FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHERTexas Penal Code (PC) § 32.21(c)
Forgery to Defraud or Harm of Another is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 32.21(c). 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 “FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER” mean?
Forgery to Defraud or Harm of Another is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 32.21(c).
Texas Penal Code § 32.21 defines forgery. The State must prove the accused forged a writing with intent to defraud or harm another. "Forge" means to alter, make, complete, execute, or authenticate any 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 or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case, or to be a copy of an original when no such original existed; it also covers issuing, transferring, passing, publishing, or otherwise uttering such a writing, and possessing it with intent to utter. "Writing" includes printing, money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, and other symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification. This filing is the base Class A misdemeanor under § 32.21(c), for writings outside the specific instrument categories graded as felonies in § 32.21(d) and (e).
What usually happens to a FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER charge?
44% ended without a conviction, 15% in deferred adjudication and 41% in a conviction.
How 46 resolved FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 10 counties (Bastrop, Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Denton, Galveston, Hays, Williamson):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) 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 FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER case take to resolve?
Typically about 17 months: half of resolved cases closed within 529 days of filing.
Across 46 resolved FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 529 days. The middle half took between 251 and 760 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER 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 Forgery to Defraud or Harm of Another 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 FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER in Texas?
The median bail is $3,500, and 9% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 849 Texas bail settings for this charge (8 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $3,500 (middle half: $2,125 – $7,500). 9% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 41 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (211 records), the median was $3,000 and 16% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell | 122 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $5,000 | 16% | 1% |
| Tarrant | 89 | $2,250 | $1,000 – $4,000 | 11% | 2% |
| McLennan | 55 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $5,000 | 0% | 0% |
| El Paso | 47 | $22,500 | $9,375 – $50,000 | 0% | 38% |
| Dallas | 36 | $1,500 | $1,000 – $2,500 | 0% | 17% |
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 FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER?
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.