Art. 49A.059 OFFENSE: HINDERING AN INQUEST

If a justice of the peace needs to get into a place where someone died or where a body was found, you cannot legally stop them from entering. This law makes it a crime to purposely or knowingly block their entrance so they can look into the death.

Breaking this law is a Class B misdemeanor. In Texas, that can mean up to 180 days in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, or both. The point of this rule is to make sure justices of the peace can do their job and investigate deaths without people getting in their way.