PUBLIC LEWDNESS
Public Lewdness in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “PUBLIC LEWDNESS” means
Texas Penal Code § 21.07 defines public lewdness. A person commits the offense by knowingly engaging in an act of sexual intercourse, deviate sexual intercourse, or sexual contact either in a public place or, if not in a public place, while reckless about whether another person is present who will be offended or alarmed by the act. Deviate sexual intercourse and sexual contact carry the definitions in Texas Penal Code § 21.01, which turn on contact with intimate parts and, for sexual contact, an intent to arouse or gratify sexual desire. A public place is any place to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access. The offense thus has two alternative settings: the public location itself, or recklessness about an offended observer elsewhere. Subsection (b), cited in the court record, is the classification provision; the conduct elements appear in subsection (a).
| 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 PUBLIC LEWDNESS in Texas
Across 1,118 Texas bail settings for this charge (9 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $1,500 (middle half: $750 – $3,000). 26% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 11 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (625 records), the median was $1,500 and 38% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarrant | 254 | $625 | $500 – $1,000 | 16% | 1% |
| Bexar | 121 | $1,600 | $1,000 – $2,000 | 15% | 3% |
| Travis | 100 | $3,000 | $1,500 – $4,000 | 59% | 1% |
| Dallas | 85 | $1,000 | $500 – $2,750 | 7% | 0% |
| Hidalgo | 66 | $2,000 | $2,000 – $3,000 | 44% | 0% |
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 PUBLIC LEWDNESS 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 PUBLIC LEWDNESS?
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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.