FRAUD DESTROY REMOVAL CONCEALMENT WRITING
Fraud Destroy Removal Concealment Writing in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “FRAUD DESTROY REMOVAL CONCEALMENT WRITING” means
Texas Penal Code § 32.47 makes it an offense to destroy, remove, conceal, alter, substitute, or otherwise impair the verity, legibility, or availability of a writing, other than a governmental record, while acting with intent to defraud or harm another person. "Writing" is defined broadly to include printing or any other method of recording information; money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, and trademarks; symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification; and labels, price tags, or markings on goods. Subsection (c) sets out the baseline version of the offense, charged as a Class A misdemeanor; the statute treats impairment of certain instruments, such as wills and deeds, more severely. The State must prove both an act impairing the writing and the specific intent to defraud or harm another.
| Charged as | Share of bail records | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | 100% | 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 FRAUD DESTROY REMOVAL CONCEALMENT WRITING in Texas
Across 1,128 Texas bail settings for this charge (10 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $2,500 (middle half: $1,000 – $3,500). 10% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 26 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (225 records), the median was $2,000 and 19% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazoria | 192 | $3,500 | $3,500 – $3,500 | 0% | 4% |
| Tarrant | 126 | $1,000 | $500 – $2,500 | 25% | 2% |
| Williamson | 86 | $500 | $500 – $500 | 0% | 0% |
| Dallas | 78 | $1,000 | $1,000 – $2,000 | 4% | 0% |
| Kaufman | 53 | $3,500 | $1,500 – $7,500 | 0% | 6% |
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 FRAUD DESTROY REMOVAL CONCEALMENT WRITING cases
| Case | County | Filed | Disposed | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-25-33835 | Dallas | Jan 9, 2026 | Jun 4, 2026 | Dismissed by the prosecutor |
| M-23-42577 | Dallas | May 5, 2025 | Jun 2, 2026 | Dismissed by the prosecutor |
| CR-2021-00622-E | Denton | Feb 2, 2021 | Jun 2, 2026 | Guilty or no-contest plea |
| 003-86581-2024 | Collin | Aug 6, 2024 | Apr 27, 2026 | Found guilty at trial |
| 003-86581-2024 | Collin | Aug 6, 2024 | Apr 27, 2026 | Found guilty at trial |
| M-22-10837 | Dallas | May 12, 2022 | Apr 22, 2026 | Guilty or no-contest plea |
| 24-2323CR-2 | Hays | Feb 26, 2025 | Apr 21, 2026 | Dismissed by the prosecutor |
| 24-2323CR-2 | Hays | Feb 26, 2025 | Apr 21, 2026 | Dismissed by the prosecutor |
| 2026NPA0480 | Comal | Apr 15, 2026 | Apr 17, 2026 | Dismissed by the prosecutor |
| 2026NPA0372 | Comal | Apr 8, 2026 | Apr 9, 2026 | Dismissed by the prosecutor |
Related charges
- FRAUD/DESTRY/REM/CONC PRICE TAG =$100<$750 § 32.47(e)(2)
Charged with FRAUD DESTROY REMOVAL CONCEALMENT WRITING?
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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.