{"id":3689,"date":"2026-10-26T07:28:51","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T07:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/do-text-messages-hold-up-in-court-in-texas\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T03:35:04","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T03:35:04","slug":"do-text-messages-hold-up-in-court-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/do-text-messages-hold-up-in-court-in-texas\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Text Messages Hold Up in Court in Texas?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull is-dark chg-hero\" style=\"min-height:460px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-80 has-background-dim wp-block-cover__gradient-background has-background-gradient\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg,rgba(32,36,46,1) 0%,rgba(32,36,46,1) 55%,rgba(32,36,46,0.7) 100%)\"><\/span><img class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-3686\" alt=\"A smartphone showing text messages lying on a desk beside legal papers in a Texas courtroom setting.\" src=\"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo.jpg\" width=\"1376\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo-768x429.jpg 768w, https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo-1024x572.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo.jpg 1376w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 825px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\"\/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"chg-eyebrow has-base-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"text-shadow:0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.6),0 0 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.35)\">Criminal Defense | Frisco, Texas<\/p><h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-base-color has-text-color\" style=\"text-shadow:0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.6),0 0 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.35)\">Text Messages Can Be Evidence. Here Is How Texas Courts Look at Them.<\/h1><p class=\"has-base-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:clamp(0.875rem, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 0.2rem) * 0.625), 1.25rem);text-shadow:0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.6),0 0 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.35)\">Barbieri Law Firm reviews what a message says, who wrote it and how it fits the rest of the case.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta chg-cta-call\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"tel:+19724241902\">Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta chg-cta-form\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.barbierilawfirm.com\/contact\/\">Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#6b7280;margin-bottom:1.5rem\">By Heather Barbieri \u00b7 Published October 26, 2026<\/p>\n\n<article lang=\"en\">\n\n<h2>Short Answer: Texts Can Be Admitted, But Not Automatically<\/h2>\n<p>Do text messages hold up in court in Texas? Courts ask what the message says, who wrote it, and whether it fits the rest of the case. Texts often matter in sex crime, online sex crime, assault and family violence cases, so these questions are worth understanding early. Some messages can also be a charge in their own right. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/PE\/htm\/PE.33.htm#33.021\">Texas Penal Code \u00a7 33.021<\/a>, a person 17 or older can commit an offense. That offense requires intent to commit a listed offense and intentionally communicating in a sexually explicit manner with a minor, or distributing sexually explicit material to a minor, by text or other electronic message. The exact result in any case turns on the facts.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"cta-dose-mid wp-block-group has-contrast-color has-surface-background-color has-text-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-32197852 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--surface,#f2f3f5);color:var(--wp--preset--color--contrast,#22252b);border-radius:8px;padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem;border-left:6px solid var(--wp--preset--color--cta,currentColor);box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.18)\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a screenshot or message is weighing on you, or on someone you love, you don&#x27;t have to face it alone. We can talk through your situation. Talk it through with our team &#8212; the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta-call\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"tel:+19724241902\">Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta-form\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.barbierilawfirm.com\/contact\/\">Get a free consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large has-custom-border\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/close-up-of-a-smartphone-resting-on-a-wooden-table-beside-a-photo.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a smartphone resting on a wooden table beside a gavel and a legal document in a Texas courtroom setting.\" style=\"border-radius:8px;width:100%;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2>How Texas Courts Check That a Text Is Authentic<\/h2>\n<p>That proof can come in several forms.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Testimony from the sender or recipient who wrote or received the message.<\/li>\n<li>Details only the two people would know, such as a saved contact name or a shared nickname.<\/li>\n<li>Phone or account records showing messages passed between two numbers on certain dates.<\/li>\n<li>Timing and context that fit the rest of the story.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Courts usually weigh several details together rather than one alone. Shared phones and family accounts can cause confusion, so the number and account history matter. A witness who knows the device can often explain how messages were sent and received.