INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE
Interference with Emergency Request for Assistance in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE” means
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.
| 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 INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE in Texas
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.
How real INTERFER W/EMERGENCY REQ FOR ASSISTANCE 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
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.