filing.
Across 2,208 resolved DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 206 days. The middle half took between 93 and 384 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM 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 Disorderly Conduct: Discharging or Displaying a Firearm in Texas?
Up to 180 days in county jail and a fine up to $2,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class B misdemeanor | Up to 180 days in county jail | Fine up to $2,000 | Penal Code § 12.22 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for DISORDERLY CONDUCT DISCHARGE/DISPLAY FIREARM in Texas?
The median bail is $2,500, and 8% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 2,697 Texas bail settings for this charge (18 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $2,500 (middle half: $1,500 – $5,000). 8% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 44 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (1,096 records), the median was $2,000 and 13% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 334 | $1,000 | $750 – $3,500 | 3% | 0% |
| Travis | 333 | $3,000 | $2,500 – $5,000 | 21% | 1% |
| Dallas | 318 | $1,500 | $500 – $2,500 | 3% | 0% |
| Denton | 111 | $2,500 | $1,500 – $3,004 | 4% | 0% |
| Collin | 86 | $2,500 | $1,375 – $3,625 | 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.
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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.