<\/p>\n<p>Screenshots get challenged often. Someone can ask who typed the words, whether the picture was cropped or edited, and whether the date and time stamps are complete. A screenshot can help, but the original phone and account are harder to challenge than a picture of them.<\/p>\n<h2>Hearsay: Whose Words Are on the Screen<\/h2>\n<p>Whose words are on the screen matters because a text is often treated as hearsay. Messages from a complainant, a family member or a third party can raise separate questions when someone offers them for their truth.<\/p>\n<p>Sender identity is the first thing to check. Next, look at why the message is offered, such as to show a threat, a request or a reply to something said earlier. Consider a simple case. A message written by the accused may be used differently than a message written by the complainant. The same text can raise different questions depending on who wrote it and why it&#8217;s offered.<\/p>\n<h2>Discovery and Deleted Messages<\/h2>\n<p>Discovery, the exchange of evidence between the two sides, can reach text messages. Deleted messages are not always gone. Recovery varies with the device, cloud backups and how the messages were stored, and a forensic examiner may recover some of them.<\/p>\n<p>Deleted texts can matter in both directions. A missing message is not proof of anything by itself, and a recovered one still needs the same checks.<\/p>\n<p>Sex crime cases add another layer. That is why older messages about a person&#8217;s history raise their own questions.<\/p>\n<h2>Context, Completeness and Misread Messages<\/h2>\n<p>A single text pulled from a long thread can change meaning. The full exchange shows tone, what came before and how the other person replied. Imagine a screenshot that shows only &#8220;I&#8217;ll be there tonight.&#8221; Earlier messages may show the plan had changed, or that the line answered a question. Context can change the meaning completely.<\/p>\n<p>Short replies, emojis, abbreviations and autocorrect errors can be read differently by a judge, jury or investigator than by the people who wrote them. Timestamps and time zones can also shift the order of events. A sequence that looks clear in a screenshot may not match the phone&#8217;s full record.<\/p>\n<p>Context can also decide whether a statute applies at all. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/PE\/htm\/PE.43.htm#43.261\">Texas Penal Code \u00a7 43.261<\/a>, an affirmative defense is available only if the visual material depicted only the actor or another minor within the age and relationship limits of Section 43.261(e), and was promoted or received only between the actor and that minor. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/PE\/htm\/PE.43.htm#43.261\">Texas Penal Code \u00a7 43.261(e)<\/a>, it is an affirmative defense to prosecution that the visual material depicted only the actor or another minor who is not more than two years older or younger than the actor and with whom the actor had a dating relationship at the time of the offense (or who was the actor&#8217;s spouse at that time), and that it was promoted or received only to or from the actor and the other minor.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large has-custom-border\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/hands-with-red-nails-typing-on-a-smartphone-screen-photo.jpg\" alt=\"Hands with red nails typing on a smartphone screen.\" style=\"border-radius:8px;width:100%;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2>Phones, Privacy and Bond Conditions<\/h2>\n<p>A message on a phone can reach investigators in several ways. These include a search warrant, a consent search or a person who shows it to police. Privacy on a phone is more limited than it feels.<\/p>\n<p>A text can also be its own problem. Under Texas <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/PE\/htm\/PE.25.htm#25.07\">Penal Code \u00a7 25.07<\/a>, a person commits an offense by knowingly or intentionally violating certain protective orders, or a bond condition in a family violence, sexual assault or related case that is related to the safety of a victim or the community, in ways the statute lists. Contacting a protected person in a threatening or harassing way counts. So does any contact when the order bars communication, except through the person&#8217;s attorney or a court-appointed person. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/PE\/htm\/PE.25.htm#25.07\">\u00a7 25.07(e)<\/a>, a peace officer investigating a possible violation may not arrest the protected person for violating that order.<\/p>\n<p>Whether texts fit a family violence charge turns on the relationship. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/FA\/htm\/FA.71.htm#71.004\">Texas Family Code \u00a7 71.004<\/a>, family violence covers an act by a family or household member against another member of the family or household intended to cause physical harm, bodily injury, assault or sexual assault. It also covers a threat that reasonably places someone in fear of imminent harm. Defensive measures to protect oneself are excluded. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/FA\/htm\/FA.71.htm#71.0021\">Texas Family Code \u00a7 71.0021<\/a>, a dating relationship is a continuing relationship of a romantic or intimate nature, judged by its length, its nature, and the frequency and type of interaction between the persons involved. A casual acquaintance does not qualify.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Does deleting a text erase it?<\/strong> Not always, because a forensic examiner may recover some deleted messages.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re reading this because someone showed you a screenshot, or because a message you love someone sent or received now worries you, you don&#8217;t have to sort it out alone. Barbieri Law Firm offers a free, confidential initial consultation with no obligation to continue. