Legal FAQs
Can you shoot a person caught having sex with your spouse?
No. This law was repealed in 1973 and no longer exists.
Until 1973, killing a person caught having sex with your spouse may have been legally "justifiable." At the time, Article 1220 of the old Texas Penal Code stated:
Homicide is justifiable when committed by the husband upon one taken in the act of adultery with the wife, provided that the killing takes place before the parties to the act have separated. Such circumstance cannot justify a homicide where it appears that there has been, on the part of the husband, any connivance or assent to the adulterous connection.
The 63rd Texas Legislature repealed this section in Senate Bill 34.
Current homicide laws are in Chapter 19 of the Texas Penal Code.
Related FAQs and Guides
FAQs
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- Can someone with a felony conviction own a gun?
- Do I need a license to carry a handgun in Texas?
Guides
Disclaimer: The State Law Library cannot tell you what a law means for your situation. Please contact an attorney for help determining what the law means for you. If you have questions or need help finding resources, please ask a librarian.
Last updated January 11, 2024