INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCETexas Penal Code (PC) § 42.062
“INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE” stands for Interference with Emergency Request for Assistance, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 42.062. 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 “INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE” mean?
“INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE” stands for Interference with Emergency Request for Assistance, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 42.062.
Texas Penal Code § 42.062 defines interference with an emergency request for assistance. A person commits the offense by knowingly preventing or interfering with another individual's ability to place an emergency call or to request assistance in an emergency — including a request made using an electronic communications device — from a law enforcement agency, medical facility, or other agency or entity whose primary purpose is to provide for the safety of individuals. The statute also reaches recklessly rendering unusable an electronic communications device, such as a telephone, that would otherwise be used to place an emergency call or request assistance. "Emergency" means a condition or circumstance in which an individual is, or is reasonably believed by the person making the request to be, in fear of imminent assault, or in which property is in imminent danger of damage or destruction. It is a Class A misdemeanor.
What usually happens to a INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE charge?
72% ended without a conviction, 10% in deferred adjudication and 18% in a conviction.
How 3,549 resolved INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE 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 | 980 | 91% | 2% | 7% | 281 |
| Collin | 786 | 61% | 19% | 20% | 169 |
| Denton | 351 | 42% | 23% | 35% | 285 |
| Williamson | 312 | 79% | 5% | 16% | 312 |
| Hays | 289 | 66% | 13% | 22% | 427 |
| Dallas | 221 | 78% | 4% | 16% | 161 |
| Galveston | 165 | 84% | 1% | 15% | 230 |
| FortBend | 137 | 70% | 17% | 13% | 402 |
| Brazoria | 105 | 61% | 10% | 30% | 224 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (11) 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 INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE case take to resolve?
Typically about 8 months: half of resolved cases closed within 258 days of filing.
Across 3,549 resolved INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 258 days. The middle half took between 135 and 448 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE 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 Interference with Emergency Request for Assistance 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 INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE in Texas?
The median bail is $3,000, and 4% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 26,862 Texas bail settings for this charge (85 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $3,000 (middle half: $2,000 – $6,500). 4% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 360 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (2,677 records), the median was $2,500 and 11% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 3,677 | $1,500 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 1% | 1% |
| Travis | 2,508 | $5,000 | $3,500 – $8,000 | 20% | 1% |
| Dallas | 1,883 | $2,500 | $1,500 – $5,000 | 0% | 2% |
| Bexar | 1,502 | $3,000 | $2,000 – $5,000 | 1% | 3% |
| Denton | 1,487 | $3,500 | $2,500 – $7,500 | 1% | 1% |
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 INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE?
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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.