Texas disclosure of family-violence shelter location

Texas disclosure of family-violence shelter location is a criminal offense under Penal Code § 42.075. Base conduct is classified as a Class A misdemeanor; enhancements, value tiers, or aggravators can move the classification up to felony exposure. Below: the controlling statute text, the full punishment range, common defense theories, and what to do if you have been charged in Collin, Dallas, Denton, or Tarrant County.

The controlling statute

Texas Penal Code § 42.075 criminalizes the unauthorized disclosure of the address or location of a family-violence shelter center or its residents. The statute protects survivors who have relocated to safety from being tracked by abusers. It applies to anyone who knows the shelter's location through employment, volunteer work, or relationship with a resident. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor on the first violation, reflecting the serious safety risk that disclosure creates.

Classification & punishment range

Elements the State must prove

To convict on a Texas § 42.075 charge, the State must prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt:

1. Defendant disclosed the address or location of a family-violence shelter center or its residents
2. Defendant did so without authorization from the shelter operator
3. Defendant knew the location was a family-violence shelter
4. Disclosure was not pursuant to a court order or legal compulsion

Defense strategies

L and L Law Group, PLLC develops the following defense strategies on every Disclosure of Family-Violence Shelter Location case:

• Lack of knowledge that the location was a shelter (§ 6.03 culpability)
• Disclosure was authorized by shelter management or resident
• Disclosure was made pursuant to lawful court order or subpoena
• First Amendment defense for general news reporting on shelter system absent specific address
• Mistaken identity — defendant did not make the disclosure
• Necessity defense under § 9.22 in genuine emergency situations

Enhancements & collateral consequences

While § 42.075 itself is a flat Class A, parallel charges may apply when disclosure enables a subsequent violent offense. Section 42.072 (stalking), § 22.07 (terroristic threat), or family-violence assault under § 22.01(b)(2) frequently attach. Disclosure causing serious bodily injury or death will support upstream felony charges.