Texas Laws
119 articles · page 1 of 2
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Are Autopsy Reports Public in Texas? (2026)
Yes. Texas autopsy reports are public information any person can request from the county medical examiner. See fees, the open-case hold, and how to get one.
Are Brass Knuckles Legal in Texas? (2026 Law After HB 446)
Texas removed knuckles from its prohibited-weapons list in 2019 (HB 446). Club rules for schools, bars and other places, and for sales to minors, still apply.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal in Texas? Psilocybin Laws (2026)
Psilocybin is a Penalty Group 2 drug in Texas. Possession is a felony at any amount, from a state jail felony under one gram. Texas has no therapy program.
Assault vs Battery in Texas: Assault Classes, Felonies and Penalties
Texas has no separate battery crime: Penal Code 22.01 assault covers injury, threats and offensive contact. See classes, felony assault and penalty ranges.
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Bankruptcy in Texas (2026): Exemptions & Means Test
Texas lets filers choose state or federal exemptions. The state homestead is unlimited in value but limited by acreage, plus a large personal-property allowance and the means test.
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Common Law Marriage in Texas: Requirements & How It Works (2026)
Texas recognizes common-law marriage as "informal marriage" under Tex. Fam. Code section 2.401. Learn the three requirements, the Declaration of Informal Marriage option, and the 2-year separation rule.
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Does Texas Allow Legal Separation? What Texas Law Offers (2026)
Texas has no legal separation. See what the Family Code offers instead: property management orders, partition agreements, child support suits and divorce grounds.
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How Long Is a Life Sentence in Texas? (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to life sentences in Texas: parole eligibility, LWOP rules, notable cases, recent legislative changes, and sentencing statutes. Updated March 2026.
How to Find a Cause of Death in Texas (2026)
Find a cause of death in Texas on the death certificate or a medical examiner's autopsy report. It stays confidential 25 years, then becomes public.
How to Get a Texas Death Certificate (2026 Guide)
How to get a Texas death certificate: order from DSHS Vital Statistics or the county. First certified copy is $20, each extra copy $3. See who qualifies.
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Is Embezzlement a Felony in Texas? Theft, Forgery and Penalties
Texas charges embezzlement as theft under Penal Code 31.03, generally a felony from $2,500, and misapplication of fiduciary property separately. Forgery rules explained.
Is Jaywalking Illegal in Texas? Crossing Rules, Fines and Costs
Texas pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk must yield; cities may require crosswalks in business districts. Fine $1 to $200, plus a $50 state traffic fine and costs.
Is Kratom Legal in Texas? 7-OH Limits and Age Rules (2026)
Kratom is not a controlled substance in Texas. Chapter 445 sets an 18 minimum sales age, requires labels, caps 7-OH at 2% of alkaloids and bans synthetics.
Is Lane Splitting Legal in Texas? (2026 Law)
No. Texas Transportation Code 545.0605 has barred riding a motorcycle between lanes of traffic since 2023. Fine: $1 to $200, plus a $50 state traffic fine.
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Medical Malpractice Laws in Texas (2026): Deadlines & Caps
Texas medical malpractice: 2-year deadline, 10-year repose, a $250,000 noneconomic cap on physicians, the Chapter 74 expert report, and pre-suit notice.
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TDPSA Compliance Checklist for Businesses (2026)
Ten-step TDPSA compliance checklist: SBA applicability self-test, entity and data exemptions, sensitive data opt-in consent, mandatory verbatim sale notices, data protection assessments, processor contracts, universal opt-out, and Texas AG enforcement.
TDPSA Consumer Rights: Your Texas Data Privacy Rights
Texas residents have 6 TDPSA rights: access, correct, delete, portability, opt-out, and appeal. Learn how to submit requests, use GPC, and file a TX AG complaint.
Texas Adoption Records: Original Birth Certificates and Sealed Files
Texas seals adoption records by default. Most adult adoptees need a court order, but a narrow exception applies if you already know both parents' names.
Texas Age of Consent Laws: Statutes, Penalties and Reporting
How Texas criminal law protects minors by age, with sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, indecency with a child, school-employee rules, grooming and reporting.
Texas Age Verification Law: Chapter 129B and FSC v. Paxton Explained
Texas requires age verification for adult sites under Ch. 129B, upheld by the Supreme Court in FSC v. Paxton. Requirements, penalties, and the App Store Act.
