UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANGTexas Penal Code (PC) § 46.04(e)
“UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG” stands for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm After Family Violence, Under a Protective Order, or by a Gang Member, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 46.04(e). 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 “UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG” mean?
“UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG” stands for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm After Family Violence, Under a Protective Order, or by a Gang Member, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 46.04(e).
Texas Penal Code § 46.04 contains, alongside its felon-in-possession provision, three Class A misdemeanor firearm prohibitions that this courthouse label groups together, all graded by § 46.04(e). Under § 46.04(b), a person convicted of a Class A misdemeanor assault involving a member of the person's family or household commits an offense by possessing a firearm before the fifth anniversary of the person's release from confinement or community supervision for that conviction. Under § 46.04(c), a person subject to a qualifying protective order — including family-court protective orders, magistrate's orders for emergency protection, and orders issued by other jurisdictions — commits an offense by possessing a firearm after receiving notice of the order and before it expires; sworn, full-time paid peace officers are excepted. Under § 46.04(a-1), a member of a criminal street gang commits an offense by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carrying a handgun in a motor vehicle or watercraft.
What usually happens to a UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG charge?
45% ended without a conviction, 14% in deferred adjudication and 41% in a conviction.
How 29 resolved UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 8 counties (Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, 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.
How long does a UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG case take to resolve?
Typically about 5 months: half of resolved cases closed within 157 days of filing.
Across 29 resolved UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 157 days. The middle half took between 62 and 242 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG 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 Unlawful Possession of a Firearm After Family Violence, Under a Protective Order, or by a Gang Member 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 UNL POSS FIREARM FAM/HOUSE/COURT ORDER/GANG in Texas?
The median bail is $5,000, and 2% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 1,740 Texas bail settings for this charge (7 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $5,000 (middle half: $2,500 – $10,000). 2% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 32 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (302 records), the median was $2,500 and 4% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson | 497 | $8,000 | $8,000 – $40,000 | 0% | 0% |
| Dallas | 261 | $2,000 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 0% | 4% |
| Tarrant | 159 | $2,000 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 4% | 1% |
| Bexar | 103 | $5,000 | $3,000 – $7,625 | 2% | 5% |
| McLennan | 72 | $4,000 | $3,000 – $10,000 | 0% | 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.
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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.