PUBLIC LEWDNESSTexas Penal Code (PC) § 21.07(b)

Public Lewdness is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 21.07(b).

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).

69% ended without a conviction, 6% in deferred adjudication and 26% in a conviction.

How 195 resolved PUBLIC LEWDNESS charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 15 counties (Bastrop, Bell, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, Harris, Hays, Montgomery, Rockwall, Travis, Williamson):

Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) 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.

Typically about 7 months: half of resolved cases closed within 204 days of filing.

Across 195 resolved PUBLIC LEWDNESS charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 204 days. The middle half took between 83 and 387 days.

Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.

Up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.

Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.

The median bail is $1,500, and 26% of defendants were released on a personal bond.

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.

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.