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barbierilawfirm.com\/contact\/\">Contact us<\/a> to talk through how these rules may apply to your situation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Attorney responsible for this site: Heather Barbieri, Barbieri Law Firm, Frisco, Texas.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/article>\n<footer class=\"disclaimer\"><em>Barbieri Law Firm, 17 Cowboys Way, Suite 175, Frisco, TX 75034. The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.<\/em><\/footer>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-583d630a wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:3rem;padding-bottom:3rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">What a Defense Review of Text Messages Covers<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-f56f613f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"chg-icon chg-icon--document\"><\/span><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Exact wording and context<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We read the full message, the messages before and after it, and the conversation it belongs to.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"chg-icon chg-icon--users\"><\/span><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who sent and received it<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We look at who had access to each phone and account, and whether the sender can be tied to the message.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"chg-icon chg-icon--clock\"><\/span><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timing and full thread<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We compare dates, times and the complete exchange against screenshots or excerpts offered as evidence.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-f56f613f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"chg-icon chg-icon--shield\"><\/span><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How the evidence was obtained<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We review how the messages were collected, preserved and turned over to the State.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"chg-icon chg-icon--lightbulb\"><\/span><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How it fits the whole case<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We explain what the messages may mean alongside the other evidence, and walk you through your options.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-contrast-color has-surface-background-color has-text-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-32197852 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--surface,#f2f3f5);color:var(--wp--preset--color--contrast,#22252b);border-radius:8px;padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem;border-left:6px solid var(--wp--preset--color--cta,currentColor);box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.18)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-contrast-color has-text-color\">Deleted Does Not Always Mean Gone<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A deleted message may still exist on a phone, in a cloud backup or in carrier records. Before you delete anything, replace a phone or log out of an account, talk with a criminal defense lawyer.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta-call\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"tel:+19724241902\">Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta-form\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.barbierilawfirm.com\/contact\/\">Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-surface-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-583d630a wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:3rem;padding-bottom:3rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Common Questions About Text Messages in Criminal Cases<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-f56f613f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-radius:8px;box-shadow:0 4px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\"><details class=\"wp-block-details chg-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Who wrote the message?<\/summary><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shared phones, shared accounts and saved passwords can all make authorship a real question worth examining.<\/p><\/details><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-radius:8px;box-shadow:0 4px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\"><details class=\"wp-block-details chg-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Is the screenshot complete?<\/summary><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Excerpts can leave out the context that changes what a message means. We compare what was offered against the full conversation.<\/p><\/details><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-radius:8px;box-shadow:0 4px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\"><details class=\"wp-block-details chg-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Can a message be the charge?<\/summary><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In some situations, the message itself is the conduct alleged. Those cases require a close look at the exact words and intent involved.<\/p><\/details><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-radius:8px;box-shadow:0 4px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\"><details class=\"wp-block-details chg-faq is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What about the rest of the evidence?<\/summary><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Texts are rarely reviewed alone. We look at how they line up with the other evidence in your case.