Tex. Codes » Penal Code · TITLE 2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY · CHAPTER 6. CULPABILITY GENERALLY
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Tex. Penal Code § 6.03 (2026)

Definitions Of Culpable Mental States

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 6.03. DEFINITIONS OF CULPABLE MENTAL STATES. (a) A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to the nature of his conduct or to a result of his conduct when it is his conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or cause the result.

(b) A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to the nature of his conduct or to circumstances surrounding his conduct when he is aware of the nature of his conduct or that the circumstances exist. A person acts knowingly, or with knowledge, with respect to a result of his conduct when he is aware that his conduct is reasonably certain to cause the result.

(c) A person acts recklessly, or is reckless, with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he is aware of but consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that its disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the actor's standpoint.

(d) A person acts with criminal negligence, or is criminally negligent, with respect to circumstances surrounding his conduct or the result of his conduct when he ought to be aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur. The risk must be of such a nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that an ordinary person would exercise under all the circumstances as viewed from the actor's standpoint.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 1,730 cases (280 in the last 5 years), 1979–2026 · leading case: Williams v. State, 235 S.W.3d 742 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007).
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Williams v. State, 235 S.W.3d 742 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). · cites it 10× “[15] TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(c). [16] TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.”
Ex Parte Lewis, 219 S.W.3d 335 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). · cites it 6× “[193] Compare Tex. Pen.Code § 6.03(b)("a person acts knowingly .”
Cook v. State, 884 S.W.2d 485 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994). · cites it 8× “The trial judge then submitted to the jury the definitions of "intentionally" and "knowingly" as defined at Tex.Penal Code Ann. § 6.03: (a) A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to the nature of his conduct or to a result of his conduct when it is his…”
Penry v. State, 903 S.W.2d 715 (Tex. Crim. App. 1995). · cites it 6× “See Tex.Penal Code § 6.03(a) (definition of "intentional").”
Shaw v. State, 243 S.W.3d 647 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). · cites it 4× “See TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(a) ("A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to .”
Price, Eric Ray, 457 S.W.3d 437 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015). · cites it 4× “03 of the Penal Code, Tex. Penal Code § 6.03, it holds that the trial court did not err in neglecting to submit an abstract instruction to the jury with respect to required culpability relating nature-of-conduct elements.”
Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006). · cites it 6× “07(a)(17)(B) (Vernon Supp.2005). A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to the nature of his conduct or to a result of his conduct when it is his conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or cause the result.”
Patterson v. State, 46 S.W.3d 294 (Tex. App. 2001). · cites it 4× “See Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 6.03 (b) (Vernon 1994).”
Turner v. State, 805 S.W.2d 423 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991). · cites it 4× “" The charge followed verbatim the definition of "intentionally" in Texas Penal Code § 6.03(a). Appellant did not object at trial to the court's charge or to relevant parts of the State's voir dire and summation.”
State v. Rodriguez, 339 S.W.3d 680 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011). · cites it 8× “[2] See TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(a) ("A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to the nature of his conduct .”
Wheaton v. State, 129 S.W.3d 267 (Tex. App. 2004). · cites it 6× “A person acts knowingly with respect to the nature of his conduct or to circumstances surrounding his conduct when he is aware of the nature of his conduct or that the circumstances exist.”
Barnes v. State, 56 S.W.3d 221 (Tex. App. 2001). · cites it 4× “1989); see also Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 6.03 (a), (b) (defining "intentionally" and "knowingly").”
Show all 1,730 citing cases →
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(a) — 450 cases
Penry v. State, 903 S.W.2d 715 (Tex. Crim. App. 1995). “See Tex.Penal Code § 6.03(a) (definition of "intentional").”
Trevino v. State, 228 S.W.3d 729 (Tex. App. 2006). “07(a)(17)(B) (Vernon Supp.2005). A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to the nature of his conduct or to a result of his conduct when it is his conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or cause the result.”
Turner v. State, 805 S.W.2d 423 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991). “" The charge followed verbatim the definition of "intentionally" in Texas Penal Code § 6.03(a). Appellant did not object at trial to the court's charge or to relevant parts of the State's voir dire and summation.”
Shaw v. State, 243 S.W.3d 647 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “See TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(a) ("A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to .”
Thornton, Gregory, 425 S.W.3d 289 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(a)(1974) — 1 case
Valdez, Osbaldo (Tex. App. 2015).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(b) — 245 cases
Ex Parte Lewis, 219 S.W.3d 335 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “[193] Compare Tex. Pen.Code § 6.03(b)("a person acts knowingly .”
Wheaton v. State, 129 S.W.3d 267 (Tex. App. 2004). “A person acts knowingly with respect to the nature of his conduct or to circumstances surrounding his conduct when he is aware of the nature of his conduct or that the circumstances exist.”
Huffman v. State, 267 S.W.3d 902 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
Medina v. State, 7 S.W.3d 633 (Tex. Crim. App. 1999).
20801, INC. v. Parker, 249 S.W.3d 392 (Tex. 2008).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(b)(1974) — 1 case
Valdez, Osbaldo (Tex. App. 2015).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(c) — 264 cases
Williams v. State, 235 S.W.3d 742 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “[15] TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(c). [16] TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.”
Ex Parte Peterson, 117 S.W.3d 804 (Tex. Crim. App. 2003).
Ex Parte Lewis, 219 S.W.3d 335 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “[193] Compare Tex. Pen.Code § 6.03(b)("a person acts knowingly .”
Shaw v. State, 243 S.W.3d 647 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “See TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(a) ("A person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to .”
Alonzo v. State, 353 S.W.3d 778 (Tex. Crim. App. 2011).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(d) — 132 cases
Williams v. State, 235 S.W.3d 742 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “[15] TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.03(c). [16] TEX. PENAL CODE § 6.”
Ex Parte Lewis, 219 S.W.3d 335 (Tex. Crim. App. 2007). “[193] Compare Tex. Pen.Code § 6.03(b)("a person acts knowingly .”
Grotti v. State, 273 S.W.3d 273 (Tex. Crim. App. 2008).
Todd v. State, 911 S.W.2d 807 (Tex. App. 1995).
Tello v. State, 180 S.W.3d 150 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(e) — 4 cases
Gilbert v. State, 196 S.W.3d 163 (Tex. App. 2005).
Munoz v. State, 932 S.W.2d 242 (Tex. App. 1996).
Sandy Perez Hernandez v. State (Tex. App. 2019).
State v. Marek, 859 S.W.2d 546 (Tex. App. 1993).
— Tex. Penal Code § 6.03(h) — 1 case
Sanchez v. State, 32 S.W.3d 687 (Tex. App. 2000).
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