MURDERTexas Penal Code (PC) § 19.02(c)
Murder is a first-degree felony under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 19.02(c). It is punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “MURDER” mean?
Murder is a first-degree felony under Texas PC § 19.02(c).
Murder under Texas Penal Code § 19.02 can be proved in any of four ways: the person (1) intentionally or knowingly caused the death of an individual; (2) intended to cause serious bodily injury and committed an act clearly dangerous to human life that caused a death; (3) committed or attempted a felony other than manslaughter and, in the course of and in furtherance of it or in immediate flight from it, committed an act clearly dangerous to human life that caused a death — the felony-murder rule; or (4) under a provision added in 2023, knowingly manufactured or delivered a Penalty Group 1-B substance (fentanyl and its derivatives) and an individual died as a result of injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or introducing any amount of it. Subsection (c) classifies murder as a first-degree felony except as provided by subsection (d), which concerns killings under the immediate influence of sudden passion.
What usually happens to a MURDER charge?
43% ended without a conviction, 0% in deferred adjudication and 53% in a conviction.
How 1,515 resolved MURDER 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 | 1,081 | 50% | 0% | 46% | 821 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (51) 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 MURDER case take to resolve?
Typically about 25 months: half of resolved cases closed within 765 days of filing.
Across 1,515 resolved MURDER charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 765 days. The middle half took between 438 and 1048 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real MURDER 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 Murder in Texas?
5 to 99 years or life in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-degree felony | 5 to 99 years or life in prison (TDCJ) | Fine up to $10,000 | Penal Code § 12.32 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for MURDER in Texas?
The median bail is $250,000, and 0% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 5,319 Texas bail settings for this charge (27 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $250,000 (middle half: $100,000 – $750,000). 0% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 469 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (2,949 records), the median was $420,000 and 1% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 631 | $150,000 | $75,000 – $250,000 | 0% | 6% |
| Dallas | 613 | $500,000 | $250,000 – $1,000,000 | 0% | 3% |
| Harris | 564 | $250,000 | $100,000 – $500,000 | 1% | 4% |
| Bexar | 397 | $200,000 | $125,000 – $250,000 | 0% | 9% |
| Travis | 275 | $400,000 | $100,000 – $800,000 | 3% | 5% |
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 MURDER?
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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.