FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER
Forgery to Defraud or Harm of Another in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER” means
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).
| 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.
Bail for FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER in Texas
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.
How real FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER cases ended
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
Related charges
- FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT § 32.21(d)
- FORGERY GOVT/NATIONAL INST/MONEY/SECURITY § 32.21(e)
- FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT >=$2500<$30K IAT § 32.21(e-1)(4)
- FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT >=$100<$750 IAT § 32.21(e-1)(2)
- FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT >=$30K<$150K IAT § 32.21(e-1)(5)
- FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT >=$750<$2500 IAT § 32.21(e-1)(3)
- FORGERY FINANCIAL INSTRUMENT ENH IAT § 32.21(e-2)
Charged with FORGERY TO DEFRAUD OR HARM OF ANOTHER?
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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.