Tex. Codes » Transportation Code · TITLE 7. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC · SUBTITLE C. RULES OF THE ROAD · CHAPTER 542. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Texas Codes

Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501 (2026)

Obedience Required To Police Officers, School Crossing Guards, And Escort Flaggers

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 542.501. OBEDIENCE REQUIRED TO POLICE OFFICERS, SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS, AND ESCORT FLAGGERS. A person may not wilfully fail or refuse to comply with a lawful order or direction of:

(1) a police officer;

(2) a school crossing guard who:

(A) is performing crossing guard duties in a school crosswalk to stop and yield to a pedestrian; or

(B) has been trained under Section 600.004 and is directing traffic in a school crossing zone; or

(3) an escort flagger who is directing or controlling the flow of traffic in accordance with a permit issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles under Subtitle E for the movement of an oversize or overweight vehicle.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 724, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1129 (H.B. 2620), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2002–2025 · leading case: Derrick Newman v. James Guedry, 703 F.3d 757 (5th Cir. 2012).
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Derrick Newman v. James Guedry, 703 F.3d 757 (5th Cir. 2012). · cites it 3× “The officers did not try to warn each other or the other officers that Newman had a weapon, which might be expected if either officer truly thought 5 The officers also suggest that Newman violated Texas Transportation Code § 565.05 by failing to comply with Torres’s order to get…”
McFadden v. Olesky, 517 S.W.3d 287 (Tex. App. 2017). “McFadden was arrested for disobeying a police officer’s lawful order, see Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(1), and was subsequently *291 charged with assault on a peace officer, see Tex.”
United States v. Raney, 633 F.3d 385 (5th Cir. 2011). “” Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(1) (West 1999).”
Calp v. Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, 75 S.W.3d 641 (Tex. App. 2002). “directing guests to park and walk on the unlit highway and shoulder; (6) By failing to heed police warnings concerning the dangers of permitting guests to park and walk on the unlit highway and shoulder; (7) By failing to heed the direct instructions of a police officer to…”
Latisha McFadden v. Greg Oleskey, Rogelio Sanchez, Tamara Joseph, & Michael Pollard, 440 S.W.3d 646 (Tex. App. 2010). “on July 14, 2000, for disregarding a police officer’s lawful order, see Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 542.501 (West Supp.”
United States v. Raney, 633 F.3d 385 (5th Cir. 2011). “" TEX. TRANSP. CODE § 542.501(1) (West 1999).”
Castro v. Kory (W.D. Tex. 2023). · cites it 3× “The Officers respond that the truck’s location on private property “in the wooded area adjoining a strip mall” which fit “the modus operendi of other commercial burglaries,” coupled with Plaintiff’s non-compliance with their orders in violation of TEX.”
Garcia v. Bermea (W.D. Tex. 2023). · cites it 3× “15; (3) failure to obey a lawful command of a police officer pursuant to Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501; (4) disorderly conduct pursuant to Tex.”
Ariana Oliveira v. State (Tex. App. 2015). · cites it 4× “9 TEx. TRANs. CoDE §542.501 ...............”
Jackson v. City of Austin (W.D. Tex. 2019). · cites it 2× “TEX. TRANS. CODE § 542.501; Haggerty v. Tex.”
Shimko, Joseph Timothy (Tex. App. 2015). · cites it 3× “8 TEX. TRANS. CODE §542.501 ...............”
Lambert v. City of Onalaska, Texas (E.D. Tex. 2025). “As such, whether Lambert subjectively understood that Officer Heeth ordered her to stop and turn around does not bear on whether Officer Heeth objectively articulated reasonable suspicion that Lambert violated Texas Transportation Code § 542.”
Show all 14 citing cases →
— Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(1) — 4 cases
McFadden v. Olesky, 517 S.W.3d 287 (Tex. App. 2017). “McFadden was arrested for disobeying a police officer’s lawful order, see Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(1), and was subsequently *291 charged with assault on a peace officer, see Tex.”
United States v. Raney, 633 F.3d 385 (5th Cir. 2011). “” Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(1) (West 1999).”
United States v. Raney, 633 F.3d 385 (5th Cir. 2011). “" TEX. TRANSP. CODE § 542.501(1) (West 1999).”
Lambert v. City of Onalaska, Texas (E.D. Tex. 2025). “As such, whether Lambert subjectively understood that Officer Heeth ordered her to stop and turn around does not bear on whether Officer Heeth objectively articulated reasonable suspicion that Lambert violated Texas Transportation Code § 542.”
— Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(Z) — 1 case
Calp v. Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, 75 S.W.3d 641 (Tex. App. 2002). “directing guests to park and walk on the unlit highway and shoulder; (6) By failing to heed police warnings concerning the dangers of permitting guests to park and walk on the unlit highway and shoulder; (7) By failing to heed the direct instructions of a police officer to…”
— Tex. Transp. Code § 542.501(l) — 1 case
Lawrence & Paula Calp, Individually & as Representatives of the Est. of Tricia Calp v. Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Inc., an Illinois Non-Profit Corp. & Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Pi Eta Chapter, Inc. (Tex. App. 2002).
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