The Record of a Fraudulent Court crime in the state of Texas gives police the right to arrest you if they believe you tried to pass off a face court record or document as a real one.

Record of a Fraudulent Court is classified in the Texas Penal Code under Title 8 “Offenses Against Public Administration,” Chapter 37 “Perjury And Other Falsification.

Learn more detailed information about the Record of a Fraudulent Court offense below.

What is the current Texas law about Record of a Fraudulent Court?

The current Texas law defines the offense of Record of a Fraudulent Court in Penal Code Section §37.13 as follows:^[1]

(a) A person commits an offense if the person makes, presents, or uses any document or other record with:

(1) knowledge that the document or other record is not a record of a court created under or established by the constitution or laws of this state or of the United States; and

(2) the intent that the document or other record be given the same legal effect as a record of a court created under or established by the constitution or laws of this state or of the United States.

How can I be charged with Record of a Fraudulent Court?

You can be charged with Record of a Fraudulent Court if the state’s attorneys believe that each of the elements of 37.13(a) as described in the section above have been met.

What is the punishment for Record of a Fraudulent Court?

A conviction for Record of a Fraudulent Court is punished as a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a felony of the third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has previously been convicted of this law on two or more occasions.^[2] Learn about the differences between grades of felonies and misdemeanors

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Legal References:

^1. Texas Penal Code §37.13^2. Texas Penal Code §37.13(b)