Penal Code § 32.21(d) · State jail felony

FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT

Forgery Financial Instrument in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.

$9,000
Median cash bail
5%
Released on personal bond
10,932
Bail records

What “FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT” means

Texas Penal Code § 32.21 defines forgery. To "forge" means to alter, make, complete, execute, or authenticate a writing so that it purports to be the act of another who did not authorize the act, to be executed at a time or place other than was in fact the case, or to be a copy of an original when no such original existed; it also includes passing or publishing such a writing, or possessing it with intent to utter it. The State must prove the forging was done with intent to defraud or harm another. This filing is the state jail felony variant under § 32.21(d), which applies when the writing is or purports to be a will, codicil, deed, deed of trust, mortgage, security instrument or agreement, credit card, check, authorization to debit an account at a financial institution or similar sight order, contract, release, or other commercial instrument.

Charged asShare of bail recordsPossible confinementFineSource
State jail felony100% 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.

Bail for FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT in Texas

Across 10,932 Texas bail settings for this charge (66 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $9,000 (middle half: $5,000 – $15,000). 5% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 1,494 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (2,070 records), the median was $7,500 and 10% got a personal bond.

CountyRecordsMedian cash bailMiddle halfPersonal bondDenied
El Paso 957 $7,500 $3,000 – $10,000 9% 17%
Tarrant 719 $2,500 $1,500 – $5,000 5% 5%
Nueces 547 $5,000 $2,500 – $13,750 2% 51%
Travis 493 $10,000 $6,000 – $10,000 12% 8%
Hidalgo 469 $15,000 $15,000 – $15,000 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.

Recent FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT cases

CaseCountyFiledDisposedOutcome
61,428BastropJun 9, 2026Aug 27, 2026Guilty or no-contest plea
24-DCR-108203FortBendJul 29, 2024Aug 13, 2026Guilty or no-contest plea
21-F-238BastropJun 9, 2026Aug 12, 2026Dismissed — refiled or handled in another case
195943801010HarrisApr 10, 2026Aug 7, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
22-08-10789MontgomeryAug 18, 2022Jul 30, 2026Guilty or no-contest plea
196953601010HarrisJun 23, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
26-0796-K368WilliamsonMay 12, 2026Jul 28, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
194644401010HarrisDec 31, 2025Jul 20, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
219-81359-2026CollinMar 12, 2026Jul 9, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
194486801010HarrisDec 17, 2025Jun 30, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor

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Bail 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.