<\/p><\/details><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-base-color has-primary-background-color has-text-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4d466591 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--primary,#20242e);color:var(--wp--preset--color--base,#ffffff);padding-top:3rem;padding-bottom:3rem;padding-left:1.5rem;padding-right:1.5rem\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-base-color has-text-color\">Talk With Heather Barbieri About Your Messages<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-0aa01211 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta chg-cta-call\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"tel:+19724241902\">Call (972) 424-1902 or Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-button chg-cta chg-cta-form\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.barbierilawfirm.com\/contact\/\">Call (972) 424-1902 or Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related practice areas<\/h2><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Online Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer | Collin County &amp; Texas<\/li><\/ul>\n<!-- chg:section-siblings -->\n<nav aria-label=\"More in this section\">\n<h2>More in this section<\/h2>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/ellis-county-violent-crime-lawyers\/\">Ellis County Violent Crime Lawyers<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/employer-action-before-charge-online-sex-crime-texas\/\">Can My Employer Fire Me Before I Am Charged With an Online Sex Crime in Texas?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/employer-device-online-sex-crime-defense-lawyer-texas\/\">Employer-Issued Device Online Sex Crime Defense Lawyer in Texas<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/entrapment-defense-online-sex-crime-sting-texas\/\">Entrapment Defense in Online Sex Crime Stings in Texas<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/explicit-images-minor-online-charge-texas-defense\/\">Sexting Explicit Images With a Minor in Texas: Charges and Defense Lawyer<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<!-- \/chg:section-siblings -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Texts can be used in Texas court when they are authentic and fit the case. Learn how courts check messages, deleted texts, context and bond conditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"chg_review":"","chg_sendback":"","chg_canonical":"","chg_lang":"","chg_hreflang":"","chg_jsonld":"[{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"speakable\": {\"@type\": \"SpeakableSpecification\", \"cssSelector\": [\"article > p:first-of-type\", \".wp-block-details p\", \"article > h1\"]}, \"author\": {\"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Heather Barbieri\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.barbierilawfirm.com\/attorneys\/heather-barbieri\/\", \"jobTitle\": \"Founding Attorney, Board Certified in Criminal Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization\", \"sameAs\": [\"https:\/\/www.texasbar.com\/AM\/Template.cfm?Section=Update_My_Profile&Template=\/CustomSource\/AttorneySearch\/MainProfileView.cfm&CFID=16102400&CFTOKEN=de0a8b038ec3c7b5-2AB4B1CB-5056-9551-D4D5BC06D0A3DEE5\", \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/heather-barbieri-3880184\", \"https:\/\/www.avvo.com\/attorneys\/75034-tx-heather-barbieri-1771243.html\"]}, \"publisher\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/#organization\", \"name\": \"Barbieri Law Firm\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/\"}, \"reviewedBy\": {\"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Carrie Thomas\", \"jobTitle\": \"Managing Attorney\", \"sameAs\": [\"https:\/\/www.texasbar.com\/AM\/Template.cfm?Section=Update_My_Profile&Template=\/CustomSource\/AttorneySearch\/MainProfileView.cfm&CFID=16102400&CFTOKEN=de0a8b038ec3c7b5-2AB4B1CB-5056-9551-D4D5BC06D0A3DEE5\"]}, \"inLanguage\": \"en\", \"about\": [{\"name\": \"Text messages as evidence\", \"@type\": \"Thing\"}, {\"name\": \"Texas Rules of Evidence\", \"@type\": \"Thing\"}], \"audience\": {\"@type\": \"Audience\", \"audienceType\": \"Texas adults researching how text messages, screenshots or message threads may be used in sex crime, online sex crime, assault or family violence cases\", \"geographicArea\": {\"name\": \"Texas\", \"@type\": \"State\"}}, \"headline\": \"Do Text Messages Hold Up in Court in Texas?\", \"keywords\": [\"Do text messages hold up in court in Texas?\", \"text messages as evidence Texas\", \"screenshots admissible Texas court\", \"authenticate text messages Texas Rule 901\", \"text messages hearsay Texas\", \"deleted text messages recovered criminal case Texas\", \"text message evidence sex crime case Texas\", \"sexting evidence Texas court\"], \"areaServed\": {\"name\": \"Texas\", \"@type\": \"State\"}, \"description\": \"A plain-language guide to how Texas courts evaluate text messages, screenshots and message threads, covering relevance, authentication under Texas Rule of Evidence 901, hearsay, completeness, discovery of deleted messages, and context.\", \"articleSection\": \"Legal information\", \"@type\": \"Article\", \"image\": \"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a-smartphone-showing-text-messages-lying-on-a-desk-beside-le-photo.jpg\"}, {\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\", \"itemListElement\": [{\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 1, \"name\": \"Home\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 2, \"name\": \"Online Sex Crimes Defense Lawyer\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/\"}, {\"@type\": \"ListItem\", \"position\": 3, \"name\": \"Do Text Messages Hold Up in Court in Texas?\", \"item\": \"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/online-sex-crimes-defense-lawyer\/do-text-messages-hold-up-in-court-in-texas\/\"}]}]","chg_meta_description":"Texts can be used in Texas court when they are authentic and fit the case. Learn how courts check messages, deleted texts, context and bond conditions.","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3689","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3689"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3689\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6098,"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3689\/revisions\/6098"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/barbierilawfirm.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}