Yes Texas still imposes capital punishment for certain crimes. In 2025, the state of Texas continues to authorize the death penalty for eligible capital murder cases. Executions are being scheduled and carried out under the state system.
What the Law Says Right Now
- According to the Death Penalty Information Center, Texas is one of the states that still authorizes the death penalty under state law.
- Under Texas law, persons convicted of capital murder (certain types of intentional homicide with aggravating factors) may be sentenced to death.
- The state has scheduled executions for 2025, and several have been carried out already this year.
What That Means in Practice
- Courts in Texas continue to impose death sentences in appropriate cases. For example: juries in 2025 have handed down new death sentences in Harris County.
- Executions are happening: as of 2025, Texas had executions scheduled and carried out under its capital punishment statutes.
- The legal process includes conviction for a capital murder offense, a sentencing phase, appeal rights, and then if upheld, an execution protocol under Texas’s correctional system.
Key Considerations for Texas Inmates and Families
- Not all murders result in a death sentence — prosecutors must seek it, the jury must find the aggravating circumstances, and numerous appeals follow.
- Legal representation, appeals, clemency or stays of execution can intervene in the process. Some 2025 cases in Texas show execution dates being reviewed or stays granted.
- Because the death penalty remains legal, those involved in capital cases should understand the entire chain: from trial to appeals to execution scheduling.
- Some national trends show fewer new death sentences and greater scrutiny of capital punishment, but Texas continues its use.
Why Texas Still Uses the Death Penalty
- Historically, Texas has been one of the most active states in carrying out executions.
- The capital punishment statute remains in force, meaning until the legislature repeals or the state constitution is amended to abolish it, it remains a legal penalty.
- Lawmakers have not abolished the death penalty in Texas, and public policy continues to support its use in the most severe crimes.
What Texans Should Be Aware Of
- If you are serving in the criminal justice system, or have a loved one in a capital murder case, the death penalty remains a possible outcome in Texas.
- Legal developments (legislative or judicial) could change how the death penalty is applied or its frequency — but as of 2025, the framework is intact.
- Knowing that the death penalty is legal means that defense counsel, prosecutors, and courts must treat capital cases with the full procedural protections the law mandates (jury deliberation, aggravating/mitigating factors, appeals).
- For the public: awareness that justice in Texas includes the ultimate penal sanction may influence advocacy, voting on criminal justice issues, and public discourse.
Final Take
The death penalty is absolutely legal in Texas and remains in effect. Texas continues to sentence individuals to death for qualifying capital murder offenses, carry out executions, and maintain an active death row population. While many states have moved away from capital punishment, Texas maintains the statute and the practice. If you’re concerned about how the law applies either as a citizen, defendant, or family member the key takeaway is that capital punishment is a fully operational part of Texas’s criminal justice system, not a relic or moratorium.