Texas AI Laws and Regulation (2026)
Guide to Texas AI laws including TRAIGA (HB 149), healthcare AI disclosure requirements, and deepfake legislation.
Texas AI Meeting Recording Laws (2026)
Learn how Texas consent laws apply to AI meeting recorders. One-party consent plus new RAIGA AI transparency requirements.
Texas Alimony Laws: Spousal Maintenance and Support (2026)
Texas calls court-ordered support spousal maintenance (Tex. Fam. Code ch. 8). Learn who qualifies, the $5,000/month or 20% cap, duration limits by marriage length, contractual alimony, and the federal tax rules.
Texas Annulment Laws: Grounds, Deadlines and How to File (2026)
Texas annulment law explained: void and voidable grounds under Family Code chapter 6, filing deadlines, where to file, and what happens to property and children.
Texas At-Will Employment Laws: Exceptions and Your Rights
Texas is an at-will employment state with the narrowest public-policy exception in the US (Sabine Pilot). Learn what employers can and cannot do.
Texas Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Texas background check laws: Ban the Box, lookback periods, Clean Slate, employer and housing checks.
Texas Biometric Privacy Laws: Collection, Consent & Penalties (2026)
Texas CUBI law requires consent before capturing fingerprints, face scans, or voiceprints. Penalties up to $25,000 per violation. The AG has secured over $2.7 billion in settlements.
Texas Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees, Long vs Short Form
Texas DSHS Vital Statistics charges $22 for a certified birth certificate, long or short form. Order online, by mail or in person; get the long form for a passport.
Texas Car Accident Laws: Fault, Insurance, and Your Claim
Texas is an at-fault state with a 51% comparative negligence bar, 30/60/25 minimum limits, and a 2-year lawsuit deadline. Know your rights before you file.
Texas Car Seat Laws (2026): Ages, Fines & Dismissal
Texas requires a car seat until age 8 or 4'9", under Transp. Code 545.412. See the $25-$250 fine, the $100-$200 belt fine, and how to get a ticket dismissed.
Texas Child Custody Laws (2026): Conservatorship, Possession, and Your Rights
Texas uses 'conservatorship' and 'possession and access.' Learn the joint managing conservator presumption, Standard Possession Order, and best interests factors.
Texas Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator
Texas uses a Percentage of Income model: 20% for 1 child up to 40% for 5+, applied to net resources capped at $11,700/month (eff. Sept 1, 2025).
Texas Court Records: How to Search, What's Public, and How to Seal Them (2026)
Texas has no single statewide court records database. Learn how re:SearchTX and county clerk portals work, plus expunction versus nondisclosure orders.
Texas Data Breach Notification Laws: Reporting Rules & Timelines (2026)
Texas requires breach notification within 60 days to individuals and 30 days to the AG. Penalties reach $50,000 per violation under the DTPA.
Texas Data Privacy Laws: TDPSA & Consumer Rights Guide (2026)
Learn about Texas data privacy laws including the TDPSA, biometric identifier protections, data breach notification rules, and your consumer rights under Texas law.
Texas Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get Them
Texas death records are closed for 25 years, then public. Learn who can request a Texas death certificate, the $20 fee, and how to order from DSHS.
Texas Debt Collection Laws: Protected Wages, Exposed Bank Accounts
Texas bars wage garnishment for most debts, but deposited paychecks lose that protection. The 4-year SOL, debt buyer no-revival rule, and repossession rights.
Texas Deepfake Laws: AI Images, Voice Cloning & Penalties (2026)
Texas has some of the strongest deepfake laws in the nation. Penal Code 21.165 criminalizes AI intimate deepfakes; Election Code 255.004 was the first U.S. election-deepfake law (2019).
Texas Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Texas defamation laws: a 1-year deadline under CPRC 16.002, the strong TCPA anti-SLAPP statute (Chapter 27), the retraction request rule, and how to sue.
Texas Disorderly Conduct Laws: Penalties, Trespass and Purple Paint
Texas disorderly conduct (Penal Code 42.01) is usually a Class C, fine-only misdemeanor. Criminal trespass (30.05) is Class B by default and Class A in a home.
Texas Divorce Laws (2026): Grounds, Residency, and Process
Texas divorce law: insupportability no-fault ground, 6-month residency, 90-day county rule, 60-day waiting period, community property explained.
