Texas defines ‘bodily injury’ as any physical pain — no bruise, no mark, no medical record required. A charge this easy to make is a charge that demands scrutiny.
Charge: Assault Causing Bodily Injury — Penal Code § 22.01(a)(1)
Level: Class A misdemeanor (unenhanced)
Range: Up to 1 year county jail, fine to $4,000
Court: County Court at Law in the county of arrest
How these cases play out in Central Texas courts
Most Central Texas assault cases are one person’s word plus an officer’s arrest decision made in a chaotic scene. The defense toolkit matches: credibility work (prior statements, motives, 911 audio versus later accounts), self-defense and mutual combat, and the injury element itself. Enhancements are where stakes explode — family-violence findings carry a lifetime federal firearm ban and future felony enhancement; choking allegations jump straight to third-degree felony; public-servant complainants change the charge class. Never plead to ‘just a misdemeanor assault’ without understanding which findings ride along with it.
Questions we hear about this charge
There’s no mark on them — how is this assault?
Because pain alone satisfies the statute. That low bar cuts both ways: easy to allege, hard to corroborate, and credibility becomes the whole case.
What does a family-violence finding actually do?
Lifetime federal firearm prohibition, immigration consequences, enhancement of any future family-violence allegation to a felony, and no sealing. It’s often worth more fighting than the jail exposure.
The other person hit first — does that end it?
Self-defense is a full justification, but it must be developed — injuries, witnesses, prior threats, who escalated. Tell counsel everything; timing matters.
Facing a ASSAULT CAUSES BODILY INJ charge?
The first weeks decide what’s possible — evidence preservation, bond terms, and early litigation posture. Criminal defense in Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bexar, and Bastrop counties is provided by Stephen T. Bowling, DWI & Criminal Defense Attorneys — former police officers who know how these cases are built. Free consultation, 24/7, flat-fee quote included.
General Texas legal information, not legal advice for your specific case. Enhancements, priors, and case facts change punishment exposure. Last reviewed July 2026.