POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121Texas Health & Safety Code (HSC) § 481.134(f)
“POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121” stands for Possession of Marijuana Under 2 Ounces in a Drug-Free Zone, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Health & Safety Code (HSC) § 481.134(f). 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 “POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121” mean?
“POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121” stands for Possession of Marijuana Under 2 Ounces in a Drug-Free Zone, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas HSC § 481.134(f).
This charge is the drug-free-zone version of the lowest-level marijuana possession offense; in the courthouse literal, 'DFZ' stands for drug-free zone and the reference to 481.121 identifies the underlying statute. The base offense, Texas Health and Safety Code § 481.121(b)(1), requires proof that a person knowingly or intentionally possessed a usable quantity of marijuana in an amount of two ounces or less — actual care, custody, control, or management with knowledge of the substance. Texas Health and Safety Code § 481.134(f) raises the grade of the offense when the State additionally proves the possession took place in, on, or within 1,000 feet of real property owned, rented, or leased to a school or school board, the premises of a public or private youth center, or a playground, or on a school bus. Location within the protected zone is the added element.
What usually happens to a POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121 charge?
63% ended without a conviction, 20% in deferred adjudication and 17% in a conviction.
How 123 resolved POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121 charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 13 counties (Bastrop, Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, Hays, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (1) 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 POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121 case take to resolve?
Typically about 8 months: half of resolved cases closed within 235 days of filing.
Across 123 resolved POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121 charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 235 days. The middle half took between 128 and 378 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121 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 Possession of Marijuana Under 2 Ounces in a Drug-Free Zone 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 POSS MARJ <2OZ DFZ IAT 481.121 in Texas?
The median bail is $2,500, and 11% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 4,142 Texas bail settings for this charge (25 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $2,500 (middle half: $1,000 – $5,000). 11% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 50 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (1,321 records), the median was $1,500 and 22% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayson | 444 | $2,500 | $2,000 – $10,000 | 1% | 4% |
| Dallas | 436 | $1,000 | $500 – $2,000 | 7% | 0% |
| Midland | 231 | $500 | $500 – $2,500 | 2% | 0% |
| Tarrant | 213 | $1,500 | $700 – $3,000 | 38% | 0% |
| McLennan | 189 | $2,000 | $1,250 – $5,000 | 2% | 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.
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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.