Texas Dog Bite Laws: Liability and Victim Rights
Learn Texas dog bite laws, the one-bite rule, Lillian's Law criminal penalties, dangerous dog rules, and how to file a claim within the 2-year deadline.
Texas Drone Laws (2026): Chapter 423, Privacy & McCraw
Texas Chapter 423 makes it a crime to capture surveillance images by drone, and the Fifth Circuit upheld the law in National Press Photographers Association v. McCraw.
Texas DWI Laws: Penalties, BAC Limit & License (2026)
Texas DWI laws: the 0.08% BAC limit, first-offense penalties under Penal Code 49.04, license suspension, when a DWI becomes a felony, and the priors rule.
Texas E-Scooter Laws: Sidewalk, Helmet & Age Rules (2026)
Texas has no statewide age, helmet, license, or insurance rule for e-scooters. Transportation Code Subchapter E allows riding on sidewalks and streets posted 35 mph or under.
Texas Easements, Landlocked Land and Eminent Domain Laws (2026)
Texas prescriptive easements generally track the 10-year land limitation. See landlocked-land options, Gov't Code 2206.001 limits and condemnation steps.
Texas Emancipation Laws: How to Get Emancipated in Texas
Learn how Texas emancipation works under Tex. Fam. Code ch. 31. Who can file, minimum age, what to prove, and how emancipation affects child support and FAFSA.
Texas Employee Monitoring Laws: Workplace Surveillance, Tracking, and Biometrics (2026)
Texas employee monitoring law explained: the lack of a notice or social media password statute, one-party consent recording, and the biometric consent law known as CUBI.
Texas Expunction and Record Sealing Laws (2026 Guide)
Texas uses two record-clearing tools: expunction under Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55A destroys records completely, while nondisclosure under Government Code Chapter 411 seals them from public view. Learn eligibility, waiting periods, and how to petition.
Texas Extortion Laws: Theft by Coercion, Sextortion and Penalties
Texas has no crime named extortion or blackmail. Threat-based takings are theft by coercion; sexual coercion is a state jail felony, or third degree on a repeat.
Texas Felony Degrees and Misdemeanor Classes: Sentences (2026)
Texas has five felony categories and Class A, B and C misdemeanors. See the prison and jail ranges, fines, state jail felonies and probation limits.
Texas Final Paycheck Laws: 6-Day Deadline, the 180-Day TWC Claim, and the Felony Wage-Theft Law
Texas requires final wages within 6 calendar days of a firing. See the 180-day TWC claim deadline, the felony-only §61.019 penalty, and PTO rules.
Texas Fireworks Laws (2026): Sale Windows, Penalties
Texas allows Fireworks 1.4G statewide. Two 2025 laws conflict on section 2154.202(g)'s third sale window; base dates are June 24-July 4 and Dec 20-Jan 1.
Texas GPS Tracking Laws: Is It Legal to Put a Tracker on a Car? (2026)
Is it legal to put a GPS tracker on a car in Texas? Penal Code 16.06 explained: the PI written-consent rule, the 2023 AirTag harassment law, and penalties.
Texas Grandparents' Rights: The Significant-Impairment Standard
Texas grandparents must prove denial of access would significantly impair the child to overcome a presumption favoring a fit parent. Here is how the law works.
Texas Guardianship Laws: Minors, Adults and Alternatives (2026)
How Texas guardianship works: clear and convincing proof, an attorney ad litem for every proposed ward, limited guardianship, parent-named guardians, alternatives.
Texas Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do
Learn about Texas hit and run laws, penalties for leaving the scene of an accident, driver duties under Transportation Code 550, and how to protect your rights.
Texas Homestead Exemption: Amount, Deadline and How to Apply
Texas school districts exempt $140,000 of a homestead's value, plus $60,000 for owners 65 or older or disabled. How to file Form 50-114 by April 30.
Texas Identity Theft Laws: Penalties and Victim Rights
Texas identity theft is a felony under Penal Code 32.51, scaled by how many records are involved. Learn the penalty tiers, victim remedies, and freeze rights.
Texas Jury Duty Laws: Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules (2026)
Texas jury duty rules: who must serve, the $20 and $58 pay minimums, exemptions for people 75 and older, postponements, employer protections and no-show fines.