Tex. Local Government Code § 85.021
This is the official text of Tex. Local Government Code § 85.021, part of Texas’s Local Government Code — governs the powers and operations of Texas cities and counties.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 85.021. EXECUTION OF PROCESS; PENALTY.
Official statutory text
(a) The sheriff shall execute all process and precepts directed to the sheriff by legal authority and shall return the process or precept to the proper court on or before the date the process or precept is returnable.
(b) The sheriff commits an offense if the sheriff:
(1) fails to return a process or precept as required by Subsection (a); or
(2) makes a false return.
(c) An offense under this section is punishable by the court to which the process is returnable, as for contempt, by a fine of not more than $100. A fine collected under this section shall be deposited in the county treasury.
(d) The sheriff is liable for all damages sustained by a person by reason of an offense committed by the sheriff under this section.
(b) The sheriff commits an offense if the sheriff:
(1) fails to return a process or precept as required by Subsection (a); or
(2) makes a false return.
(c) An offense under this section is punishable by the court to which the process is returnable, as for contempt, by a fine of not more than $100. A fine collected under this section shall be deposited in the county treasury.
(d) The sheriff is liable for all damages sustained by a person by reason of an offense committed by the sheriff under this section.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Texas?
Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.